College Student Criminal Defense in West Michigan

Protecting students' degrees, financial aid, and careers across West Michigan.

One arrest can put your degree, your financial aid, your scholarships, and your future career on the line. You may also be facing your college's own conduct process at the same time as criminal court. We defend students. No lectures, just a real defense.

Free, Confidential Student Defense Consultation

Acting early protects your record, your enrollment, and your future. Contact us now to talk through your case and your options.

Get Free Consultation (616) 227-3303

Campuses We Defend Students At

We regularly represent students facing charges at West Michigan's colleges and universities. Choose your campus for school-specific guidance:

GVSU Student Defense Hope College Student Defense Calvin University Student Defense GRCC Student Defense Davenport University Student Defense Don't see your school? Contact us →

Charges We Handle for Students

Most student cases involve a handful of common charges. We defend all of them:

Minor in Possession (MIP): one of the most common student charges, often from off-campus parties, dorms, or downtown bars.
Fake ID: using or possessing false identification is a misdemeanor and a crime of dishonesty that can follow you into professional licensing.
OWI / DUI: drivers under 21 face Michigan's Zero Tolerance law (0.02 BAC). See our OWI defense page.
Drug possession: marijuana is still illegal under 21, and a drug conviction can put scholarships and professional licensing at risk.
Disorderly conduct, open intoxicants, and party charges: minor-sounding offenses that still create a record.
Domestic violence / assault: dating and roommate disputes can lead to charges and no-contact orders. See our domestic violence defense page.

Two Cases at Once: Criminal Court and Campus Conduct

For students, an arrest often means fighting on two fronts. Your criminal case runs in court, where guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Your college, though, can open its own Student Conduct or Title IX case under a much lower "more likely than not" standard, with far fewer protections. That means your school can suspend or expel you even if you are never convicted, and even for off-campus conduct. Worse, a statement you give a campus investigator can be used against you in criminal court. We handle both at once so a misstep in one does not sink the other.

What's at Stake

Scholarships and aid: a conviction generally won't cost you federal financial aid, but many merit and institutional scholarships come with conduct rules, and a conviction can cost you the award.
Professional licensing: nursing, education, accounting (CPA), pharmacy, and similar fields screen for criminal history and crimes of dishonesty.
Graduate and professional school: applications ask about criminal history, and law and medical boards investigate it.
Immigration: international students on F-1 visas can face serious consequences, including loss of status, from some convictions.

What to Do If You're Arrested

Stay silent and ask for a lawyer. Don't try to explain "your side" to police.
Don't post about the arrest on social media, and ask friends not to either.
Don't talk to college administrators or investigators before getting legal advice.
Keep every court date. Missing one can trigger a bench warrant for your arrest and may lead to additional charges.
Call us as soon as possible so we can protect your rights from the start.

Why Sorin & Pyle

Sorin & Pyle was founded by former public defenders with extensive trial experience in West Michigan courts. We know how student cases move through both the courthouse and the campus conduct office, and that for a student, a conviction can outlast any sentence. Free consultations, payment plans, and we work directly with parents. That's our whole philosophy: "WE GIVE A [EXPLETIVE]!" We don't judge. We defend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my college find out about my criminal charge?

Sometimes. Colleges often learn of a charge through campus police, a program's mandatory self-reporting rules (common in nursing, education, and similar fields), or missed classes for court. Off-campus arrests are not automatically reported to the school. Before you disclose anything to the university, talk to a lawyer about what you are actually required to report.

Can I lose financial aid over an MIP?

Your federal aid is generally safe. The FAFSA no longer asks about drug convictions, and neither an MIP nor a drug conviction will cut off federal financial aid on its own. The real risk is to merit and institutional scholarships, which often come with conduct rules that a conviction can violate. The goal either way is to keep a charge from becoming a conviction.

Do you handle the campus conduct hearing too?

Yes. A criminal case and a university Student Conduct or Title IX case can run at the same time under different rules and a lower burden of proof. We coordinate both so that what you say in one process does not damage the other.

What if I was arrested off-campus?

Off-campus conduct can still trigger university discipline, and the criminal case proceeds either way. We defend both the criminal charge and any related campus proceeding.

How much does a college student defense lawyer cost?

The initial consultation is free. Fees depend on the charge and the court, and we offer payment plans and frequently work with parents to arrange representation students can afford.

Which West Michigan colleges do you serve?

We defend students at Grand Valley State University, Hope College, Calvin University, Davenport University, and Grand Rapids Community College, as well as students at other campuses across West Michigan. If your school is not listed, contact us.

Call Now to Protect Your Future

You worked hard to get where you are. Don't let one mistake define it. Reach us 24/7 for a free, confidential consultation.

Request Free Consultation (616) 227-3303