Kevin Peterson is a founding member of Peterson Paletta Balice, PLC, and focuses his practice on defending clients charged with crimes in both state and federal courts. Kevin is well-respected in the West Michigan legal community as a strong advocate for his clients.
Kevin has previously been appointed as the sole criminal defense representative of a domestic violence court and has been appointed by the 8th Circuit Court to represent prisoners charged with crimes.
Kevin has successfully defended clients charged with murder, child abuse, criminal sexual conduct, theft crimes, conspiracy, drug crimes, weapons crimes, and more. Kevin is also an adjunct professor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where he teaches trial skills.
Kevin focuses his practice in the following areas:
- Criminal Defense. Kevin aggressively represents clients throughout the state of Michigan charged in state and federal courts with misdemeanors, felonies, driver license restoration/appeals, probation violations and more.
- Family Law. Kevin represents individuals in divorce cases, child custody matters, child support, alimony and complex property division.
- General Civil Litigation. Kevin represents individuals and business clients in complex litigation matters before both state and federal courts.
- Liquor Licensing. Kevin has assisted clients in obtaining liquor licenses for golf courses, non-profit organizations, country clubs, restaurants, and bars. He has also successfully represented license owners before city and townships boards in an effort to approve licensure and to retain licensure. Kevin has also argued numerous appeals to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission and Michigan Courts on licensing matters.
Education
- Thomas M. Cooley Law School, JD, cum laude
- Grand Valley State University, BBA, Accounting
Bar and Court Admissions:
- Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Professional/Community Affiliations:
- Adjunct Professor, Thomas M. Cooley Law School
- Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan
- Federal Bar Association, Western Michigan Chapter
- Forest Hills Business Association
- Grand Rapids Bar Association
- Ionia/Montcalm Bar Association
Representative Matters:
- 2012 – Kevin represented a client charged with drunk driving with a blood alcohol content of .16. The client had one prior drunk driving offense and 2 prior MIP offenses. The client entered a plea of responsible to a civil infraction, careless driving, and was ordered to pay a fine of $300 with no probation.
- 2012 – Kevin represented a client that was charged with being a prisoner in possession of a weapon. The case was heard by an Ionia County jury and the client was found not guilty.
- 2012 – Kevin represented a client charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, assault with the intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and resisting/obstructing/assaulting a police officer. The client was looking at a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison. Kevin negotiated a plea that excluded criminal sexual conduct. The client spent 8 months in county jail and was not required to register as a sex offender.
- 2012 – Kevin represented a liquor license owner that was brought before a township board after shootings occurred at his bar. The township sought revocation of the client’s liquor license. After several hearings, the township decided not to revoke the liquor license.
- 2011 – Kevin represented a client charged with 4 felony counts of delivery/manufacture of marijuana. The client had, according to police officers, sold drugs to undercover informants and undercover police officers. After several contested motions regarding the admissibility of evidence, the client entered a plea to a misdemeanor possession of marijuana with no additional jail time and no probation.
- 2011 – Kevin represented a client charged with first-degree home invasion where it was alleged that the client broke into a home and stole electronics and firearms. The firearms were alleged to have been sold across state lines and used in homicides in other states. The client was on parole at the time of the alleged offense and was looking at serving a substantial amount of prison time if convicted. The case was dismissed after several contested motions regarding the reliability of the DNA evidence.
- 2011 – Kevin represented a client that was charged with being a prisoner in possession of a weapon. The case was dismissed before the preliminary examination.
- 2011 – Kevin represented a father seeking full physical custody of his 7-year-old son. The court heard a trial on the same matter approximately 1 year before and denied the change in custody. After several days of trial, the court awarded the client full physical custody as requested.