Hudsonville has grown faster than almost any community in West Michigan, and the criminal cases arising there are handled by a court system that does not change based on the size of the city you live in. A charge filed in Hudsonville follows the same path as a charge filed in Grand Rapids, with the same prosecutor across the table and the same judge on the bench. What changes the outcome is the work done before the first appearance, and that is where I focus.
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Criminal matters arising in Hudsonville that fall within Kent County are handled by the 63rd District Court at 1950 E Beltline Ave NE in Grand Rapids, which covers Kent County outside the cities of Grand Rapids, Walker, Grandville, Wyoming and Kentwood. Felony charges from that area are bound over to the 17th Circuit Court of Kent County at 180 Ottawa Ave NW.
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. Misdemeanors, preliminary felonies, traffic and drunk driving cases arising in the Hudsonville area and docketed in Kent County are heard 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 the Hudsonville area that are handled in Kent County are tried in the 17th Circuit Court of Kent County at 180 Ottawa Ave NW in Grand Rapids. Circuit court is where the potential prison exposure is real, and it is where trial experience is worth the most to a client.
Where you live is not the same as where your case is filed. A stop in one county with a residence in another, or a complaint filed in a county that does not match the location of the incident, can put the matter in front of a judge and a prosecutor you have never dealt with before. Confirming the correct court at the beginning is not a formality, because a date set in the wrong place is a date you can miss.
The charges I defend most often for Hudsonville clients are drunk driving and OWI, drug possession, juvenile matters, embezzlement and white collar charges, and the general run of misdemeanor and felony traffic offenses. These are the areas I handle every day for clients from Hudsonville and across West Michigan.
Confirm the court and date on your citation or arrest paperwork. Hudsonville area matters docketed in Kent County are set at the 63rd District Court on East Beltline Ave NE.
Do not consent to a search of your home, your vehicle, or your phone, and do not answer questions beyond identifying yourself.
Get an attorney involved before the first appearance so the charge is reviewed against the facts and any defenses are raised before the case is set.
Collect what already exists: the citation, the bond paperwork, photos, texts, and the names of anyone who actually saw what happened.
When comparing defense attorneys, the number that tells you the most is not the fee, it is the number of cases taken to trial. I have tried more than 80 criminal cases and have practiced in Kent, Allegan and Ottawa counties for more than 20 years, which means I have handled cases in front of the judges and prosecutors who will see yours. I will give you a direct assessment of the case at the first consultation, along with the fee structure in writing, and that consultation costs nothing.
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.
Hudsonville is a short drive from the office at 3265 Walker Ave NW in Grand Rapids, and the 63rd District Court on East Beltline Avenue is convenient to reach from the same direction. I take consultations during the day and handle new criminal matters outside regular business hours.
Criminal matters arising in the Hudsonville area that fall within Kent County are handled by the 63rd District Court at 1950 E Beltline Ave NE in Grand Rapids. Felony charges are bound over to the 17th Circuit Court of Kent County at 180 Ottawa Ave NW. Because the area sits at the edge of Kent County, the court named on your paperwork is the correct one, and it should be confirmed at the first appearance.
You can say no. Michigan law requires consent or a warrant for a search of a home, with limited exceptions such as exigent circumstances, a lawful arrest at the door for certain offenses, or a search incident to that lawful arrest. Consent given in the middle of a conversation with officers is consent, and once given it is very hard to take back. Saying no is not obstruction. Do not open the door until you know who is there and what they want, and do not consent to anything without a lawyer present.
Sometimes. A prosecutor can dismiss a charge, or can defer it, or can offer a diversion program or a reduced charge, and in some cases the case never becomes a formal charge at all. The decision depends on the facts, the charging policy of that prosecutor, and sometimes on the person charged. The practical problem is that the prosecutor often does not know what the person actually did, because nobody has explained it. That is the reason early representation sometimes produces a better outcome than no representation at all.
A warrant can be recalled by the court that issued it, and the request is made with the prosecutor and the court in the loop. The court is generally more willing to recall a warrant when the person appears voluntarily and the case can be set, rather than when the warrant remains outstanding and the person has to be picked up. That is a meaningful difference in the rest of the case and in the bond that goes with it. If there is a warrant, that is the first problem to solve, and it is usually solvable quickly.
It is common, particularly when a person works or drives across county lines. The court with jurisdiction is usually the county where the incident occurred or where the charging authority is located, and that court applies the law of that county. Venue is rarely challenged successfully, so the practical answer is to appear where the court says. Your place of residence still matters for bond and for the arguments about who you are to the court, which is information a good attorney brings to the first hearing.
A dismissal means the charge is thrown out and there is no conviction. A plea bargain means you plead guilty to something, usually a lesser charge, in exchange for a recommended sentence. The difference matters because a dismissal leaves no conviction on your record, while a plea bargain creates one, even if it is a misdemeanor or a diversion. There are situations where a plea is genuinely the better outcome, and situations where a dismissal is available and worth insisting on. That determination requires knowing the facts and the prosecutor's actual position, which is exactly what the first consultation is for.
If you have been cited, arrested, or contacted by police in the Hudsonville area, call and tell me what you were told. You will get a clear answer about the charge and the next step.
