Byron Center Criminal Defense Attorney
Byron Center is a fast-growing community in southwest Kent County, straddling the US-131 corridor south of Grand Rapids, and home to a lot of families and professionals with a great deal to protect. I am Shawn Haff, and I defend people charged with crimes throughout Byron Center and Kent 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 Byron Center Case Will Be Heard
District-court matters from Byron Township go to the 63rd District Court at 1950 E Beltline Ave NE, which serves the Kent County communities outside the Grand Rapids, Wyoming, and Kentwood city courts. Felonies are prosecuted at the 17th Circuit Court in the Kent County Courthouse, 180 Ottawa Ave NW, downtown.
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 63rd District Court page for how these cases run.
The Charges I See Most in Byron Center
Byron Center has one feature that shapes its caseload more than anything else: the Tanger Outlets at 350 84th St SW, just off US-131. A shopping center that size generates a steady stream of retail fraud allegations, many of them against people who have never been charged with anything in their lives.
- Retail fraud from the Tanger Outlets and the 84th Street corridor. Michigan grades retail fraud by the value involved, so the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony can come down to how the store priced the items — which is worth challenging.
- OWI on US-131, M-6, and 84th Street
- Domestic violence and assault charges
- Drug crimes and marijuana charges over the legal limit
- Larceny, weapons charges, and criminal sexual conduct
What's at Stake in a Retail Fraud Case
Loss-prevention cases look airtight and often are not. The video may not show what the report claims, the stop may have happened outside the store's authority, the "confession" may have been signed in a back room by someone who was told they could go home if they cooperated, and the claimed value may be inflated past a felony threshold. Every one of those is a place to push.
What to Do Next After a Shoplifting Charge
Do not sign the civil demand letter the store's lawyers send, and do not assume it resolves the criminal case — it does not. They are separate proceedings, and paying one does not end the other.
Byron Center Criminal Defense FAQ
Which court will handle my Byron Center case?
The 63rd District Court at 1950 E Beltline Ave NE handles misdemeanors and felony arraignments for the Byron Township area. Felony cases move to the Kent County 17th Circuit Court at 180 Ottawa Ave NW in Grand Rapids.
I was accused of shoplifting at the Tanger Outlets. What happens now?
Store security will have detained you, written a report, and likely asked you to sign a statement. That report goes to the prosecutor, who decides the charge based partly on the claimed value of the merchandise. Because the degree of retail fraud turns on that number, the valuation itself is often the most productive thing to attack.
I have never been in trouble before. What are my options?
First-time offenders in Michigan often qualify for a deferral or diversion that ends in dismissal with no public conviction. Whether that is realistic depends on the specific charge and your record, and I will tell you straight at the consultation rather than after you have paid a retainer.
Talk to a Byron Center 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.