Key points
- Every adult criminal case, including a felony OWI, starts in district court; district courts handle misdemeanors punishable by up to 1 year from arraignment through sentencing.[1][2]
- A felony OWI moves to circuit court after bindover, and felony sentencing must be done by a circuit judge.[3][4]
- District court venue is where the violation took place, and an offense on or within 1 mile of a boundary may be heard in either place.[5]
- Kent County has five district courts divided by city and township, and district court venue is where the violation took place.[6][5]
- Circuit courts also hear appeals from Secretary of State license decisions, filed within 63 days.[7]
A drunk-driving case is heard in the district court for the place where the offense took place, and a felony case then moves to that county's circuit court.[5][4] This page lists those courts for Kent, Ottawa, Allegan, Muskegon, Barry, Ionia, Montcalm and Newaygo counties, with addresses and phone numbers taken from each court's or county's own website, and shows which ones appear on the State Court Administrative Office's list of sobriety or hybrid treatment courts.
District court or circuit court?
District courts handle misdemeanors punishable by up to 1 year, which covers first and second OWI offenses, from arraignment through sentencing, and they set bail and bonds in every case.[2][1] Every adult criminal case, including a felony, starts in district court.[1] In a felony case such as OWI third offense or OWI causing death or serious injury, the district court holds the probable cause conference and preliminary examination; the circuit court has the case from bindover, and a felony sentence must be imposed by a circuit judge.[3][4] The stages are explained in The court process step by step and The preliminary examination.
Which district court hears the case depends on where the violation took place. If the offense was committed on or within 1 mile of a boundary between districts or counties, venue is proper in either.[5]
Kent County
Kent County has five district courts, each covering particular cities and townships.[6]
| Court | Area served | Address and phone | On SCAO sobriety/hybrid list |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59th District Court | Cities of Grandville and Walker | 3161 Wilson Ave. SW, Grandville, MI 49418, (616) 538-9660; 4343 Remembrance Road NW, Walker, MI 49534, (616) 453-5765[8] | No; the regional program at 62-B serves 59th cases[9][10] |
| 61st District Court | City of Grand Rapids | 180 Ottawa Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, 616-632-5700[11] | Yes, hybrid DWI/drug court[9] |
| 62-A District Court | City of Wyoming | 2650 DeHoop Avenue SW, Wyoming, MI 49509; criminal 616-257-9814[12] | No; the regional program at 62-B serves 62-A cases[9][10] |
| 62-B District Court | City of Kentwood | 4740 Walma Ave SE, Kentwood, MI 49512, 616-698-9310[13] | Yes, hybrid DWI/drug court[9] |
| 63rd District Court | Cedar Springs, East Grand Rapids, Lowell, Rockford and the townships of Ada, Algoma, Alpine, Byron, Bowne, Caledonia, Cannon, Cascade, Courtland, Gaines, Grand Rapids, Grattan, Lowell, Nelson, Oakfield, Plainfield, Solon, Sparta, Spencer, Tyrone and Vergennes[6] | 1950 East Beltline NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525, 616-632-7770[14] | Yes, DWI sobriety court[9] |
| 17th Circuit Court | Felonies countywide | Kent County Courthouse, 180 Ottawa Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, (616) 632-5220[15] | No sobriety court; its TASC program is a mental-health court[9][16] |
Kent County's own list of 63rd District townships spells three of them "Bryon," "Gratton" and "Tyron"; the townships are Byron, Grattan and Tyrone.[6] The Kent County Prosecutor's Office is at 616-632-6710 and its Victim/Witness Division at 616-632-5400, as listed on the 63rd District Court's page.[17]
Ottawa, Allegan and Muskegon counties
| Court | Address and phone | On SCAO sobriety/hybrid list |
|---|---|---|
| 58th District Court (Ottawa) | 414 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417, (616) 846-8280; 85 West 8th St, Holland, MI 49423, (616) 392-6991; 3100 Port Sheldon Rd, Hudsonville, MI 49426, (616) 662-3100[18] | Yes, DWI sobriety court[9] |
| 20th Circuit Court (Ottawa) | Grand Haven Courthouse, 414 Washington Ave, Suite 300, Grand Haven, MI 49417, (616) 846-8320[19] | Yes, hybrid DWI/drug court[9] |
| 57th District Court (Allegan) | 113 Chestnut St., Allegan, MI 49010, (269) 673-0400; all Allegan County criminal cases are filed here[20] | Listed as a DWI sobriety court, though the county site does not describe it[21] |
| 48th Circuit Court (Allegan) | 113 Chestnut St., Allegan, MI 49010, (269) 673-0300[22] | Adult drug court only[9] |
| 60th District Court (Muskegon) | 990 Terrace Street, Suite 100, Muskegon, MI 49442, 231-724-6294[23] | Yes, DWI sobriety court[9] |
| 14th Circuit Court (Muskegon) | 990 Terrace Street, Muskegon, MI 49442, 231-724-6251[24] | Yes, hybrid DWI/drug court[9] |
Barry, Ionia, Montcalm and Newaygo counties
| Court | Address and phone | On SCAO sobriety/hybrid list |
|---|---|---|
| 56-B District Court (Barry) | 206 W. Court St., Suite 202, Hastings, MI 49058, (269) 945-1404[25] | Yes, DWI sobriety court[9] |
| 5th Circuit Court (Barry) | Barry County Courthouse, Floor 2, 220 W. State St., Hastings, MI 49058, (269) 945-1286[26] | Yes, hybrid DWI/drug court[9] |
| 64-A District Court (Ionia) | 100 W Main St., Ionia, MI 48846; criminal division (616) 527-5346; all Ionia County criminal cases are filed here[27] | Yes, hybrid DWI/drug court[9] |
| 64B District Court (Montcalm) | 617 N State Street, Stanton, MI 48888, 989-831-7450 (criminal and traffic, option 2)[28] | No[9] |
| 8th Circuit Court (Ionia and Montcalm) | Ionia County Courthouse, 100 W. Main St., Ionia, second floor; and Stanton for Montcalm County; judges and staff alternate between the two[29][30] | Adult drug court only[9] |
| 78th District Court (Newaygo and Lake) | 1092 Newell Street, PO Box 129, White Cloud, MI 49349, (231) 689-7257[31] | No[9] |
| 27th Circuit Court (Newaygo) | 1092 Newell Street, PO Box 885, White Cloud, MI 49349, (231) 689-7252[32] | Adult drug court only[9] |
For the 8th Circuit's Stanton courtroom, Montcalm County's page gives the address as 631 N State Street while Ionia County's page says 629 N. State St.; a caller can confirm the address with the court before a visit.[30] The 78th District Court has covered both Newaygo and Lake counties since April 1, 2003.[31]
Sobriety and treatment courts
The "on SCAO list" column comes from the State Court Administrative Office's list of drug and sobriety courts updated June 30, 2026.[9] Sobriety courts take OWI cases only, adult drug courts take non-OWI cases, hybrid courts take both, and SCAO's report says drug courts are not diversion programs but post-adjudication, court-supervised treatment programs.[33] Program details and contacts are in Sobriety courts in West Michigan.
License appeals
Circuit courts also review Secretary of State license decisions. A petition must be filed within 63 days of the hearing decision, or up to 182 days for good cause; a refusal appeal goes to the circuit court in the county of arrest and other appeals to the county of residence.[7] See Appealing a license sanction to circuit court and The Secretary of State's hearings office.
Lawyers
A person charged with a crime who faces possible jail and cannot afford a lawyer is entitled to an appointed one, and the request is made at arraignment on a financial form the court provides.[34] See Court-appointed lawyers in OWI cases and OWI help and resources.
Common questions
Which court will my Grand Rapids-area OWI case be in?
Kent County has five district courts: the 59th for Walker and Grandville, the 61st for the City of Grand Rapids, the 62-A for Wyoming, the 62-B for Kentwood, and the 63rd for the rest of the county, including Rockford, Lowell, Cedar Springs and East Grand Rapids.[6] District court venue is set by where the violation took place.[5]
My OWI third is a felony. Which court handles it?
It starts in district court, which holds the probable cause conference and preliminary examination.[3] After bindover the circuit court has the case, and a felony sentence must be imposed by a circuit judge.[4][3] If a bound-over felony ends in a misdemeanor plea, the circuit court still does the sentencing.[35] In Kent County that is the 17th Circuit Court, (616) 632-5220.[15]
Where are OWI cases filed in Allegan and Ionia counties?
Every criminal case prosecuted in Allegan County is filed at the 57th District Court, 113 Chestnut St., Allegan, (269) 673-0400.[20] Every criminal case in Ionia County is filed at the 64-A District Court, 100 W Main St., Ionia; its criminal division phone is (616) 527-5346.[27]
Which court hears an appeal of a license decision?
A driver can petition the circuit court within 63 days of a Secretary of State hearing decision, or up to 182 days for good cause.[7] A refusal (implied consent) appeal goes to the circuit court in the county of arrest, and other appeals go to the circuit court in the county of residence.[7]
Sources
- Kent County, "District Courts in Kent County"; Montcalm County, "64B District Court" — kentcountymi.gov
- MCL 600.8311(a), MCL 600.8311(c) — Michigan Legislature
- MCL 600.8311(d)-(f) — Michigan Legislature
- MCR 6.008(A)-(B) — Michigan Courts
- MCL 600.8312(1)–(3), (4)(a) — Michigan Legislature
- Kent County, "District Courts in Kent County" — kentcountymi.gov
- MCL 257.323(1); Michigan Department of State, OHAO FAQ — Michigan Legislature
- City of Grandville, 59th District Court — cityofgrandville.com
- SCAO, "Drug and Sobriety Courts" list (Updated 6/30/26) — Michigan Courts
- City of Kentwood, 62-B District Court — Sobriety Court — kentwood.us
- 61st District Court, Address & Map — grcourt.org
- City of Wyoming, 62A District Court — wyomingmi.gov
- City of Kentwood, Contact 62-B District Court — kentwood.us
- Kent County, 63rd District Court — About — kentcountymi.gov
- Kent County, 17th Circuit Court — kentcountymi.gov
- Kent County, Treatment & Support Court (TASC) — kentcountymi.gov
- Kent County, 63rd District Court — About ("Other Court Office Numbers") — kentcountymi.gov
- Ottawa County, 58th District Court — Hours & Locations — miottawa.org
- Ottawa County, 20th Circuit Court — Trial Division — miottawa.org
- Allegan County, 57th District Court — Criminal Division — allegancounty.org
- SCAO, "Drug and Sobriety Courts" list; Allegan County, 57th District Court Probation — Michigan Courts
- Allegan County, 48th Circuit Court — allegancounty.org
- Muskegon County, 60th District Court — co.muskegon.mi.us
- Muskegon County, 14th Circuit Court — co.muskegon.mi.us
- Barry County, District Court — barrycounty.org
- Barry County, Circuit Court; SCAO Drug and Sobriety Courts list (circuit number) — barrycounty.org
- Ionia County, 64-A District Court — Criminal Division — ioniacounty.org
- Montcalm County, 64B District Court; Montcalm directory — montcalm.us
- Ionia County, 8th Circuit Court — ioniacounty.org
- Montcalm County, 8th Judicial Circuit Court; Ionia County, 8th Circuit Court — montcalm.us
- Newaygo County, District Court — newaygocountymi.gov
- Newaygo County, Circuit Court; SCAO Drug and Sobriety Courts list (circuit number) — newaygocountymi.gov
- SCAO, *FY 2025 Problem-Solving Courts Legislative Update*, p. 8 — Michigan Courts
- Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, FAQ — michiganidc.gov
- MCR 6.008(C)-(D) — Michigan Courts
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. In an emergency, call 911. For confidential help with alcohol or drug use, the SAMHSA National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357.