The Criminal Defense Law Center of
West Michigan
- Wyoming, MI 49519
- Grand Rapids, MI 49503
- 616-438-6719
Allendale Criminal Defense Attorneys
Criminal Defense Attorneys
Allendale, Michigan
Allendale Criminal Defense Attorneys | GVSU Student Defense Lawyers
If you have been arrested in Allendale, Michigan, or on the campus of Grand Valley State University (GVSU), your future is on the line. Allendale has seen a significant increase in law enforcement activity as the university has grown. Whether you are a student facing a life-altering conviction or a local resident caught in a “bad situation,” you need an attorney who knows this specific community.
Attorney Shawn Haff, founder of the Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan, is a proud GVSU alumnus (Class of ’98). He doesn’t just practice law here; he lived here, studied here, and knows the Allendale legal landscape better than anyone.
Navigating the 58th District Court in Hudsonville
Allendale criminal cases are heard at the 58th District Court in Hudsonville.
Court Location:
3100 Port Sheldon St. Hudsonville, MI 49426
The Judicial Landscape: Today, Judge Mulder presides over this court. While she is known for being fair and a significant improvement over previous administrations, the Ottawa County Prosecutors remain notoriously tough.
Why You Need Shawn Haff at Your Arraignment: Do not walk into the Hudsonville court alone. At your arraignment, you must enter a “Not Guilty” plea to preserve your rights. Shawn Haff lives just five minutes from this courthouse and went to High School in Hudsonville. He uses this “hometown advantage” to negotiate aggressively with prosecutors before your case even gains momentum.
Specializing in GVSU Student Defense
A criminal record can end a career before it begins. We specialize in defending GVSU students against:
Marijuana & Drug Charges: From simple possession to felony delivery/manufacture.
OWI / DUI (Drunk Driving): Protecting your driver’s license and keeping your record clean.
MIP (Minor in Possession): Ensuring one mistake at a party doesn’t ruin your graduate school or job prospects.
Retail Fraud: Defending against shoplifting allegations in local Allendale and Standale retailers.
Drug Defense: From Marijuana to Controlled Substances
In Michigan, drug categories (Schedules) determine your potential punishment. While some believe marijuana is “no big deal,” possessing large amounts or plants can still result in felony cultivation charges with up to 15 years in prison.
We provide aggressive defense for:
Schedule 1 & 2 Narcotics: Heroin, Cocaine, Methamphetamines, and Ecstasy.
7411 Sentencing: We fight to get first-time drug offenders into “7411” diversion programs, which can result in no criminal record upon successful completion of probation.
High-Stakes Felony Defense
We handle the most serious charges in Ottawa County, including:
Internet Crimes & Child Abusive Material: These charges carry massive prison sentences (up to 20 years) and permanent sex offender registration.
Resisting & Obstructing (R&O): We have a proven track record of getting these felonies reduced to misdemeanors with no jail time.
Proven Results for Allendale Clients
OWI Reduced: Client’s drunk driving charge reduced to Impaired Driving; kept their license and reduced points.
Felony R&O Dropped: Felony Resisting and Obstructing reduced to a misdemeanor with zero jail time.
Drug Charges Dismissed: Secured Section 7411 for a client, ensuring their record remained clean after probation.
Don’t Rely on a Court-Appointed Lawyer
On a busy arraignment day in Hudsonville, a court-appointed attorney may be juggling ten cases at once. Your freedom deserves personalized attention. Attorney Shawn Haff and his team are available 24/7 to provide a free case strategy session.
Call Shawn Haff Now: (616) 438-6719 Smart. Tough. Relentless. Allendale’s Choice for Criminal Defense.
When your freedom and future are on the line, you cannot settle for anything less than the best West Michigan attorney around, Shawn Haff. The legal system in Allendale and Ottawa County is relentless, and the prosecution is already working to build a case against you. Whether you are facing charges for DUI, Drunk Driving, Retail Fraud, Shoplifting, Domestic Violence, or Criminal Sexual Conduct, you need to act with a total sense of urgency to protect your rights. Shawn Haff provides the aggressive, professional defense needed to dominate in the courtroom and secure the best possible results.
To see why Shawn is considered the premier choice for criminal defense, visit our home page: https://www.criminaldefenselawcenterwestmichigan.com/.
Get A Free Case Strategy Session
Marijuana Charges For Grand Valley Students Is No Joke!
If you are with a large amount of Marijuana, you could face a felony charge of delivery manufacture of Marijuana. A conviction of this kind of charge can cause a person to end up in prison! Possession of weed used to be a misdemeanor charge, with penalties of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. If you possess marijuana plants, however, you will face a felony cultivation charge which could lake you in jail for a significant amount of time. The maximum penalty for cultivation charges is up to 4 years in jail and a fine of up to $20,000. Depending on the number of plants you possess, you could spend up to 15 years in prison and be fined as much as ten million dollars. As I mentioned above, Marijuana charges are no joke!
Possession of drug charges are other common charges The Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan handles in Allendale. Our Allendale Criminal Defense Attorneys and Lawyers have handled numerous possession cases in this town and all other West Michigan Courts.
In Allendale, if you find yourself charged with possession of cocaine, possession of heroin, or possession of methamphetamines, you are in serious legal trouble. Possession of these drugs is a felony in Michigan. The Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan believes that the last place for somebody with a drug problem is prison. However, the Michigan legislature, West Michigan Courts, and prosecutor’s seem to think the best place for someone with drug issues is behind bars. Our Allendale Criminal Defense Attorneys and Lawyers will fight to keep you out of jail!
Categorizing drugs within different classes is one of the many things the Legislature utilizes to continue justifying extreme punishments for drug-related crimes. In all West Michigan courts, drugs are categorized into different classes called schedules. Schedule one drugs are considered the “worst drugs” and schedule five drugs are considered the least likely for abuse. In making the determination of what drugs belongs in what category, the legislature is supposed to analyze a drug’s actual or relative potential for abuse, it’s pharmacological effect, the history and pattern of abuse, the risk to public health, and the potential of the substance to product psychic or physiological dependence.
The reality of this analysis is that the Legislatures make decisions like marijuana being categorized as a schedule one controlled substance, sharing space with other narcotics, such as heroin. Other schedule one narcotics include Ecstasy, Codeine, Cat, Heroin, Mescaline, Peyote, Psilocyn (mushrooms) Qat, and Marijuana. Schedule two drugs include Cocaine, Opium, Amphetamines, and Methadone.
Shawn Haff And his team of Allendale Criminal Defense Attorneys Get Results!
June 16th, 2019
Attorney Shawn James Haff represented a client who was facing a drunk driving charge. Shawn was able to get the tough Ottawa County Prosecutor’s office to reduce the charge down to an impaired driving charge. This allowed his client to walk out of court with his driver’s license and less points on his driving record.
January 12, 2019
Shawn represented a client who was facing a felony charge for resisting and obstructing a police officer. Through tough negotiations, Shen was able to this felony charge dropped to a misdemeanor and no jail time!
September 10th, 2018
I was working on a case where my client was charged with a driving misdemeanor for not having proper plates on his vehicle. I was able to get this charge dropped to a civil infaction!
March 16, 2017
A client of our was charged with a drug offense. We were able to get him sentenced under the diversion program known as 7411. No record or jail time for the client after he completed his probationary period!
Defending Criminal Charges In Allendale
If you’re facing misdemeanor criminal charges, here are a few suggestions:
- Do not face misdemeanor criminal charges alone!
- You need to hire an experienced and aggressive five-star rated attorney like Shawn Haff to represent you! He knows how to get you the best results possible in your case!
- Do not face these charges with a court appointed attorney. Arraignment day at this courthouse is packed and the court appointed attorney there will not give you the customer service you deserve on your case.
Why would you risk your freedom, your job, your respect in the community with a court appointed attorney who is handling ten other cases at the same time? Call Shawn now at 616-438-6719 for a free case strategy session! Shawn will go over the facts of your case with you.
He will go over possible outcomes in your case and tell you what the best possible outcome of your case now! Shawn and his defense attorneys can keep you out of jail and get your charges reduced our dropped without getting ripped off by a bad criminal defense lawyer! Our defense attorneys are available 24 hours a day seven days a week!
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Easy Access and Free Parking.
Attorney Shawn Haff and the Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan are conveniently located on 44th St. in Wyoming, about 15-20 minutes southeast of Allendale and central Ottawa County. Contact Shawn now to confirm your appointment.