Charged with a crime in Allegan County? Start with the court, the stage of the case and the exact charge
A criminal charge in Allegan County, whether it comes from Allegan, Plainwell, Otsego, Wayland, Saugatuck or anywhere else in the county, is filed in the 57th District Court. The 57th is the district court for the whole county. A misdemeanor stays there. A felony starts there and, if it is bound over after the preliminary examination, moves to the 48th Circuit Court, which is also Allegan County. The county lists both courts at the same building in the city of Allegan.
The short answer. Allegan County has one district court, the 57th, and one circuit court, the 48th, both listed at 113 Chestnut Street in Allegan. The county says all criminal cases prosecuted in the county are filed in the 57th District Court. A felony starts there with an arraignment, a probable cause conference and a preliminary examination, and it moves to the 48th Circuit Court if the judge binds it over (MCL 766.4(1); MCL 766.13). Do not explain yourself to police before you talk to a lawyer.
I am Mitchell Bisson, a Grand Rapids criminal defense lawyer. I have litigated for over 15 years. I serve Allegan County from my office in Grand Rapids. I do not have an office in Allegan County, and I go to the courthouse where your case is set. I ask early for the reports, the video, the recordings and the lab results, because decisions about your case should rest on what the evidence shows. I do not promise outcomes.
This page covers the courts and where they sit, who prosecutes, where the jail is, what happens at arraignment and how a felony moves from district court to circuit court in Allegan County. It is a county guide, so it sets out the court structure and the steps that apply to every charge. The addresses below come from the county’s own court pages and the state court directory and were checked in October 2026. Call the court before you go, because locations and hours change. Nothing here predicts how your case will end.
Where your Allegan County criminal case will be heard
| Court or office | Address | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 57th District Court | Allegan County Building, 113 Chestnut Street, Allegan, MI 49010 | Misdemeanors, and the start of every felony. The county lists hours of Monday through Friday, 8:15 am to 5:00 pm |
| 48th Circuit Court | Allegan County Building, 113 Chestnut Street, Allegan, MI 49010 | Felonies after bindover |
| Prosecuting Attorney | 113 Chestnut Street, Allegan, MI 49010 | Prosecutes criminal cases in both courts |
| Allegan County Jail (Sheriff’s Office and Corrections Center) | 640 River Street, Allegan, MI 49010 | County jail |
Sources: 57th District Court criminal division, county departments list, and the state court directory.
One district for the whole county. The fifty-seventh district consists of the county of Allegan and is a district of the first class. MCL 600.8127. In a district of the first class, venue in a criminal action for a violation of state law is the county where the violation took place. MCL 600.8312(1). The statute makes the county the venue, so the town where the offense happened does not decide which court hears it.
The circuit court. The forty-eighth judicial circuit consists of the county of Allegan. MCL 600.549(1). A felony is arraigned there after bindover, and sentencing for a felony is conducted by a circuit judge. MCL 600.8311(f).
The prosecutor. The county lists the Prosecuting Attorney at 113 Chestnut Street in Allegan.
The jail. The county lists the jail with the Sheriff’s Office and Corrections Center at 640 River Street in Allegan. If you or someone in your family is in custody, I can find out where the person is held and when the first appearance is set.
Arraignment, bond and the first weeks of an Allegan County case
The first appearance. The 57th District Court’s criminal division page says misdemeanors are handled from arraignment through sentencing and felonies from arraignment through the preliminary examination. It describes the arraignment this way: the defendant is advised of rights, advised of the charge and advised of possible penalties, bond is set and a plea may be entered. It says the probable cause conference is held the week before the preliminary examination in felony matters and covers plea negotiations, bond and other case matters. The court rule says the court at arraignment must inform you of the nature of the offense and its maximum possible prison sentence, advise you of the right to a lawyer at all court proceedings, set dates for the probable cause conference and the preliminary examination, and decide what form of pretrial release is appropriate, and that the court may not question you about the alleged offense or ask you to enter a plea. MCR 6.104(E). Whether a plea can be entered at the first hearing depends on the charge and the court. Some county court pages say a plea may be entered at arraignment on a misdemeanor, so I confirm with the court how your hearing will run before you appear.
A lawyer at arraignment. An arrested person is entitled to the assistance of an attorney at arraignment unless the person makes an informed waiver of counsel or the court issues a personal bond and will not accept a plea at arraignment. MCR 6.104(A). If you cannot afford a lawyer, the court rule says the local indigent criminal defense system will appoint one for a person who is not represented. MCR 6.104(E)(2). Call me before the arraignment if you can, because what the court hears about you at that hearing shapes the bond decision.
Bond. At arraignment the court must order that you be held in custody in the narrow cases the rule allows, released on your personal recognizance or an unsecured appearance bond, or released on conditions with or without money bail. MCR 6.106(A). Read any bond conditions closely and follow them exactly, because a violation can create a new problem in addition to the original charge.
The first weeks of a felony. For a felony, the magistrate sets a probable cause conference 7 to 14 days after the arraignment and a preliminary examination 5 to 7 days after the conference. The conference covers possible plea agreements, bail and the chance to ask for a bond modification, stipulations and procedural matters. MCL 766.4(1). If the magistrate finds a felony was committed and there is probable cause, the defendant is bound over to appear within 14 days for arraignment before the circuit court of that county, or the magistrate may conduct the circuit arraignment as court rule provides. MCL 766.13. A district judge has the authority to accept a felony plea, but a circuit judge conducts sentencing for a felony, and that judge’s name must be available before the plea is taken. MCL 766.4(3). I ask who will sentence you before I discuss a plea.
Misdemeanors. The district court has jurisdiction over misdemeanors punishable by a fine or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year, and over arraignments, the fixing of bail and the accepting of bonds. MCL 600.8311(a), (c). A misdemeanor case does not go to circuit court.
Specialty courts in Allegan County
The State Court Administrative Office lists an Adult Drug Court in the 48th Circuit Court (drug and sobriety court directory), an Adult Mental Health Court in the 57th District Court (mental health court directory), and a DWI Sobriety Court and a regional Veterans Treatment Court in the 57th District Court (drug and sobriety court directory; veterans treatment court directory). The 57th District Court’s 2023 annual report describes the drug, sobriety, veterans and mental health programs as well. Admission is never automatic, and I cannot promise acceptance. The court sets the eligibility rules, so I ask for the current rules and read them with your record before I advise you whether to apply.
Other cases in Allegan County
The same county courts hear civil cases. The district court has exclusive jurisdiction in civil actions when the amount in controversy does not exceed $25,000. MCL 600.8301(1). I handle other kinds of cases in the 48th Circuit Court, the 57th District Court and the other courts that sit in Allegan County as well:
- Operating while intoxicated (OWI) charges and license consequences
- Personal injury claims after a crash or injury
- Civil litigation, for plaintiffs and defendants
- Business litigation and contract disputes
- Real estate disputes for homeowners
Why people hire me as their Allegan County criminal defense lawyer
You deal with the lawyer handling your case from the first call to the last day. I give you the strengths and weaknesses of the case straight, including what a conviction would mean for your freedom, your job, your housing and your record. I build the case the facts support, and then we decide together how to proceed. My office is in Grand Rapids, at 2828 Kraft Ave SE, Suite 295. I appear at the courthouse where your case is set.
Fees depend on the charge, its complexity and whether the case is likely to go to trial. I explain my fee arrangement at the consultation, before you decide whether to hire me.
Questions I hear from people charged with a crime in Allegan County
Which court will hear my criminal case in Allegan County?
The 57th District Court hears misdemeanors and starts every felony. The county says all criminal cases prosecuted in Allegan County are filed there. A felony moves to the 48th Circuit Court if the district judge binds it over. Both courts are listed at the Allegan County Building on Chestnut Street.
What happens at an arraignment in Allegan County?
The court tells you the charge and the maximum possible prison sentence, advises you of your right to a lawyer, decides pretrial release and, for a felony, sets the dates for the probable cause conference and the preliminary examination. The court rule says the court may not question the accused about the alleged offense or request a plea at that hearing. Whether a plea can be taken at the first hearing on a misdemeanor depends on the court, so it is checked before you appear.
Where are criminal cases filed in Allegan County?
The county says all criminal cases prosecuted within Allegan County are filed at the 57th District Court. That is consistent with the statute that makes the county the venue in a first-class district. Felonies move to the 48th Circuit Court only after a bindover.
Do I need a lawyer at my arraignment?
You are entitled to a lawyer at arraignment unless you knowingly waive the right, or the court releases you on a personal bond and does not take a plea. If you cannot afford one, the local indigent criminal defense system appoints a lawyer for a person who is not represented. Call a lawyer before the hearing if you can.
Related Michigan pages
- Grand Rapids criminal defense lawyer
- West Michigan counties I serve
- Felony defense
- Misdemeanor defense
- What happens after an arrest
- Michigan OWI lawyer
- Michigan legal FAQs
- Kent County criminal defense lawyer
- Ottawa County criminal defense lawyer
- Muskegon County criminal defense lawyer
- Ionia County criminal defense lawyer
- Barry County criminal defense lawyer
- Montcalm County criminal defense lawyer
- Newaygo County criminal defense lawyer
I defend people charged with crimes in Allegan County and across West Michigan. Contact me 24/7 by phone or email. Your Rights, My Fight! Call for a free initial consultation.
Big-Firm Power. Street-Level Grit.
Law Offices of Mitchell S. Bisson, 2828 Kraft Ave SE, Suite 295, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, serving Allegan County and West Michigan.
This page provides general information about Michigan law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change and every case turns on its own facts. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.