About Eric E. Matwiejczyk

Eric E. Matwiejczyk of Duff Chadwick & Associates

Admitted to the Michigan Bar in 1992. Eric practices in Ionia.

He began his career in the legal field as a police officer for thirteen years with the Charlotte Police Department. He served as the local Fraternal Order of Police Union President where he negotiated collective bargaining agreements and handled many other labor issues for the union. 

While a police officer, he pursued his law degree while working full time. He joined the Eaton County Prosecutor's Office as an Assistant Prosecutor and later joined the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office. While at the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office, he served as the Chief of Narcotics and Major Crimes Unit where he tightened his skills as a trial attorney. He was the lead prosecutor in many “Cold Case” homicide trials and has tried many homicide cases.

Eric has over 16 years' experience as an Assistant Prosecutor. He is also an adjunct professor at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where he teaches trial skills.

Eric focuses his practice in the following areas:

• Civil Litigation - Represents individuals, businesses, land use, and in civil litigation in the Michigan state courts as well as in Federal Courts
• Criminal Defense - Aggressively represents clients throughout the state of Michigan charged in state and federal courts with misdemeanors, felonies, driver license restoration / appeals, probation violations and sexual assault cases.
• Family Law - Represents individuals in divorce cases, child custody matters, child support, child protective services, alimony, and complex property division.

Education:

• Thomas M. Cooley Law School, JD, with distinction
  
• Ferris State University, B.S., Criminal Justice

Bar and Court Admissions:

• Michigan
  
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

Professional / Community Affiliations:

• Academy Instructor, Grand Valley State University Police Academy
  
• Adjunct Professor, Thomas M. Cooley Law School
  
• Member, Grand Rapids Bar Association
  
• Member, Ionia / Montcalm Bar Association
  
• Member, Ottawa County Bar Association
  
• Visiting Faculty – Intensive Trial Advocacy Program, Widener University School of Law

Other Legal Services Include:

• Criminal Sexual Conduct Defense
• Criminal Consulting
• Setting Aside Convictions
• PPO
• Criminal Appeals
• Drunk Driving
• Personal Injury
• Dog Bite
• Slip and Fall
• Work Comp Matters
• Children’s Protective Services
• Property Line, Boundary, Easement Disputes
  

Representative Matters:

• Represented a client that was charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Fourth Degree, Life Offenses and was successful in getting the case dismissed.
• Represented a client that was charged with 2 Counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First Degree, Life Offenses. The case went to a jury trial and the client was found Not Guilty on all counts.
• Defended a client charged with three (3) counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Second Degree, all fifteen (15) year felonies. The case went to a jury trial with the client being found not guilty on all counts. During the trial Eric was able to exclude the Prosecutor's expert witness from testifying.
• Defended a client charged with three (3) counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Third Degree, all fifteen (15) year felonies. Eric was able to negotiate a resolution with the client pleading guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct with no jail and no probation.

• Represented a client facing OWI (super drunk driving). Eric was successful in getting the case reduced to Open Alcohol.
• Represented a client facing OWI (super drunk driving) and was successful in getting the case reduced to OWVI (impaired driving)
• Represented a client facing OWI (drunk driving) third offense Felony, Eric was successful in getting the case reduced to a misdemeanor OWVI (impaired driving)
• Represented a client that was charged with drunk driving and successfully argued that the administrative rules were not followed in administering the breath test which resulted in the case being dismissed.
  

• Represented a client charged with Felony Possession of Methamphetamine, Eric successfully argued that the search of the client's home was unlawful. The court agreed and suppressed the evidence leaving the prosecutor without a case which was then dismissed by the prosecutor. The prosecutor appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals. Eric was successful in arguing the appeal, as the court dismissed the prosecutor's appeal.
• Represented a client who was charged with three (3) felony charges, Possession of Methamphetamine, Felony Firearm and Maintaining a Drug House. On the day of trial Eric was successful in arguing that all felony charges should be dismissed due to constitutional issues regarding the issuance of the search warrant.
• Represented a client who was charged with numerous drug violations in Indiana, Eric was successful in getting the client's charges reduced with an agreement from the prosecutor that the charges would be dismissed after a short probationary term.
• Represented a Michigan client that was charged with major marijuana felony charges in Carson County Texas. Eric travelled to Texas and was able reach an agreement with the assistance of a local defense attorney and was able to negotiate a plea agreement with some charges being dismissed. Ultimately the client had the opportunity to have the remaining charge dismissed after completing probation.
  

• Represented a client in Slip and Fall case at a well-known Lansing Restaurant and was successful in negotiating an excellent settlement.
• Represented a client bitten by a dog and was successful in negotiating an excellent settlement.
• Represented a client whose daughter was severely bitten by a dog. Eric was successful in negotiating a settlement of over $300,000.

• Defended a client charged with Assault with the intent to do Great Bodily Harm by Strangulation and Home Invasion First Degree. Eric was successful in getting the charges dismissed.
• Eric represented a client in an assault and battery case which went to jury trial which resulted in a not guilty verdict.
• Defended a client charged with Assault with the intent to do Great Bodily Harm by Strangulation and Felonious Assault. Eric was successful in getting the case dismissed.

• Represented a client in a jury trial involving theft from a local store. The jury returned a verdict in the client's favor.
• Represented a client that was charged with Breaking and Entering Illegal Entry. The case went to a jury trial and Eric successfully argued that the case was a civil landlord tenant matter and not a criminal matter the court agreed and dismissed the case after the prosecutor presented his case.
• Defended a client charged with Attempted Snagging of Salmon. The case went to a jury trial with the client being found not guilty.

• Represented a client on a complicated land use case where the case was ultimately settled in the client's favor.
   
  
• Represented a client who was charged in Gun Lake Tribal case and was successful in getting the charges dismissed.