Lawton Criminal Defense Attorney
Lawton is a village in the vineyards of eastern Van Buren County, just off I-94 between Paw Paw and Mattawan, and about fifteen minutes from Kalamazoo. I am Shawn Haff, and I defend people charged with crimes throughout Lawton 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 Lawton Case Will Be Heard
Lawton cases are handled by 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 — with felonies tried at the 36th Circuit Court in Paw Paw. Note that Kalamazoo is closer than either, and nothing here goes to a Kalamazoo County court.
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 Lawton
Lawton sits between the wine trail and the interstate, which gives it a caseload out of proportion to its size. Visitors who have spent an afternoon at tasting rooms rejoin I-94 here; commuters run between Kalamazoo and Paw Paw on the same road; and both are patrolled steadily. Most Lawton files start with a traffic stop, and the majority of those clients have never been charged with anything before.
- OWI and drunk driving on I-94, M-40, and the wine-trail roads
- High-BAC "super drunk" charges at 0.17 or above, carrying enhanced penalties and a longer sanction
- Drug crimes and marijuana charges over the legal limit
- Domestic violence and assault
- Minor in possession and open intoxicant charges
- Expungement, including a first-offense OWI, which Michigan has allowed to be set aside since 19 February 2022
What Is Actually at Stake
First-time clients tend to focus on the wrong number. The fine is survivable; the conviction is the problem. It shows up on background checks for employment, housing, professional licensing, and immigration, and in Michigan a first OWI conviction also brings an automatic license sanction the judge does not control. The point of defending it is to change what is on the record, not to shave the sentence.
What to Do Next
Ask for the discovery before you consider any offer — the dashcam, the bodycam, the instrument's maintenance log, the operator's certification. Offers made before anyone has looked at those are offers made in the dark.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Lawton case heard in Kalamazoo?
No. Lawton is in Van Buren County, so its cases go to the 7th District Court — Paw Paw or South Haven, depending on where the incident occurred — and felonies to the 36th Circuit Court in Paw Paw. Kalamazoo being closer does not move the case.
What is a "super drunk" charge?
It is Michigan's High BAC offense, charged when the blood alcohol level is 0.17 or higher. It carries greater penalties than a standard first-offense OWI, including a longer jail exposure, higher fines, a mandatory alcohol program, and a longer license sanction with an interlock requirement. It is also a charge that is frequently negotiable downward when the testing itself is properly examined.
Can an old OWI be cleared from my record?
Michigan has allowed a first-offense OWI to be set aside since 19 February 2022, under limited conditions and after a five-year waiting period that runs from completion of the entire sentence. It does not happen automatically — the Clean Slate automatic process does not reach OWI — so it requires a petition. Whether you qualify depends on your full record, which is what a free eligibility check is for.
Talk to a Lawton 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.