Lawyer accused of faking court doc; more victims possible

GRAND  RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A Grand Rapids attorney is facing a felony forgery charge for allegedly drafting fraudulent court orders.

Investigators  say Timothy David Vandenberg, 47, served several documents that were  allegedly forged and presented as authentic court documents to litigants  in cases involving parenting time and divorce.

“Vandenberg told  his client that there were court hearings and told (her) that she did  not have to attend,” wrote Detective Adrian Sybenga in a probable cause  affidavit filed in 63d District Court. “There was no court hearings  (sic).”

According  to the affidavit, Vandenberg drafted an order and gave it to his  client, which she then gave to her ex-husband. It was the ex who noticed  there was no signature on the order.

When the client asked  Vandenberg about it, the attorney then allegedly presented her with a  court order that appeared to have a judge’s signature on it.

“It  was later determined that this was a fake court order in Judge Ackert’s  Court,” wrote Sybenga, a detective with the Kent County Sheriff’s  Department.

Sybenga wrote that Vandenberg ultimately admitted to drafting the court order.

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