One of The New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2016, Grand Rapids, Michigan is the second largest city in Michigan. Grand Rapids, Michigan has plenty of experiences that are considered world-class that are friendly and affordable.
Grand Rapids has a population of 192,000 people and when you add in the metro area there are around one million people. This city is located on the banks of the Grand River which winds around the city. Grand Rapids is 25 miles east of Lake Michigan.
This city area was home of the Hopewell Indians nearly 2,000 years ago. The Grand Rivery Valley was inhabited by Ottawa Indians in the early 1700s. Later on in the 1800’s Kent County was settled by immigrants from Europe. Kent County is named after James Kent. Mr. Kent was an attorney who wrote the famous Commentaries on American Law. In 1838, Grand Rapids became a village. By 1850, Grand Rapids was considered a city. This city was known for its world class craftsmen and carpenters. Because of this, this city became known as “America’s Furniture Capital.”
Gerald R. Ford is the most famous person from Grand Rapids. He was a Congressman and then became the 38th president of the United States. The Gerald R. Ford Museum is located here.
Kent County Prosecutors Office
This county prosecutor’s office is located in downtown Grand Rapids. The top prosecutor is Chris Becker. In 2019, Mr. Becker was elected to the Board of Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan. Prosecutor Becker said he was “humbled” to be selected to the board. Chris was elected to be the head county prosecutor in 2016.
There are six district courthouses in Kent County. Grandville and Walker district courts are presided over by Judge Peter Versluis. Wyoming district court has two judges presiding there. Kentwood district court, 63rd district court and 61st district court are the remaining district courts found in Kent County. This courts handle misdemeanor criminal charges and preliminary exams for felony charges. The 17th Circuit Court is where felony charges wind up at and this court is located downtown.
Get The Best Grand Rapids Criminal Defense Attorneys
If you have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony crime in the Grand Rapids area, you should contact one of our Grand Rapids criminal defense lawyers right away! Being charged with a crime is going to have permanent and life-changing consequences to your life! These charges can give you a criminal record, massive fines and incarceration.
Attorney Shawn Haff and his lawyers have the experience and skills needed to get you the best results possible. We can gather all the evidence available to make your case the strongest one possible. We can get your case dismissed, a not guilty verdict at jury trial or a lesser charge as part of a plea bargain.
You need to understand that the Kent County Prosecutor’s office is made up of a team of exceptionally skilled lawyers that spend their whole time working for convictions. If you do not have a five-star rated attorney like Shawn Haff on your side you are at a huge disadvantage.
The Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan knows that having criminal charges brought against you in Grand Rapids is stressful. We know you will feel like the deck is stacked against you. Do not face criminal charges here by yourself!
We see these charges all the time in Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Plea Bargaining in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Many criminal cases are settled without having a trial. This is the result of a plea bargain with the prosecutor. The prosecutor may offer a lesser charge or a lenient sentence, you need to be fully aware of the legal impact of any guilty or no-contest plea bargain. There are certain times when it is not in the best interest of the defendant to negotiate a sentence outside of the court room. Our Grand Rapids lawyers will be able to examine the facts of a case and determine if a plea bargain is right for your case. Shawn and his team of attorneys know how to get our clients the best results in Grand Rapids.
I am facing a criminal charge in Grand Rapids, should I hire a local attorney?
Yes, if you are facing a misdemeanor or felony charge in Grand Rapids, you need to hire a lawyer who is actually based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Be careful of retaining one of those state wide firms that have an office in every city. They charge a massive amount of money, provide poor customer service and hand out their cases to lawyers who are poorly paid and that most people have never heard of. Rest assured, if you hire a state wide criminal defense firm, you will not be working the the person the firm is named after. You might talk to that person briefly on the phone the first time you call, but that is it. After that, you’ll get a huge bill and potentially questionable representation.
Shawn understands you asked the question. There are many people who think that a local attorney who is in the courtroom all the time is part of the “system.” These means that Shawn would be in cahoots with the judges and prosecutors. That Shawn is out playing golf with these people and best friends with them. This is false.
As your lawyer, Shawn has an ethical duty to achieve the best results possible for every client he represents. Shawn takes this duty very seriously. My results prove it!
Shawn’s results prove it. Shawn will file any and all motions that need to be filed in a case. Shawn is not losing any sleep if that annoys the local prosecutor’s office. Do you need your case to go to trial, then Shawn will take your case to trial. Nothing is more important to Shawn than getting you the best results possible.
Shawn’s great knowledge of the local courts is not a liability, it is a massive strength of us. Again, do not believe these state wide law offices that claim they know the courts inside and out in every city across the state. Shawn only practices law in Grand Rapids and West Michigan. Because Shawn knows the local legal field so well, he knows what strategies, a prosecutor is likely to use at trial or if a motion will be successful in front of a judge. He also knows how a local judge is likely to handle a sentencing. So when you are arrested in Grand Rapids, hire an a lawyer in Grand Rapids. It makes sense!
Are Prosecutors In Grand Rapids Overzealous?
We believe that prosecutors in Grand Rapids pursue criminal charges aggressively. However, we would not call them zealous. Shawn Haff has gotten his clients great results when he is able to provide the prosecutors with exculpatory evidence or mitigating evidence. After Shawn has presented this evidence, the Kent County Prosecutor’s office has been willing to dismiss charges or at least make very good plea offers.
A good deal depends on the evidence against you. In fairness some prosecutors are willing to make better offers than others are. Of course, there are other cases where there are policies that have to be followed and a good deal will be hard to get in those cases. Drunk driving cases are classic examples of policy cases.
In many cases dealing with Criminal Sexual Conduct in the first degree, a victim less thatn 13 years old, the prosecutor’s office is very likely not to offer a deal at all.
Facing criminal charges in Grand Rapids will not be a picnic, but if you have strong evidence and a good lawyer on your side, you can expect to get great results.
Case Results!
Felony CCW charge in Grand Rapids, dismissed at 17th Circuit Court!
Felony CCW charge in the 17th Circuit Court results in HYTA diversion program for our client!
Rape charge at 17th Circuit Court results in no guilty verdict!
Do not face misdemeanor or criminal charges alone in any West Michigan Courtroom. You need Shawn Haff on your side! Do not wait, call him now at 616-438-6719. Or check out his webpage and e-mail him!