Charged with a crime in Ottawa County? Start with the court, the stage of the case and the exact charge
A criminal charge in Ottawa County, whether it comes from Grand Haven, Holland, Hudsonville, Zeeland or anywhere else in the county, starts in the 58th District Court. The 58th is the district court for all of Ottawa County and it sits in three places: Grand Haven, Holland and Hudsonville. A misdemeanor stays there. A felony starts there and, if it is bound over after the preliminary examination, moves to the 20th Circuit Court, which is also Ottawa County. The court and the stage you are in decide what the judge can do, what deadlines apply and what I do first. The county explains the basic path on its 58th District Court criminal cases page.
The short answer. Ottawa County has one district court, the 58th, with locations in Grand Haven, Holland and Hudsonville, and one circuit court, the 20th. Misdemeanors are handled in the 58th District Court. A felony starts there with an arraignment, a probable cause conference 7 to 14 days later and a preliminary examination 5 to 7 days after that, and it moves to the 20th Circuit Court if the judge binds it over. A bound-over defendant must appear for arraignment in circuit court within 14 days, or the magistrate may conduct that arraignment as court rule allows (MCL 766.4(1); MCL 766.13). Your paperwork shows which location your case is set in. If you are in custody, the court rules prefer video for the arraignment. 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, and I prepare every case as if it will be tried. I serve Ottawa County from my office in Grand Rapids. I do not have an office in Ottawa 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. Big-Firm Power. Street-Level Grit.
This page covers the courts and their locations, what happens at arraignment, how a felony moves from district court to circuit court, how OWI penalties and treatment court options work, and which of my pages covers your charge. It goes deeper than my Grand Rapids criminal defense lawyer page. Nothing here predicts how your case will end, and I do not promise outcomes. I do promise to tell you where you stand. The addresses, phone numbers and hours below come from the county’s own court pages and were reviewed in October 2026. Call before you go, because they change.
Where your Ottawa County criminal case will be heard
| Court or office | Address | Phone | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 58th District Court, Grand Haven | 414 Washington Avenue, Grand Haven, MI 49417 | (616) 846-8280 | Misdemeanors, and the start of almost every felony |
| 58th District Court, Holland | 85 West 8th Street, Holland, MI 49423 | (616) 392-6991 | Misdemeanors, and the start of almost every felony |
| 58th District Court, Hudsonville | 3100 Port Sheldon Road, Hudsonville, MI 49426 | (616) 662-3100 | Misdemeanors, and the start of almost every felony |
| 20th Circuit Court, Grand Haven courthouse | 414 Washington Avenue, Suite 300, Grand Haven, MI 49417 | (616) 846-8320 | Felonies after bindover |
| 20th Circuit Court, Family Justice Center | 12240 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 | (616) 786-4100 | Second circuit court location. Your notice shows where each hearing is set |
| Prosecuting Attorney, Grand Haven office | 414 Washington Avenue, Room 120, Grand Haven, MI 49417 | (616) 846-8215 | Lists Grand Haven District Court and the 20th Circuit Court |
| Prosecuting Attorney, Holland office | 85 West 8th Street, Suite 130, Holland, MI 49423 | (616) 392-1446 | Lists Holland District Court, Hudsonville District Court and the 20th Circuit Court |
| Ottawa County Jail (Sheriff’s Office) | 12130 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 | (616) 738-4650 | County jail |
The 58th District Court lists the same hours at all three locations: Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Sources: the county’s 58th District Court locations and hours, 20th Circuit Court, Prosecuting Attorney and Corrections Division pages.
One district, three places. The 58th district consists of the county of Ottawa and is a district of the first class. MCL 600.8128. In a district of the first class, venue for 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. It does not tie a case to one city’s courthouse.
Which location. The county does not publish a list that assigns each city or each type of charge to one of the three locations, so I do not give you one. Your complaint, bond paperwork or court notice shows the location and the courtroom for each hearing. I confirm it with the court when I take the case, and I tell you where to be and when.
The prosecutor. The Ottawa County Prosecuting Attorney’s office handles state-law criminal charges in both courts. A charge under a local ordinance may be handled by the city attorney instead of the county prosecutor, as the county’s criminal cases page recognizes when it refers to “the prosecutor or city attorney.” Venue for ordinance violations in a first-class district is also the county. MCL 600.8312(1). Its county page lists the Grand Haven office for Grand Haven District Court and the 20th Circuit Court, and the Holland office for Holland District Court, Hudsonville District Court and the 20th Circuit Court.
The jail. The county jail is run by the Sheriff’s Office at 12130 Fillmore Street in West Olive. 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 Ottawa County case
The first appearance. Arraignment is the first court appearance on the charge. The court tells you the charge, advises you of your rights, including your right to a lawyer, and decides pretrial release. The county’s own guide says the defendant is advised of rights, asked whether an attorney is needed and asked to plead guilty or not guilty. The county’s arraignment information sheet adds that a felony or high-court misdemeanor is set for further proceedings without a plea. On a felony, the magistrate sets the dates for the probable cause conference and the preliminary examination at the arraignment. MCL 766.4(1).
A lawyer at arraignment. You have the right to a lawyer at every court proceeding, and you are entitled to one at arraignment unless you knowingly waive it or you are released on a personal bond and no plea is taken. MCR 6.005; MCR 6.104(A). If you cannot afford a lawyer, the court refers you to the county’s indigent defense system, which appoints one if you qualify. On a misdemeanor, the right to an appointed lawyer applies when the offense carries a mandatory minimum jail term or the court decides it might sentence you to jail. MCR 6.005(B), (D); MCR 6.610(D)(2). Ottawa County has a Public Defender office, and the county’s arraignment sheet says you may talk to a public defender before and during arraignment at no cost. Being able to post bond does not by itself bar an appointment. Call me before the arraignment if you can, because what the court hears about you at that hearing shapes the bond decision.
Video. If you are in custody, the court may have you appear by video. In district court, videoconferencing is the preferred mode for arraignments and probable cause conferences for defendants who are in custody, although any participant can ask to appear in person. MCR 6.006(C).
Bond. Except in the narrow cases where MCR 6.106(B) allows release to be denied, the court orders release on your promise to appear or an unsecured bond or, if that will not reasonably ensure your appearance or the safety of the public, on conditions with or without money bail. MCR 6.106(A) to (E). The county’s guide says the amount of a bond reflects the degree of risk a defendant poses and whether the person is likely to return, and that a probation officer may screen for bond by reviewing criminal history, employment, family ties and substance use. Bond conditions in cases involving a partner or family member often include no contact, so read them closely and follow them exactly.
Misdemeanors after arraignment. A not guilty plea leads to a pretrial conference, where the prosecutor reviews the charge and any plea discussion takes place. If the case does not resolve, motions about evidence come before a bench trial, where the judge decides, or a jury trial. A misdemeanor case does not go to circuit court. Misdemeanor procedure in district court is governed by MCR 6.610. Sentences on a misdemeanor can include fines, costs, jail and probation, and the 58th District Court’s probation department lists intensive supervision probation, drug and alcohol testing, community service and the Jail Alternative Work Service (JAWS) among its services.
How a felony moves from district court to circuit court in Ottawa County
Almost every felony starts in the 58th District Court, even though the felony will be tried in the 20th Circuit Court if it goes forward. The steps are set by statute and court rule. They run like this.
- Arraignment in district court. The magistrate sets the date for a probable cause conference, 7 to 14 days after the arraignment, and a date for the preliminary examination, 5 to 7 days after the conference. MCL 766.4(1).
- Probable cause conference. The conference covers possible plea agreements among the prosecutor, the defendant and the defense lawyer, bail and the chance to ask for a bond modification, stipulations and procedural matters. The prosecutor and the defense lawyer can agree to waive it. MCL 766.4(1), (2).
- Preliminary examination. If there is no plea agreement and the examination is not waived with the prosecutor’s consent, it goes forward as scheduled unless it is adjourned. The magistrate examines the complainant and the prosecution’s witnesses under oath, in the defendant’s presence. MCL 766.4(4), (6). This is often my first chance to question the witnesses under oath.
- Bindover, reduction or discharge. If the magistrate finds that a felony was committed and that there is probable cause to charge the defendant, the defendant is bound over to appear within 14 days for arraignment before the circuit court of the county, or the magistrate may conduct the circuit arraignment as court rule provides. If not, the magistrate discharges the defendant or reduces the charge to a non-felony. MCL 766.13.
- Arraignment in the 20th Circuit Court. The prosecutor gives you a copy of the information before you are asked to plead, and the court enters a not guilty plea if you offer no other plea. MCR 6.113(A), (B).
- Circuit court. Motions to suppress evidence or dismiss a charge, plea discussions, trial and sentencing happen here.
Pleas and sentencing. A district judge has the authority to accept a felony plea and must take one as court rule provides if the parties reach an agreement, but a circuit judge conducts the sentencing for a felony, and that judge’s name must be available to the parties before the plea is taken. MCL 766.4(3). So I ask who will sentence you before I discuss a plea. The county’s guide also notes that a defendant can waive the preliminary examination and proceed in circuit court. I decide with you whether to waive, because waiving gives up an early look at the prosecution’s witnesses.
OWI cases in Ottawa County
Michigan’s operating while intoxicated penalties are the same in every county. What changes is the court, the stage and, for repeat cases, the programs available. These are the statutory penalty levels for a conviction of operating while intoxicated under MCL 257.625(1).
| Case | Level | Penalty range | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| No prior conviction within 7 years, and fewer than 2 priors in total | Misdemeanor | One or more of: community service up to 360 hours, up to 93 days in jail (up to 180 days if the alcohol content is 0.17 or more), and a fine of $100 to $500 ($200 to $700 at 0.17 or more) | MCL 257.625(9)(a) |
| Within 7 years of one prior conviction | Misdemeanor | A fine of $200 to $1,000 and one or more of: 5 days to 1 year in jail, or 30 to 90 days of community service | MCL 257.625(9)(b) |
| After 2 or more prior convictions, however long ago | Felony | A fine of $500 to $5,000 and either 1 to 5 years in prison, or probation with 30 days to 1 year in jail and 60 to 180 days of community service | MCL 257.625(9)(c) |
Why treatment court matters in repeat cases. A term of imprisonment under the second and third levels cannot be suspended unless the defendant agrees to participate in a specialty court program and successfully completes it. MCL 257.625(9)(d). That is where the Sobriety Treatment Program described below comes in.
Priors. If the prosecutor seeks an enhanced sentence based on prior convictions, the prosecutor must list them on the complaint and information, and each prior must be established at sentencing by one of the methods the statute lists. MCL 257.625(15), (17). I check every prior before I advise you, because whether a prior counts changes both the charge and the court. A first or second offense is a misdemeanor and stays in the 58th District Court. A third offense is a felony and follows the path above. See my Michigan OWI lawyer page for the full discussion of OWI charges.
Treatment courts and other specialty dockets in Ottawa County
The county’s own court pages describe three programs. Admission is never automatic, and I cannot promise acceptance. Because a guilty plea usually comes first, I read the program’s rules, the statute and your record before you apply.
Sobriety Treatment Program (58th District Court). The county’s program page describes it as a program for second-offense OWI cases involving a serious pattern of substance abuse or dependency, and says a violent history or a felony weapon conviction is reviewed by the prosecutor before admission. It requires a guilty plea to a misdemeanor or felony punishable by at least one year in jail and a signed participation agreement. The prosecutor’s office screens legal eligibility first, and then the probation department schedules an interview and a preadmission evaluation. The defendant must be an Ottawa County resident or live within the court’s jurisdiction. The program runs at all three locations, and the county lists review sessions on Tuesdays at Grand Haven, Wednesdays at Holland and Mondays at Hudsonville. Participants complete substance abuse treatment.
Recovery Court (20th Circuit Court). The county’s Recovery Court page describes a voluntary, intensive probation program for people with nonviolent drug- or alcohol-related felonies. It requires a guilty plea to all original charges, a legal screening reviewed by the prosecutor and a clinical screening by the treatment provider, and it takes at least 18 months. The county requires you to live in the 20th Circuit’s venue or in the City of Holland both when the offense happened and from sentencing until discharge. The page lists charges that exclude a person, including assaultive felonies, felonies involving a firearm and first-degree home invasion.
Mental Health Court (58th District Court). The county calls this the Section 1090 Treatment Program. Its page describes a program for people with a serious mental illness or a co-occurring disorder who have repeated law enforcement contacts because of the illness. The defendant must be an Ottawa County resident or live within the court’s jurisdiction, may not have a history of violent offenses and must enter a guilty plea. Misdemeanors get primary consideration, and felonies are considered case by case. The program screens clinical eligibility first and then checks legal eligibility with the prosecutor. Review sessions are held every other Wednesday afternoon at Holland District Court. Eligibility rules can change, so I confirm them before I advise you.
What Michigan law requires for a drug treatment court. The rules in this paragraph come from the drug treatment court statute, MCL 600.1068. I read them with a program like Recovery Court in mind, and I confirm which statute governs a given program before I advise you. An adult must plead guilty to the charge on the record, must waive in writing the right to a speedy trial and the right to an attorney at review hearings and, with the prosecutor’s agreement, the right to a preliminary examination, and must sign a written participation agreement. The offense must be related to the abuse, illegal use or possession of a controlled substance or alcohol. Where the person would be eligible for a discharge and dismissal, a delayed sentence or a sentence below the guidelines, the prosecutor must approve admission. MCL 600.1068(1), (2). The Court of Appeals has held that a prosecutor’s silence is not approval under that statute when admission would depart from the sentencing guidelines, although an approval stated orally on the record is enough. People v. Baldes, 309 Mich. App. 651, 656-57 (2015). A person who waived the preliminary examination and pleaded guilty as part of an application and is not admitted may withdraw the plea and is entitled to a preliminary examination. MCL 600.1068(5). Sobriety courts and mental health courts have their own admission statutes, MCL 600.1084 and MCL 600.1093, and the plea, waiver and prosecutor-approval rules above come from the drug treatment court statute, so they do not automatically apply to those programs.
Charges I handle in Ottawa County
- Operating while intoxicated, including repeat offenses, high BAC and drugged driving (see my Michigan OWI lawyer page)
- Domestic assault, no-contact bond conditions and related charges (see my domestic violence lawyer page), including PPO violations and stalking
- Assault and battery, felonious assault and assault with intent to do great bodily harm (see my assault lawyer page)
- Drug possession, possession with intent to deliver, delivery and trafficking (see my drug crimes lawyer page)
- Retail fraud and shoplifting (see my retail fraud lawyer page), and larceny, embezzlement and stolen property (see my larceny and embezzlement lawyer page)
- Breaking and entering and home invasion (see my breaking and entering lawyer page)
- Concealed pistol violations, felon in possession and felony firearm (see my weapons charges lawyer page)
- Probation and parole violations (see my probation violation lawyer page)
Why people hire me as their Ottawa 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 Ottawa County 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 Ottawa County
Which court will hear my criminal case in Ottawa County?
The 58th District Court hears misdemeanors and starts almost every felony. It sits in Grand Haven, Holland and Hudsonville. Venue in a district of this class is the county where the violation took place, and the county does not publish a list that assigns each city to one location, so your paperwork or court notice shows where your case is set. A felony moves to the 20th Circuit Court if the district judge binds it over.
How fast do the first hearings in a felony case happen?
The probable cause conference is set 7 to 14 days after the arraignment, and the preliminary examination 5 to 7 days after the conference, so the first two hearings fall about 12 to 21 days after the arraignment unless they are adjourned or waived. If the case is bound over, the defendant must appear for circuit court arraignment within 14 days, or the magistrate may conduct that arraignment as court rule allows. These are statutory timelines, and they can move when the parties agree or the court allows it.
Do I need a lawyer at my arraignment, and will it be by video?
You have the right to a lawyer at arraignment, and the court will refer you for an appointed lawyer if you cannot afford one and you qualify. If you are in custody, videoconferencing is the preferred mode for district court arraignments and probable cause conferences, although any participant can ask to appear in person. If you are released, follow your court notice exactly. Missing a hearing can lead to a warrant.
Can I get into a treatment court?
Possibly, but it is not automatic. Ottawa County lists a Sobriety Treatment Program, a Recovery Court and a Mental Health Court. For a drug treatment court, an adult must plead guilty on the record, sign waivers and a participation agreement, and meet the program’s own screening, and the prosecutor must approve where the person would otherwise be eligible for a dismissal, a delayed sentence or a sentence below the guidelines. When admission would depart from the guidelines, a prosecutor’s silence is not approval. If you waived the preliminary examination and pleaded guilty as part of an application and are not admitted, you may withdraw the plea.
What are the penalties for OWI in Michigan?
An OWI with no prior conviction in the last 7 years, and fewer than two priors in total, is a misdemeanor. The court may impose one or more of up to 360 hours of community service, up to 93 days in jail (up to 180 days if the alcohol content is 0.17 or more), and a fine of $100 to $500 ($200 to $700 at 0.17 or more). Within 7 years of one prior conviction, the fine rises to $200 to $1,000, with 5 days to 1 year in jail or 30 to 90 days of community service. After two or more priors, the offense is a felony. The sentence in your case depends on the facts, your record and the judge.
Related Michigan pages
For a wider look at criminal charges, see my Grand Rapids criminal defense lawyer page. For the steps after an arrest, see my page on what happens after an arrest, which is written for Kent County and explains the same Michigan rules. For charges, see my Michigan OWI lawyer, drug crimes lawyer, assault lawyer, domestic violence lawyer, weapons charges lawyer, retail fraud lawyer, larceny and embezzlement lawyer, breaking and entering lawyer, stalking lawyer and PPO violation lawyer pages. If you are on probation, see my probation violation lawyer page. For short answers on other Michigan legal questions, see the Michigan legal FAQs page. If a conviction needs to be challenged on appeal, see my Michigan appeals lawyer page.
For short answers with the statute or court rule behind each one, see my Michigan FAQs on arrest, arraignment and bond (16 answers) and the preliminary exam, discovery, searches and Miranda (18 answers).
Law Offices of Mitchell S. Bisson, 2828 Kraft Ave SE, Suite 295, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, serving Ottawa County, Kent County and West Michigan from my Grand Rapids office. Your Rights, My Fight!
Contact me 24/7 by text on WhatsApp. Charged with a crime in Ottawa County? Call for a free initial consultation: (616) 213-3327 | MBisson@BissonLegal.com
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.