Criminal Defense Attorney Shawn Haff: Charges, Fees and Process

What is Criminal Defense Attorney Shawn Haff?

It is a small criminal defense practice in Wyoming, Michigan, a city that borders Grand Rapids to the south. The practice is built around one lawyer, Shawn James Haff, and its tagline is "Helping Good People in Bad Situations." The attorney profile puts it plainly: "I handle criminal defense, and only criminal defense." It does not take divorces, personal injury claims, wills or other civil work.

Why there are two names. The practice used to call itself the Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan, and that name is still the website address and appears in older listings. The site now brands itself "Criminal Defense Attorney Shawn Haff" in its header, footer and copyright line. The State Bar of Michigan directory lists the firm under the newer name. If you see either name with the same phone number (616-438-6719) and the 44th Street address in Wyoming, it is the same practice.

Who it is for. People charged with a crime, or who think they are under investigation, anywhere in West Michigan, plus parents of teenagers and college students, and people trying to clear an old record or win back a revoked driver's license. The home page says the practice handles "every type of criminal charge, from a first OWI to serious felonies."

The size of the practice. The home page describes "Shawn Haff and his team of lawyers," and the profile says he works "with a small team of trusted attorneys when the caseload demands it, but every client's strategy starts with me." Shawn Haff is the only attorney the site names or profiles. The figures the site uses for experience are split this way in its own FAQ: 16 years is Shawn Haff's personal time in criminal defense, while "25+ years of combined experience" and "1,500+ cases" describe the office as a whole. The site also says he has personally taken part in more than 3,000 court hearings.

Who is Shawn Haff?

Everything in this section comes from the attorney profile page unless a public record is named.

• Background. A lifelong West Michigan resident. He graduated from Hudsonville High School in 1993.
• College. Grand Valley State University, two bachelor's degrees (Political Science and Legal Studies) with a minor in History, 1998. The profile mentions Student Senate and the Dean's List.
• Law school. Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Juris Doctor, 2000, with an Honors Scholarship and a Certification in Litigation.
• License. State Bar of Michigan, bar number P73994. The site links to the State Bar directory so you can verify it (see what can be checked).
• Memberships listed. State Bar of Michigan and the Grand Rapids Bar Association.
• Earlier work. The profile says he has worked "at a local prosecutor's office" and "at high-profile West Michigan law firms." The local prosecutor's office is not named.
• Trial and appeals. The site says he has won not-guilty verdicts at trial on domestic violence and drug charges, had a criminal sexual conduct charge dismissed at trial, and handled matters that reached the Michigan Supreme Court. It adds: "Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case."
• Media and community. The profile lists appearances on Wood Radio, WZZM TV and Fox News Grand Rapids (2024), keynote talks at "A Night of Professionals" from 2022 to 2025, involvement in local government in Georgetown Township, his church and youth mentoring, and some cases handled pro bono or at reduced rates.

He describes himself as "a contrarian by nature" who enjoys "taking on the government" and has "a healthy skepticism of law enforcement." He lives in Jenison with his wife and lists the Detroit Tigers, the Lions and Great Lakes fishing as interests.

The profile also shows a grid of awards and directory recognitions. We have not repeated them here because we did not check each one against the issuing organization; if they matter to you, ask the practice for details or look them up with the organization that gave them.

Is the practice legit? What can be checked

People often ask this about a lawyer they found online. Here is what an outside reader can confirm:

• An active Michigan law license. We looked up Shawn James Haff in the State Bar of Michigan's public directory on 19 October 2026. It shows bar number P73994, status "Active Member in Good Standing," a Michigan admission date of 9 August 2010, and the firm name "Criminal Defense Attorney Shawn Haff." The admission date lines up with the "16 years" of criminal defense the site cites.
• Matching contact details. The State Bar listing gives the same office (2675 44th St SW, Suite 208, Wyoming), the same phone number and the same Gmail address the website publishes, and links to this website.
• A physical office. The contact page gives a street address with directions (off US-131, near the Metro Health area, second floor, free parking in front) and weekday office hours.
• Named authorship and review dates. Key practice pages carry a line such as "Reviewed by Attorney Shawn Haff · October 14, 2026," and blog posts carry a byline and "updated" date. The two large legal libraries on the site say every statement of law is footnoted to its source.
• Plain disclaimers. The profile and results pages say past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and the site's llms.txt file says its pages "explain Michigan law in general terms" and "are not legal advice for a specific case."
• A published privacy policy. Dated 6 October 2026, it lists what the contact form collects and the services that handle it (see what happens when you call).

To check any Michigan lawyer's standing yourself, use the State Bar of Michigan's member directory. A license shows a lawyer is allowed to practice; it does not predict how any case will go.

What charges does it handle?

The site's Practice Areas menu groups more than 100 charge pages under nine headings. This table summarizes them.

The attorney profile names the charges he defends most often: domestic violence ("a core focus of my practice"), felonies of all kinds, OWI, retail fraud and theft, drug charges and criminal sexual conduct. The State Bar listing gives his practice categories as criminal defense, criminal law, domestic violence and federal practice, though the website itself says he does not appear in federal court (see below).

OWI and drunk driving cases

OWI ("operating while intoxicated") is Michigan's name for what other states call DUI. The practice's OWI page opens with a short summary of the law under MCL 257.625 and then lists what it says a first-offense conviction can carry, including up to 93 days in jail, fines of $100 to $500 plus costs, up to 360 hours of community service, 6 points, and a 30-day hard license suspension followed by 150 days of restricted driving. It notes that a breath-test refusal gives you 14 days to request a hearing.

The page describes the parts of an OWI case it says it examines:

• The traffic stop: whether the officer had reasonable suspicion, with a motion to suppress if not.
• The breath test: the DataMaster instrument's certification, the operator's training, the 15-minute observation period and possible mouth-alcohol contamination.
• Blood draws: who drew the blood and the chain of custody.
• Field sobriety tests: conditions such as fatigue, footwear, lighting and medical issues.

The page lists the local courts where OWI cases are heard, including the 61st and 63rd District Courts, 62B (Kentwood), 59th (Grandville and Walker) and the 17th Circuit Court for felony OWI. Related pages cover second and third offenses, High BAC ("super drunk"), drugged driving, the Kent County sobriety and drunk driving courts, restricted licenses and OWI expungement.

A seasonal guide. The site runs a holiday OWI arrest guide that explains what the first days after an arrest look like between Thanksgiving and New Year's, including that courts close on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day while the 14-day window to request a refusal hearing is counted from the date of notice. The guide says it is "general information about Michigan law, not advice about your case."

Domestic violence and sex crime cases

Domestic violence. The site calls domestic violence "a core focus" of the practice, and the DV menu is one of the largest on the site. The main DV page explains which relationships turn an assault into a domestic assault under MCL 750.81, how first, second and third offenses are graded, and related charges such as aggravated domestic violence and assault by strangulation. It covers topics people ask about right after an arrest:

• What happens after an arrest, including arraignment (usually within 24 to 48 hours, according to the page) and bond conditions.
• The difference between a no-contact bond condition set by the criminal court and a personal protection order (PPO), a separate civil order. The page says he can challenge a PPO at a hearing.
• Effects beyond the case: child custody, employment, and both the federal and Michigan firearm bans that can follow a conviction.
• The first-offense deferral under MCL 769.4a and the specialized Kent County Domestic Violence Court.

Criminal sexual conduct. The CSC page explains Michigan's four degrees of criminal sexual conduct (MCL 750.520b to 520e), sex offender registration tiers under SORA, and the stages of an investigation that often come before any arrest: forensic interviews, nurse examinations, recorded "pretext" calls and requests to "come in and clear things up." The page says getting a lawyer involved during the investigation can matter, and lists the defense issues it examines, from the reliability of statements and forensic evidence to statute-of-limitations questions. Related pages cover child pornography, solicitation of a minor, indecent exposure, human trafficking, and student cases at local colleges.

Both topics also have large free reference libraries on the site, described below.

Drug, theft, assault, weapons and juvenile cases

Drug crimes. The drug pages cover possession and delivery under Michigan's Public Health Code and the 7411 deferral for some first-time possession charges. The main drug page urges readers not to consent to searches or talk to police without a lawyer, and says Shawn Haff "believes that the last place for somebody with a drug problem is prison."

Theft and property crimes. The theft hub explains how Michigan grades most theft by value (under $200, $200 to under $1,000, $1,000 to under $20,000, and $20,000 or more) and how prior theft convictions can raise the level of a charge. Separate pages cover retail fraud in all three degrees, robbery, carjacking, home invasion, organized retail crime, forgery and auto theft. The attorney notes that "a great many theft charges have addiction sitting underneath them."

Assault. The assault page covers simple assault and battery, felonious assault, assault by strangulation, self-defense, and pretrial options such as deferrals and charge reductions.

Weapons. The firearm page covers felony firearm, carrying a concealed pistol without a CPL (including the rule that covers a pistol anywhere in a vehicle), felon-in-possession rules and the Michigan gun laws that took effect on 13 February 2024 (safe storage, universal background checks and extreme risk protection orders).

Juveniles, students and parents. The juvenile page explains that most cases against people under 18 go to the family division of circuit court, that 17-year-olds have been treated as juveniles since 1 October 2021 under Michigan's Raise the Age law, and that some serious charges can still be moved to adult court. It mentions diversion, the consent calendar and setting aside juvenile records. Campus pages explain, for example, that a GVSU student can be charged in Ottawa County (Allendale campus) or Kent County (Pew campus in Grand Rapids). The site also has a page on CPS investigations for parents and caregivers.

Probation violations. A long post written by the attorney explains how probation works in practice and what happens at a violation hearing.

Expungement and driver's license restoration

Expungement (setting aside a conviction). The expungement page summarizes Michigan's set-aside law, including the Clean Slate Act's automatic set-aside for some older convictions and the petition route, and notes that Michigan has allowed some first-offense OWI convictions to be set aside since 19 February 2022. It lays out the practice's six steps:

1. Free consultation to review your history and which convictions may qualify.
2. Obtaining certified records from the Michigan State Police and the courts.
3. Preparing and filing the application.
4. Prosecutor review.
5. A court hearing, where he presents your case.
6. The judge's order.

The page says the court filing fee is $50 per application and that his own fee is quoted exactly at the consultation.

Driver's license restoration. After a revocation for repeat OWI, you have to win a hearing with the Michigan Secretary of State to drive again. The license restoration page explains what the hearing officer looks for (that a substance problem existed, is under control and is likely to stay under control), the substance abuse evaluation, a 10-panel drug screen, letters of support and testimony under oath. It says that if a petition is denied you must wait a full year before trying again, and that an approval usually starts with a restricted license and an ignition interlock. The attorney says he reviews every support letter before it is submitted.

Does Shawn Haff handle federal cases?

No, according to his own pages. The federal charges page opens with a note: "My practice is Michigan state court... I do not appear in federal court." It says that if your case is federal, he will help you understand what you are facing and put you in touch with a federal defense attorney who practices in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. The attorney profile FAQ says the same.

Some older answers on the site's long FAQ page still describe federal court work, and the State Bar listing includes "Federal Practice" as a category. If your matter is federal, or might become federal, ask directly on the first call.

Where is the office, and which courts does it cover?

Main office: 2675 44th St SW, Suite 208, Wyoming, MI 49519. The contact page says it is off US-131 near the Metro Health area, on the second floor, with free parking in front of the building. The home page and footer also list a Grand Rapids address, 250 Monroe Ave NW, Suite 304, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. The contact page and State Bar listing give only the Wyoming office, so ask which location your meeting will be at.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with "after-hours emergencies: available 24/7 by phone."

Counties: the home page names Kent, Ottawa, Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Van Buren and Newaygo counties; the FAQ adds Muskegon. The site's Areas We Serve menu also lists Kalamazoo, Berrien and Montcalm counties, with city pages from Holland and Grand Haven to Hastings, Ionia, Paw Paw, South Haven and Greenville.

Courts: the home page says he appears regularly in the 63rd, 61st, 62A, 62B, 59th, 58th, 60th, 56B, 57th, 64A and 7th District Courts and the 17th Circuit Court in Kent County. The contact page maps them by county:

A "West Michigan Courts" page on the site explains which court hears a case based on where the offense happened, with addresses for several district courts and notes on specialty courts (sobriety court, drug court and the Kent County Domestic Violence Court).

Remote meetings: the site does not say whether consultations can be held by video. The profile says he prefers to meet in his office, so ask on the phone if you need another option.

How much does Shawn Haff charge?

The practice does not publish a fee schedule. Here is what the site does say:

General price ranges on the site. The site's FAQ page gives general ranges for criminal defense fees in Grand Rapids: "Misdemeanor cases typically range from $1,500 to $5,000; felony cases range from $3,000 to $15,000+; and complex cases (federal charges, homicide, major drug cases) can cost $10,000 to $50,000 or more." Another FAQ answer gives $750 to $2,500 as a typical range for attorney fees on a Michigan expungement. These describe the local market in general; they are not this practice's own price list. Ask for the flat fee for your case in writing.

What usually moves the price, according to the site: the charge and how serious it is, the number of court appearances, whether the case goes to trial, and whether experts are needed. Fines, court costs and costs of things like evaluations or classes are separate from the attorney's fee.

If you can't afford a private lawyer. A post on the site explains common ways people pay for a defense (payment plans, personal loans, credit cards, crowdfunding) and notes that the court can appoint a public defender if you cannot afford a private attorney. The attorney profile says he has handled some cases pro bono or at reduced rates.

What happens when you call

The contact page describes the first call in four steps:

1. Tell him what happened. The charge, the court and your next court date. The page says this "usually takes about 5 minutes."
2. An honest assessment. What you are facing, what the prosecution has to prove, and where he sees weaknesses.
3. Your options. What he can do and what the process looks like.
4. No pressure. If you want to hire him, work starts right away; if you need time to think, that is fine.

The online form asks for your name and phone number (required), and optionally your email, the type of charge and a description. According to the privacy policy, each submission also records the page, your browser's user-agent and your IP address to help spot spam. Submissions go by email (through Mailgun) to the office's Gmail inbox, a private copy is stored in GitHub for the site's dashboard, and the web agency that maintains the site gets a copy to check the form works. The policy says the practice does not sell or share your information with advertisers or data brokers. Because of that, keep the form short and save the details for a phone call or meeting.

After you hire him, the profile says you get his personal cell number, that he is available 24/7 ("not an answering service"), and that he personally handles your case "from start to finish" rather than passing it to a junior associate.

Timing. The site's FAQ says arraignment usually happens within 24 to 48 hours of an arrest, and that misdemeanor cases typically take two to six months and felonies six months to over a year. Your own case may be faster or slower.

The free legal guides on the site

Beyond the charge pages, the site hosts a lot of free reading:

• Michigan Domestic Violence Law: The Complete Guide. A reference library of 175 guides, last reviewed 4 October 2026, organized as the law, the process (from the police call to court, protection orders and lasting consequences) and practical tools such as checklists and county court information. It starts with safety hotlines and says every statement of law is footnoted to a statute, court rule, decision or official publication.
• Michigan Sexual Misconduct Law: The Complete Guide. 141 guides on criminal sexual conduct, investigations, the sex offender registry, Title IX, workplace harassment and where to get help, also last reviewed 4 October 2026 and footnoted the same way.
• West Michigan Courts, the holiday OWI arrest guide, a Quick Tips page, and a long FAQ page organized by charge type.
• A blog of posts on West Michigan criminal law, and a separate Legal Articles section that also carries general and out-of-state articles. Posts in that section are not all written by the practice or about Michigan law, so rely on the reviewed practice pages and the two libraries for Michigan specifics.

The libraries are written for anyone involved in a case, including people seeking protection, not only people who have been charged.

Reviews and case results: how to read them

Client reviews. The Client Reviews page and home page show testimonials identified by first name (some with a last name or initial). Common themes are fast call-backs (one describes a return call within 10 minutes and an office meeting 3 hours later), straight talk about possible outcomes, regular updates and fair pricing. One mentions he "very patiently worked with me when it came to payment." The site does not publish a review score or total count on these pages.

Case results. The Results page lists 26 case results, filtered by charge type (OWI, domestic violence, drug, theft and fraud, sex crime, assault and weapons, other), each with the court and an outcome label such as Dismissed, Reduced, Acquitted or No Jail. The page states: "Every case is different and these outcomes don't guarantee the same result in yours."

Past results show the kinds of cases a lawyer has handled. They are not a prediction for a new case.

How it compares with other options

This is a general comparison of the kinds of lawyers people choose between for a West Michigan criminal case. It is not a ranking.

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

Questions to ask at the consultation

• What is the flat fee for my case, what does it cover (for example, trial or a license hearing), and can I get it in writing?
• Do you offer a payment plan, and what is due before work starts?
• Will you personally appear at every hearing, or will another attorney cover some?
• How often have you handled this charge in this court?
• What are the realistic possible outcomes, including deferrals or diversion programs I might qualify for?
• How does this case affect my driver's license, gun rights, job or immigration status?
• If the case turns federal, who would you refer me to?
• Which office will we meet at, and can we meet by phone or video?

How to get started

1. Write down your charge, the court on your paperwork and your next court date.
2. Call 616-438-6719 (the site says it is answered 24/7), or fill in the short form on the contact page.
3. Have the free consultation, up to 30 minutes, usually in the Wyoming office.
4. Ask for the flat fee and payment terms before you decide.
5. If you hire him, save his cell number and send him any new papers right away.

Visit Criminal Defense Attorney Shawn Haff

Terms you'll see on the site

• OWI: operating while intoxicated, Michigan's main drunk driving charge (other states say DUI or DWI).
• OWVI: operating while visibly impaired, a lesser drinking-and-driving charge.
• High BAC / "Super Drunk": an OWI with a blood alcohol content of 0.17 or more, which carries higher penalties.
• Implied consent: the rule that drivers agree to chemical testing; refusing a test leads to a license sanction and a short window to request a hearing.
• CSC: criminal sexual conduct, Michigan's name for sexual assault offenses, in four degrees.
• SORA: the Sex Offenders Registration Act, Michigan's sex offender registry law.
• PPO: personal protection order, a civil court order that can restrict contact.
• 769.4a deferral: a first-offense domestic violence deferral named after its statute.
• 7411: a deferral for some first-time drug possession charges, named after MCL 333.7411.
• HYTA: the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, which can keep a young adult's case off the public record if completed.
• Set aside / expungement: a court order removing a conviction from your public record.
• District court and circuit court: district courts handle misdemeanors and the first stage of felonies; felonies that pass a preliminary examination are "bound over" to the circuit court.
• Arraignment: the first court appearance, where the charge is read and bond is set.
• Restricted license: permission to drive only for set purposes, sometimes with an ignition interlock device.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

All pages checked on 19 October 2026.

1. Home page
2. Attorney profile: Shawn James Haff
3. Contact page
4. Free consultation
5. Frequently asked questions
6. Areas we serve
7. West Michigan courts
8. Client reviews
9. Case results
10. OWI attorney page
11. Domestic violence defense
12. Criminal sexual conduct defense
13. Drug charges
14. Theft and property crimes
15. Retail fraud defense
16. Assault and battery defense
17. Gun and firearm charges
18. Juvenile crimes
19. GVSU student defense
20. CPS defense
21. Probation violations
22. Expungement
23. Driver's license restoration
24. Federal charges
25. Can legal fees be financed in criminal defense cases
26. Michigan Domestic Violence Law: The Complete Guide
27. Michigan Sexual Misconduct Law: The Complete Guide
28. Holiday OWI arrest guide (linked from the home page)
29. Privacy policy
30. llms.txt site summary
31. State Bar of Michigan directory: Shawn James Haff