Detectives calling? Heard you are under investigation? Nothing filed yet?
Pre-Charge & Under Investigation Defense Attorney in Macomb & Oakland County
Take a breath. This is one of the strangest places to be: nothing has been filed, nobody has been arrested, and yet a detective wants to talk, or you have heard your name is coming up. The waiting is its own kind of fear. And with it comes the most dangerous urge in the entire process: the urge to call them back and explain, because you are sure that once they hear your side, this all goes away.
Do not do it. Talking your way out almost never works, and it almost always hurts. Anything you say becomes part of the case, even the parts you thought were helping you. If police contact you: be polite, give your name, and say you want a lawyer. Once you ask for a lawyer, the questions have to stop.
Here is what most people do not realize: this is not the moment to wait and see. This is the most important moment. Before charges are filed, Scott has tools he will not have later. Sometimes that means shaping what gets charged. Sometimes it means charges are never filed at all. Nothing is promised, but the earliest hours are when the most is still possible.
Scott worked in the prosecutor's office. He knows how investigations are built, what detectives are actually doing when they call, and how to step in between you and that process. This is actually the best time to call.
Call Now — (586) 243-4140A live person answers 24/7. Your first consultation is free. If a detective has reached out, call before you call them back.
Your Rights
Right to remain silent
You are not required to answer police questions about alleged criminal conduct. You can politely state that you are invoking your right to remain silent and that you want an attorney. Staying silent is not an admission of guilt — it is a constitutional protection.
Right to an attorney
If you are in custody or subjected to custodial interrogation, you have the right to have counsel present. Even before an arrest, having a lawyer involved early helps ensure your rights are respected and that you do not walk into a voluntary interview unprepared.
Why you should not speak without counsel
Investigators are trained to gather evidence. Without counsel, you may not know which questions are safe to answer, what information is already known to law enforcement, or how a single phrase could later be used in court. An attorney’s job is to level the playing field and keep you from making avoidable mistakes under pressure.
Why early legal involvement matters
In many investigations, timing is everything. When Scott is involved early, he can assess what is happening, advise you on how to respond to contact from law enforcement, and take steps that may affect whether charges move forward and how strong the government’s case appears.
Waiting until after an arrest or after you have already given multiple statements often narrows your options. Early representation does not mean you are “guilty” — it means you are serious about protecting your record, your reputation, and your future.
Scott offers flat-fee pricing where applicable and a live answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are under investigation in Michigan, call now — not after the next interview.
Call Now — (586) 243-4140Why people rely on Rabaut
A name these courthouses already know
Scott is a second-generation defense attorney, nine years into his own practice. He clerked for his father, Stephen T. Rabaut, a respected Southeast Michigan criminal defense attorney who has defended the rights of Michigan residents for decades.
He has seen it from every side
Scott worked in loss prevention, at the Michigan Department of Corrections, and as an extern with the prosecutor's office. He knows how the other side builds a case.
Criminal defense is all he does
Scott practices criminal defense only, never a general practice. His full-time focus stays on your charges.
You sit down with Scott
The person who hears your story is the person who handles your case.
Start with a free conversation
Your first consultation costs nothing. A straight answer about where you stand from someone who does this every day, not a guess from Google or advice from a friend.
Flat-fee pricing, no surprises
You know your full fee up front. No surprise invoices later.
24/7 live answer
Day or night, your call reaches a real person, not a recording.
A real conversation, and an honest assessment.
Some lawyers will say whatever it takes to get you in the door. Scott will not. When you sit down with him, he tells you the truth about your case: what is possible, what is likely, and what it will take to get there. If he is the right person to defend you, he will say so. If he is not, he will tell you that too.
This is your future. You deserve someone who is honest with you from the very first call.
Call Now — (586) 243-4140Frequently Asked Questions
The Right Move Is the One You Make Right Now.
Every day that passes without the right attorney in your corner is a day the other side uses to build their case.
Free initial consultation
Prefer to Call?
A live person answers every call — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
(586) 243-4140Law Offices of Scott E. Rabaut
38600 Van Dyke Ave., Suite 200
Sterling Heights, MI 48312
Callback within 24 hours — sooner when urgency requires it.