Gobles Criminal Defense Attorney
Gobles is a city of a few hundred people in northeastern Van Buren County, on M-40 in the lake and orchard country between Allegan and Kalamazoo. I am Shawn Haff, and I defend people charged with crimes throughout Gobles 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 Gobles Case Will Be Heard
Gobles cases go to the 7th District Court — which sits in Paw Paw at 212 E Paw Paw St and in South Haven at 1007 E Wells St, depending on where the incident occurred — with felonies tried at the 36th Circuit Court in Paw Paw. Gobles also sits near the Allegan and Kalamazoo county lines, so establishing which county has the case is the first order of business.
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 Gobles
M-40 and the surrounding two-lanes are where almost every Gobles case begins. There is no local department working a downtown here; there are sheriff's deputies and state troopers working roads that are empty after dark, and a stop for a weave or a plate light becomes an OWI investigation or a vehicle search. The lakes north of town add a summer layer of minor in possession and boating cases.
- OWI and drunk driving on M-40 and the county roads
- Drug possession and delivery charges arising from rural vehicle searches
- Boating under the influence on the lakes north of the city, charged under MCL 324.80176 at the same 0.08 limit as a car
- Minor in possession and juvenile charges
- Domestic violence and assault
- Firearm charges, often arising from transport rather than any alleged violence
What Is Actually at Stake
Field sobriety tests are voluntary in Michigan and they are scored by the officer who has already decided to investigate you. On a rural roadside — gravel shoulder, sloping surface, headlights behind you, cold — the conditions alone can produce the "clues" the report relies on. How the tests were administered and where is one of the first things worth examining.
What to Do Next
You are not required to perform roadside tests, and declining them is not a crime. That decision has consequences worth understanding before you are standing on the shoulder at midnight, which is a good reason to read up now rather than later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will a Gobles case be heard?
At the 7th District Court — Paw Paw at 212 E Paw Paw St or South Haven at 1007 E Wells St, depending on where the incident occurred — with felonies at the 36th Circuit Court in Paw Paw.
Do I have to do the roadside sobriety tests?
No. Field sobriety tests are voluntary in Michigan. Refusing them has consequences and is not a magic escape, but they are also not a neutral measurement: they are administered and scored by the officer investigating you, often in conditions that would make a sober person fail. How they were given is very often worth challenging.
Which county is Gobles in?
Van Buren County — but the Allegan and Kalamazoo lines are close, and a case a few miles away can belong to a different prosecutor and a different court. Tell me where the stop actually happened and I will confirm the venue before you appear.
Talk to a Gobles 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.