Bangor Criminal Defense Attorney
Bangor is a small city in western Van Buren County on M-43, surrounded by orchards and blueberry farms, with a working population and a good deal less money than the lakeshore towns twenty minutes west. I am Shawn Haff, and I defend people charged with crimes throughout Bangor and Van Buren County. If you have been arrested, or you know you are under investigation, talk to a defense lawyer before you talk to anyone else. The call is free and I am available 24/7 at 616-438-6719.
Where Your Bangor Case Will Be Heard
Bangor cases go to the 7th District Court for misdemeanors and felony arraignments, and to the 36th Circuit Court in Paw Paw for felony trials. The district court has two seats — Paw Paw at 212 E Paw Paw St and South Haven at 1007 E Wells St — and which one takes your case depends on where the incident happened, so check the address on your notice rather than driving to the county seat by default.
Knowing the building is the easy part. What matters is knowing how that particular bench handles a first offense, which prosecutor has room to negotiate, and what the local diversion options actually are — see my 7th District Court page for how these cases run.
The Charges I See Most in Bangor
M-43 and the county roads carry the traffic, and the stops made on them produce most of Bangor's OWI and drug cases. The agricultural economy adds its own pattern: seasonal work, cash payrolls, vehicles shared between households, and license problems that compound because there is no realistic alternative to driving to a job site at five in the morning.
- OWI and drunk driving on M-43 and the county roads
- Driving on a suspended license — the charge that compounds fastest for someone who has to get to work
- Drug possession and delivery charges from traffic stops
- Domestic violence and assault
- Theft and retail fraud
- Probation violations and unpaid fines that have turned into warrants
What Is Actually at Stake
Suspended-license cases are the quiet trap in a rural county. One unpaid fine suspends the license; driving to work on the suspended license adds a charge; the new charge extends the suspension; and within a year a person who started with a traffic ticket is facing jail. It is entirely reversible, but only by dealing with the underlying suspension rather than the newest charge in isolation.
What to Do Next
Bring every piece of paper you have, including the old ones you think are closed. Half the work in a case like this is finding the original suspension nobody told you about, and it is usually in a file you already have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which courthouse do I go to for a Bangor case?
The 7th District Court, which sits in Paw Paw at 212 E Paw Paw St and in South Haven at 1007 E Wells St — the seat depends on where the incident occurred. Felonies are tried at the 36th Circuit Court in Paw Paw. Check the address printed on your notice.
I keep getting charged with driving on a suspended license. How do I stop it?
By fixing the suspension, not just the newest charge. Michigan suspensions stack: an unpaid fine or an old failure to appear can hold your license indefinitely, and every time you drive it produces a fresh criminal charge that extends it further. The way out is to identify every hold on the record and clear them, which is work that has to be done deliberately.
I cannot afford to miss work for court. What are my options?
Tell me at the first call. I can appear for you at many routine hearings, and where an appearance is genuinely required, dates can often be scheduled around a work pattern. What does not work is missing a date and hoping — that becomes a bench warrant and then an arrest, which costs far more work than the hearing would have.
Talk to a Bangor Defense Lawyer Today
A criminal charge moves fast, and the first days matter most. Call me directly at 616-438-6719 for a free, confidential consultation — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.