Key points
- Ottawa County's 58th District Court sits at three courthouses, in Grand Haven, Holland and Hudsonville.[1]
- All criminal cases in the county begin in the District Court; misdemeanors stay there and felonies are transferred to the 20th Circuit Court after a preliminary examination or its waiver.[2]
- PPO forms are filed with the Circuit Court Records Division of the Clerk's Office in West Olive or Grand Haven, not at the Holland or Hudsonville courthouses, and there is no filing fee.[3]
- Resilience: Advocates for Ending Violence serves Ottawa and Allegan counties and answers a 24-hour help line at 1-800-848-5991.[4]
In Ottawa County every criminal case, including a domestic assault charge, begins in the 58th District Court. Misdemeanors stay there; felonies are transferred to the 20th Circuit Court in Grand Haven after a preliminary examination or its waiver.[2] Personal protection order (PPO) petitions are a separate, civil filing made with the Clerk's Circuit Court Records Division.[3]
If you are in danger, call 911. Resilience: Advocates for Ending Violence answers a 24-hour help line at 1-800-848-5991, with a Spanish-language line at 1-866-728-2131.[4] Anywhere in Michigan you can also call or text the VOICES4 hotline, 855-864-2374, or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233.[5][6]
Addresses and phone numbers below come from Ottawa County's court pages as they read on October 4, 2026. Call the clerk to confirm before you travel.
The 58th District Court: one court, three courthouses
By statute the 58th District consists of the county of Ottawa.[7] The court sits at three locations, and all three publish the same hours: Monday through Thursday 8:00am to 5:00pm and Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm.[1]
| Location | Address | Main phone |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Haven | 414 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417 | (616) 846-8280[1] |
| Holland | 85 West 8th St, Holland, MI 49423 | (616) 392-6991[1] |
| Hudsonville | 3100 Port Sheldon Rd, Hudsonville, MI 49426 | (616) 662-3100[1] |
Which location handles which city or township?
The county's court pages do not say, and the statute that creates the district does not divide it.[7] This guide does not print a township-by-township list because no official source for one was found. The location for a particular case appears on the citation, bond paperwork or notice to appear. If you do not have that paperwork, call one of the main numbers above and ask the clerk where the case is assigned before you travel.
Where felony cases go: the 20th Circuit Court
The 20th Circuit Court is at the Grand Haven Courthouse, 414 Washington Ave, Suite 300, Grand Haven, MI 49417, phone (616) 846-8320.[8] Its Trial Division handles criminal cases, both capital and non-capital felonies.[8] A felony reaches that court only after the District Court conducts a preliminary examination or the defendant waives it.[2] That hearing is explained in The preliminary examination.
Where and how a PPO is filed in Ottawa County
All personal protection forms are filed with the Circuit Court Records Division of the Clerk's Office, at either of two locations:[3]
- Family Justice Center, Clerk/Register's Office, 12240 Fillmore St., Room 50, West Olive, MI 49460.[3]
- Grand Haven Courthouse, Clerk/Register's Office, 414 Washington Ave., Room 320, Grand Haven, MI 49417.[3]
The Records Division's phone number is (616) 846-8315, and the county states that there is no filing fee.[3] The Holland and Hudsonville district courthouses are not among the two filing locations the clerk lists.[3]
The clerk also tells petitioners that the respondent will receive a letter from the Michigan State Police stating that he or she cannot get a license to purchase a pistol or a license to carry a concealed weapon, and that the letter is sent even if the respondent has not been served.[3] For the firearm rules themselves, see PPOs and firearms. The petition process is covered in How to get a PPO in Michigan and Preparing a PPO petition.
Local help in Ottawa County
Resilience describes free and confidential 24/7 support for domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.[4] The statewide VOICES4 hotline is free, confidential and anonymous, with advocates available 24/7.[9] More agencies are listed in Where to get help in West Michigan.
For civil matters, Legal Aid of Western Michigan takes applications for Ottawa County at 616-394-1380.[10] It does not handle criminal cases, except for record expungements.[11] A person facing a criminal charge with possible jail time is entitled to an attorney, appointed if the person cannot afford one.[12]
Specialty programs
The 58th District Court's probation department lists a Sobriety Treatment Program and a Mental Health Court, and the 20th Circuit's Recovery Court accepts Ottawa County residents convicted of non-violent drug or alcohol related felonies.[13] The county's pages do not say whether a domestic violence charge qualifies for the district programs. See Specialty courts and domestic violence.
Ottawa County domestic violence numbers
The Michigan State Police recorded 3,408 domestic violence victims in Ottawa County in 2025, and between 3,221 and 3,423 in each of the four years before.[14] Of the 2025 total, 1,782 were recorded as non-aggravated assault victims and 350 as aggravated or felonious assault victims.[14] The count depends on an investigating officer marking an incident as domestic violence, so the totals partly reflect how incidents are recorded locally.[15]
What to expect in an Ottawa County courtroom
After a felony arraignment, state law sets a probable cause conference 7 to 14 days later and a preliminary examination 5 to 7 days after that conference.[16][17] If the judge finds probable cause that a felony was committed and that the defendant committed it, the case is bound over for trial.[18] A jury in a district court misdemeanor trial has 6 members.[19] The full sequence is in the misdemeanor case timeline and the felony case timeline.
Common questions
Which 58th District Court location will my case be in?
The 58th District is the whole county of Ottawa, and the statute creating it does not assign cities or townships to a courthouse.[7] The court's site lists three locations, in Grand Haven, Holland and Hudsonville.[1] It does not publish a territorial split, so read the location printed on your citation, bond paperwork or notice to appear, and call the court if it is unclear.
Where do I file a PPO in Ottawa County?
With the Circuit Court Records Division of the Clerk's Office, at the Family Justice Center, 12240 Fillmore St., Room 50, West Olive, or the Grand Haven Courthouse, 414 Washington Ave., Room 320, Grand Haven.[3] The county states that there is no filing fee.[3]
Which judge hears a PPO case in Ottawa County?
In the 20th Circuit Court, personal protection cases are handled by the Trial Division unless the case is reassigned to the Family Division because of an existing domestic relations case between the same parties.[8] The Trial Division is at the Grand Haven Courthouse and the Family Justice Center is in West Olive.[8]
Is there free help with court forms in Ottawa County?
Ottawa County runs a Legal Self-Help Center for civil, non-criminal matters, with free kiosks around the county; its staff cannot give legal advice.[20] Under state law a court provides PPO forms without charge and may help a person complete them, but may not give legal assistance.[21] Resilience offers free and confidential support.[4]
Sources
- Ottawa County, 58th District Court, "Hours & Locations" — miottawa.org
- Ottawa County, 58th District Court, "Criminal Cases" — miottawa.org
- Ottawa County Clerk, "Personal Protection Orders (PPO)" — miottawa.org
- Resilience: Advocates for Ending Violence, resiliencemi.org — resiliencemi.org
- State of Michigan, VOICES4 Hotline — Domestic Violence page — State of Michigan
- National Domestic Violence Hotline, thehotline.org (home page) — National Domestic Violence Hotline
- MCL 600.8128 — Michigan Legislature
- Ottawa County, 20th Circuit Court, "Trial Division" — miottawa.org
- MCEDSV, Hotline page — mcedsv.org
- Legal Aid of Western Michigan, I Need Help (Apply by Phone) — lawestmi.org
- Legal Aid of Western Michigan, Services — lawestmi.org
- Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, FAQ — michiganidc.gov
- Ottawa County, "Recovery Court"; "District Court Probation & Community Corrections" — miottawa.org
- Michigan State Police, Crime in Michigan dashboard, Domestic Violence tab (County = Ottawa) — Michigan State Police
- Michigan State Police, Crime in Michigan dashboard, Domestic Violence tab (2021–2025 frozen data) — Michigan State Police
- MCL 766.4(1); MCR 6.104(E)(4) — Michigan Legislature
- MCL 766.4(1), (4); MCR 6.104(E)(4) — Michigan Legislature
- MCR 6.110(E)–(F) — Michigan Courts
- MCR 6.620(A); MCL 600.8355 — Michigan Courts
- Ottawa County, "Legal Self-Help Center" — miottawa.org
- MCL 600.2950b(4) — Michigan Legislature
This page is general legal information about Michigan law, published by the office of Attorney Shawn Haff. It is not legal advice and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change and every case turns on its own facts — check the sources linked above and talk to a licensed Michigan attorney about your situation. If you are in danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.