Mattawan Criminal Defense Attorney
Mattawan is a village on I-94 at the eastern edge of Van Buren County, close enough to Kalamazoo that it functions as a suburb of it and its school district reaches across the county line. I am Shawn Haff, and I defend people charged with crimes throughout Mattawan 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 Mattawan Case Will Be Heard
This is the mistake I see most often from this village. Mattawan is in Van Buren County, so its cases go to 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 — and felonies to the 36th Circuit Court in Paw Paw. They do not go to a Kalamazoo County court, even though Kalamazoo is the nearer city and the address on your post looks like it should.
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 Mattawan
I-94 runs right past the village and the Mattawan exits are heavily patrolled, which produces a caseload dominated by traffic-initiated charges: OWI on the way home from Kalamazoo, drug cases that begin as a speeding stop, and suspended-license charges that surface when a plate is run. The village itself is residential and largely young families, which adds juvenile and minor-in-possession matters.
- OWI and drunk driving on I-94, Main St, and the Mattawan exits
- Drug possession, delivery, and intent-to-deliver charges from interstate stops
- Minor in possession and juvenile charges
- Driving on a suspended license and other traffic crimes
- Domestic violence and assault
- Retail fraud and theft
What Is Actually at Stake
Turning up at the wrong courthouse is not a harmless error. If you appear in Kalamazoo for a Van Buren case, your own case is called in Paw Paw with nobody standing there, and the result can be a bench warrant for failure to appear — on top of whatever you were originally charged with. Half an hour of checking prevents an arrest.
What to Do Next
Look at the county printed on your citation, not the town you were nearest. If it says Van Buren, the court is west, not east, and you should plan for the drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mattawan in Kalamazoo County?
No. Mattawan is in Van Buren County, so its criminal cases go to the 7th District Court and, for felonies, the 36th Circuit Court in Paw Paw. The school district crosses the county line and Kalamazoo is closer, which is exactly why people get this wrong.
What happens if I go to the wrong courthouse?
Your case is called without you, and that can be recorded as a failure to appear and produce a bench warrant. It is entirely avoidable: check the county and address on your paperwork before the date, and if there is any ambiguity, call me and I will confirm it.
My teenager was charged after a stop on I-94. What now?
Depending on age and charge, the case may be handled in the juvenile system, which has different procedures and different outcomes — including options that can leave no public conviction. It is not automatically lighter, though, and what happens at the first hearing shapes everything after it. Call before that date, not after.
Talk to a Mattawan 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.