Parchment Criminal Defense Attorney
Parchment is a small city just north of Kalamazoo, entirely surrounded by Kalamazoo Township — a former paper-mill town that is now largely residential, with Kindleberger Park at its center. I am Shawn Haff, and I defend people charged with crimes throughout Parchment and Kalamazoo 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 Parchment Case Will Be Heard
Every Kalamazoo County criminal case — misdemeanor or felony — is now heard in one building: the Judge Charles A. Pratt Justice Center at 330 Eleanor St in Kalamazoo, home to both the 8th District Court and the criminal division of the 9th Circuit Court. The county closed its Crosstown and Michigan Avenue courthouses when the Justice Center opened in December 2023, so older paperwork, old online listings and a friend's advice from a few years ago may all send you to the wrong address.
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 8th District Court page for how these cases run.
The Charges I See Most in Parchment
Parchment does not run its own police department. The city contracts with the Kalamazoo Township Police Department, so the officer who responded to a call in Parchment is a township officer, and the reports, video and evidence sit with the township. Because the city is so small and residential, the cases here are mostly the ones that happen at home and on the road home: domestic calls, neighbor disputes, and traffic stops on the way in and out of Kalamazoo.
- Domestic violence, PPO and no-contact order violations
- OWI and drunk driving
- Assault and battery arising from neighbor or family disputes
- Drug possession
- Driving on a suspended license
- Minor in possession and charges against high-school students
What Is Actually at Stake
A domestic violence arrest changes a household overnight. Bond conditions usually bar contact with the complaining witness — often a spouse or partner who shares the home, the car and the children — and violating those conditions, even at the other person's invitation, is its own problem. A first-offense domestic violence charge can sometimes be resolved through Michigan's deferral statute without a conviction, but that has to be negotiated, and it is not available after a conviction on the record.
What to Do Next
Read the bond conditions carefully and follow them exactly, even if the other person wants you home. If the no-contact order is making it impossible to manage children, housing or work, the answer is a motion to modify the conditions — not quietly ignoring them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who polices Parchment?
The Kalamazoo Township Police Department, under an agreement with the city. Parchment does not have its own police department, so reports, video and evidence from a Parchment arrest are held by the township police.
Where will my case be heard?
At the Judge Charles A. Pratt Justice Center, 330 Eleanor St, Kalamazoo — home to the 8th District Court and the criminal division of the 9th Circuit Court. All Kalamazoo County criminal cases are heard there now.
My partner does not want to press charges. Will the case be dropped?
Not necessarily. In Michigan the prosecutor, not the complaining witness, decides whether a domestic violence case goes forward, and many are prosecuted even when the other person asks for them to be dropped. What the witness wants still matters and can shape the outcome, but it needs to be handled through your lawyer — never by contacting them in violation of a bond condition.
Talk to a Parchment 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.