Ferrysburg Criminal Defense Attorney
Ferrysburg is a small city on the north bank of the Grand River, wedged between Spring Lake, Muskegon County, and Lake Michigan. Its year-round population is modest; its summer population is not. I am Shawn Haff, and I defend people charged with crimes throughout Ferrysburg and Ottawa 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 Ferrysburg Case Will Be Heard
Ferrysburg sits at the north end of Ottawa County, so its cases go to the 58th District Court, Grand Haven at 414 Washington Ave — minutes away across the river. Ottawa County felonies are tried at the 20th Circuit Court in the same building. One thing to watch: the Muskegon County line runs just north of the city, and an incident on the far side of it is a Muskegon case in the 60th District Court instead.
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 58th District Court page for how these cases run.
The Charges I See Most in Ferrysburg
Ferrysburg's charges follow the water and the bridge. US-31 crosses the river here, so OWI stops cluster on the approaches; the channel, Spring Lake, and the Lake Michigan shoreline generate boating and personal-watercraft cases all summer; and North Beach Park and the surrounding waterfront bring the seasonal mix of minor in possession, open intoxicant, and disorderly conduct that any beach town sees between May and September.
- OWI on US-31, and on the Ferrysburg and Spring Lake bridge approaches
- Boating under the influence on the channel, Spring Lake, and the big lake — MCL 324.80176 sets the same 0.08 threshold as a car, and a conviction can suspend your right to operate a motorboat as well as leaving a misdemeanor on your record.
- Minor in possession, open intoxicant, and disorderly conduct from the beach and waterfront
- Domestic violence and assault
- Drug crimes and marijuana charges over the legal limit
- Theft from boats, docks, and vehicles left at the waterfront
What Is Actually at Stake
The gap between the water and the sample is where these cases are won. A marine arrest is slow: the boat has to be secured, everyone has to get back to a dock, and only then does anyone take a breath or blood sample — often an hour or more after the operating that is actually being charged. Alcohol levels move during that hour, and a number taken at the dock is not the number that was true on the water. That interval is documented, it is obtainable, and it is very rarely challenged.
What to Do Next
Write down the times while you still remember them: when you were stopped, when you reached the dock, when the sample was taken, who was with you. Nobody else is recording that sequence on your behalf, and in a boating case it is the sequence that matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is a Ferrysburg case heard?
At the 58th District Court, Grand Haven, 414 Washington Ave, for misdemeanors and felony arraignments — and at the 20th Circuit Court at the same address if the case is a felony.
Is boating under the influence actually a crime in Michigan?
Yes. BUI is charged under MCL 324.80176 at a 0.08 blood alcohol level, the same limit as driving. A first offense is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail, a fine of $100 to $500, and up to 45 days of community service, and it can suspend your right to operate a motorboat.
I was arrested near the Muskegon County line. Which county has my case?
Whichever one the incident actually occurred in — Ferrysburg is Ottawa County and goes to Grand Haven, but the line runs close and a few hundred yards can move the case to Muskegon County and the 60th District Court. Tell me exactly where it happened and I will confirm the venue before you appear.
Talk to a Ferrysburg 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.