West Michigan Regional Veterans Treatment Court (Allegan, Ottawa and Van Buren)

Ottawa County has no veterans court of its own. Its veterans are served by the West Michigan Regional Veterans Treatment Court, which the 57th District Court in Allegan runs for Allegan, Ottawa and Van Buren counties under MCL 600.1200 to 600.1212 (see the Michigan entry on veterans treatment courts), with the State and VA. The court's "History and Purpose" sheet, a scan read by OCR on 2026-10-13, records that the programme began in January 2014, was revised February 20, 2014, and was "developed to help participants achieve total abstinence from drugs and/or alcohol, be diverted from prison or jail, and to have a more satisfying law-abiding life", working jointly with the court, community supervision, treatment providers, the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefit Administration, veterans employment representatives, veterans service organizations and service officers for a minimum of 18 months. Judge William Baillargeon presides. What it involves. Four phases: 12 to 18 months on the misdemeanour track and 18 to 24 months on the felony track, mostly outpatient treatment, with testing, a curfew from midnight to 4 a.m. in later phases and a relapse prevention plan. Status reviews are on the second and fourth Mondays at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom B, Allegan County District Court, 113 Chestnut Street, Allegan. Participants must live in the three counties unless the court permits otherwise. The participant handbook of October 2023 sets a programme fee of $900 for a felony and $500 for a misdemeanour, plus jail fees for any sanction; MCL 600.1206(4) lets a court charge fees tied to its costs. How to start. Referral is on the court's form, revised in August 2026, which asks for the county, the discharge status (honorable to dishonorable) and whether the charge is a misdemeanour or felony; VA then marks the veteran eligible or not. The handbook warns that eligibility does not guarantee admission and the judge may refuse without comment. The statute's test applies: a veteran under MCL 35.61, with any discharge other than dishonorable, and 180 days of active duty, and no violent offense. Allegan County's main line is 269-673-0205.