Michigan Gun Law & Second Amendment Defense Attorney

CPL Defense & Revocations

Protecting your right to carry against revocation actions.

Your Concealed Pistol License is more than a permit. It's your ability to protect yourself and your family. The moment you are charged with a felony or a disqualifying misdemeanor, the clock starts — and it moves faster than most people realize.

As Detroit's most experienced CPL lawyer, Jim Makowski defends CPL holders against suspensions and revocations stemming from criminal charges, mental health petitions, protection orders, and administrative actions. Since the abolition of County Gun Boards in 2015, CPL administration runs through the Michigan State Police and County Clerk — and suspensions are enforced immediately through LEIN. If a CPL is denied at the application stage, the remedy is a direct appeal to the Circuit Court.

Under Michigan law (MCL 28.428), a charge alone triggers immediate suspension. The County Clerk mails notice to your last known address, and you are required to promptly surrender the physical license. Failure to surrender after receiving notice is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine. More critically: your suspension is flagged in the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) the moment it is entered. If you are stopped while carrying on a suspended CPL — even before the surrender notice arrives — you can be charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon without a valid license, a 5-year felony.

What happens to your CPL rights depends entirely on how the underlying case resolves:

• Acquittal or Dismissal: The County Clerk automatically reinstates the license, provided it has not expired and you remain otherwise qualified.
• Felony Conviction: Permanent loss. A felony conviction makes you permanently ineligible for a CPL. Restoration of basic firearm possession rights does not restore CPL eligibility.
• 8-Year Disqualifying Misdemeanor: Loss of CPL rights for 8 years from the date of conviction — includes Domestic Violence, Stalking, and weapon-free school zone violations.
• 3-Year Disqualifying Misdemeanor: Loss of CPL rights for 3 years from the date of conviction — includes first-offense OWI, Retail Fraud/Larceny, and Disorderly Person.

Many CPL suspensions can be defeated at the criminal case level — the right outcome in the underlying charge determines the outcome for your license. But only if you move fast and bring the right attorney.

NFA & Firearm Trusts

Navigating federal firearms regulations and establishing compliant NFA trusts.

Suppressors. Short-barrel rifles. Machine guns. NFA items require precise legal planning. Generic online trusts are a federal felony waiting to happen.

As Michigan's most trusted gun trust lawyer, Makowski Legal drafts comprehensive NFA trusts tailored to your specific collection and estate planning needs. Michigan NFA trust planning covers ATF compliance, successor trustees, authorized users, and interstate transfer issues. Every detail addressed, nothing left to chance. Whether you're establishing your first Michigan gun trust or updating an existing document to reflect regulatory changes, this is not the place to cut corners.

Firearms Rights Restoration

Restoring your Second Amendment rights after criminal convictions or prohibitions.

A prior conviction, even a misdemeanor, can cost you your right to possess firearms under state and federal law. But in many cases, those rights can be restored.

Makowski Legal handles Michigan set-aside applications (MCL 780.621), federal relief under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c), and restoration proceedings following domestic violence convictions. As gun crime lawyers in Michigan with 25 years of specialized experience, we handle thorough case analysis, documentation preparation, and direct representation at restoration hearings, with every step managed personally by Jim Makowski.

Not every conviction qualifies. But where the law permits relief, we provide the strategic representation necessary to get your rights back.