Free Michigan Criminal Defense Tools & Calculators
Free Michigan criminal-defense tools, built by our attorneys and shared with the public. Start with the Michigan Sentencing Guidelines Calculator below, with more on the way.
What is the Michigan Sentencing Guidelines Calculator?
The Michigan Sentencing Guidelines Calculator is a free web tool that scores a single Michigan felony under the statewide sentencing guidelines and shows the recommended minimum-sentence range. Our trial lawyers built it for our own practice and made it free for the public and for the Michigan defense bar.
You select the offense, enter the prior record variables (PRVs) and offense variables (OVs), and the calculator returns the guideline minimum range for that charge. It scores one offense at a time and runs entirely in your browser. It is an estimating tool for understanding exposure, not a prediction or guarantee of any particular sentence.
How are Michigan felony sentencing guidelines calculated?
Each Michigan felony is assigned a crime class under MCL 777.11–777.19, and each class has its own sentencing grid. The grid combines two scores to produce the recommended minimum-sentence range.
Prior Record Variables (PRVs)
PRVs measure a defendant's criminal history: prior high-severity and low-severity felonies, prior misdemeanors, and whether the offense happened while on probation, parole, or bond.
Offense Variables (OVs)
OVs measure the seriousness of the offense itself: factors such as injury, weapon use, the degree of planning, and the number of victims involved in the case.
The intersection of the total PRV score and the total OV score on the grid produces the guideline minimum range. Habitual-offender status under MCL 769.10–769.13 can raise the upper end of that range. Because OV scoring in particular turns on contested facts, an experienced attorney can often argue points down. That is exactly why understanding the guidelines early matters.
Does the calculator predict my sentence?
No. The calculator computes the statutory guideline range a court must score under Michigan law. It does not predict or guarantee the sentence you will actually receive. Judges retain discretion, courts can depart from the guidelines, charges and scoring are frequently negotiated, and the specific facts of your case all shape the final outcome. Treat the result as a starting point for a conversation with a lawyer, not as an answer about what will happen in your case.
Why did our attorneys build it, and is it really free?
Yes, it is genuinely free, with no account and no catch. It runs entirely in your browser and is open to defendants, families, students, and other Michigan defense attorneys. We built it because we needed a faster, more reliable way to score guidelines in our own cases. Attorney Jonathan Pyle, a former public defender who spent years in Michigan's trial courts, leads the firm's sentencing-guidelines work and maintains the tool. Releasing it to the wider Michigan defense community, and to the families trying to understand what a charge really means, is part of how Sorin & Pyle, Trial Lawyers practices.
Common questions about Michigan sentencing guidelines
Are Michigan's sentencing guidelines mandatory?
No. Since the Michigan Supreme Court's 2015 decision in People v Lockridge, the guidelines are advisory. A judge must still score them and consider the recommended range, but can impose a sentence outside that range if it is reasonable. That is one more reason the calculator's result is a guide, not a guarantee.
Do Michigan's sentencing guidelines apply to misdemeanors?
No. The guidelines apply to felonies, plus the high-court misdemeanors that Michigan treats like felonies for sentencing. Ordinary misdemeanors are sentenced up to the maximum the statute allows, without guideline scoring.
What is the difference between the minimum and maximum sentence in Michigan?
Michigan uses indeterminate sentencing for most felonies. The judge sets the minimum term, guided by the guideline range this calculator estimates, while the maximum is fixed by statute for the offense. The calculator estimates the guideline minimum range, not the maximum.
Can the judge sentence outside the guideline range?
Yes. A court can depart above or below the range and must explain its reasons, and the sentence is reviewed for reasonableness. Careful work on the offense-variable scoring, along with mitigation, can lower the range or support a downward departure.
Facing a felony charge in West Michigan?
A guideline range is only the beginning. Talk with the attorneys who built the calculator about your specific case and how to fight the score.
Get a Free ConsultationRelated Defense Resources
Our Practice Areas
Felonies, OWI, domestic violence, and more. See how we defend the charges that the sentencing guidelines apply to.
Record Expungement
Already have a conviction on your record? Michigan's expungement law may let you set it aside. Learn whether you qualify.
More tools on the way
We're building additional court-ready calculators for the Michigan defense bar. Check back here as new tools launch.
Legal Disclaimer: The information and tools on this website are for general information purposes only and are not a substitute for professional legal advice. The Michigan Sentencing Guidelines Calculator estimates statutory guideline ranges and does not predict or guarantee any sentence. Using these tools does not create an attorney-client relationship.