Comstock Park is a township running north of Grand Rapids along the highway, and the volume of traffic that passes through it means a lot of people meet the police on the way somewhere else. A stop that begins as a routine traffic investigation can end with a person in a rear seat and a charge that follows them home. I represent Comstock Park residents and drivers charged with everything from a moving violation to a felony, and the first thing I do is find out what the officer actually saw rather than what was reported later.
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The 63rd District Court handles criminal matters arising in Kent County outside the cities of Grand Rapids, Walker, Grandville, Wyoming and Kentwood, which includes Comstock Park Township. Misdemeanor, traffic and preliminary felony cases are docketed at 1950 E Beltline Ave NE in Grand Rapids, and felony charges are bound over to the 17th Circuit Court of Kent County.
1950 E Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525
The 63rd District Court covers Kent County outside the cities of Grand Rapids, Walker, Grandville, Wyoming and Kentwood, including Comstock Park. Misdemeanors, drunk driving, weapons charges and preliminary felony matters from Comstock Park are docketed here first, and a finding of probable cause for a felony binds the case over to the 17th Circuit Court.
180 Ottawa Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Felony charges from Comstock Park are tried in the 17th Circuit Court of Kent County at 180 Ottawa Ave NW in Grand Rapids. Weapons charges in particular are felonies in Michigan, so the distance between the district court and the circuit court in a weapons case is the distance between a misdemeanor outcome and a felony conviction.
A stop on the highway is not the same as a case. The traffic citation is a separate matter from the criminal charge, and the criminal charge carries the consequences that matter. Sometimes the right move is to resolve the ticket and defend the felony, sometimes the opposite. That decision depends on the facts of the stop, which is why the citation alone is never enough to evaluate a case.
The cases I defend most often for Comstock Park clients are weapons charges, drug possession, drunk driving, assault and battery, and domestic and child related charges. They all arrive the same way, which is with a phone call from a police officer or a knock on the door, and they all get better when an attorney gets involved before the first court appearance.
Note the court and date on the paperwork. Comstock Park matters are set at the 63rd District Court on East Beltline Ave NE in Grand Rapids.
Do not talk to the officer beyond identifying yourself, and do not consent to a search of your vehicle, home, or person.
Do not post about the incident, and do not discuss it with anyone who might end up being a witness.
Keep the citation, the bond paperwork, and any dashcam footage or photos you can lawfully obtain. Evidence gets lost if you wait for the court to ask for it.
The useful comparison between defense attorneys is not the price of the first meeting. It is the number of cases the attorney has taken all the way to a jury, because that is the only number that tells you whether they can do the hardest part of the job. I have tried more than 80 criminal cases over more than 20 years in Kent, Allegan and Ottawa counties. The fee structure is explained in writing at the consultation, and the consultation is free, so the comparison can be made on the substance rather than on the invoice.
Ryan Maesen has defended accused people in Grand Rapids and across West Michigan since 2007.
More than 80 criminal cases taken to trial, where the verdict is decided by a judge and jury, not a plea.
Rated 4.7 out of 5 across 84 Google reviews by clients and their families.
Comstock Park is a short drive north of the office at 3265 Walker Ave NW in Grand Rapids, and the 63rd District Court on East Beltline Avenue is easy to reach from the same direction. I take consultations during the day and handle new criminal matters outside regular business hours.
They are separate charges with separate penalties. Brandishing a firearm or dangerous weapon in a threatening manner is charged under its own statute and is a felony when the act is done in a way that causes the victim to reasonably believe it may lead to death or serious bodily harm. Pointing a firearm at another person is a separate felony with its own sentencing range. Which statute applies turns on the words used and what the witness saw, which is precisely why nothing said at the scene can be taken back later.
Yes. Michigan law defines child abuse in terms of non-consensual contact with a child, or an omission that creates a substantial risk of harm or death, and the offense is graded by the harm involved and by the relationship between the defendant and the child. A parent, guardian, or someone with regular access to the child can be charged. If a child services worker or police officer has raised concerns, the earlier the defense is built the more of the options remain open.
Whether the evidence survives depends on why the search happened. If the officers had probable cause, or an independent exception to the warrant requirement applied, the evidence is likely admissible and the case moves forward. If the search was conducted without a warrant and without a valid exception, the defense can move to suppress. Michigan also has a rule for marijuana, which is treated differently from other controlled substances in some respects. Do not consent to a search, and do not say anything beyond requesting an attorney, because your consent changes the analysis.
It is serious. The court can issue a warrant for your arrest, and it can add a bond condition or increase the bond on the underlying charge. For a person who is already on bond, the bond can be forfeited, which means the money or bond you posted is lost. If you cannot make the date, call your attorney or the court before the date rather than after. Missing a hearing because of work or transportation is still a missed hearing.
Possession of marijuana for personal use is generally charged as a misdemeanor in Michigan, with a fine and, if there is a prior marijuana conviction on the record, a possible jail sentence. The charge is graded by the amount and by the presence of prior convictions. The more common practical problem is not the charge itself but the effect on driving privileges, employment screening, and school. A diversion or dismissal is sometimes available depending on the facts and the prosecutor.
Carrying a firearm while having a prior felony conviction is a separate felony in Michigan with a significantly heavier sentencing range than the underlying weapons offense, and there are mandatory minimum terms that depend on the nature of the earlier conviction. That is one of the reasons the record needs to be examined before an arraignment. The classification of an old conviction is not always obvious, and getting it wrong can mean the difference between a misdemeanor resolution and a multi-year felony sentence.
If you were pulled over, arrested, or charged anywhere in Comstock Park, call and tell me exactly what the officer said. That detail is usually where a case is won or lost.
