Making the Decision to Divorce
One of the hardest decisions that we make in our lives is whether to honor our vows and stay married or move out of a relationship that is destructive. Divorce is a decision that is emotional and scary. Reaching that decision should be done with the proper resources. If you are at the point that […]
Friend of the Court
Friend of the Court is an administrative agency that is heavily involved in all family law cases involving minor children, but few people know who they are, or what they do before they step through the door of their office for the first time. Just whose friend are they, whose best interest are they looking […]
Father’s Rights
Obtaining legal rights for an unmarried father in Michigan is not as simple as being on the birth certificate. An unwed father must prove to a Judge he is the father before he can be given any rights to custody or parenting time. When a child is born out of wedlock (the parties are not married […]
Do grandparents have rights in the state of Michigan?
More and more grandparents are faced with raising their grandchildren. What are the rights of grandparents who are going it alone, without the emotional or financial support of the biological parents? The following are some options: 1. Guardianship If a parent leaves a child in the home of a grandparent for an extended period of […]
Mediation could save your post-divorce co-parenting relationship
By nature, the traditional courtroom experience is adversarial. Litigation tends to pit one side against the other. That may be okay under certain circumstances, but when it comes to Michigan parents getting a divorce, this could prove catastrophic. Parents need to continue working together despite the end of their marriages. “Battling” in a courtroom over […]
Your income and your financial obligations to your children
When two Michigan parents go through a divorce, their main priority is the protection and well-being of their children. Most parents understand that the process of divorce can be hardest on the children, and as a result, they strive to provide them with a reasonable custody order that allows them to have access to both […]
Child abuse allegations not unusual during custody fight
Divorce cases can get ugly quickly, especially when children are involved. Whether parents are acting purely from fear of losing their children or from animosity toward each other, it is not unusual for divorcing spouses to play dirty when it comes to custody matters. One treacherous game a parent may play is accusing the other […]
How can you modify a Michigan family law court order?
Family law orders regarding parenting time (child custody), child support and spousal support (alimony) aren’t necessarily set in stone. Circumstances change, and what worked at the outset might not work months or years later. So how do you go about changing it? In general, there are two paths to obtaining a modification. In parenting time cases, […]
How will your spouse’s retirement accounts affect your divorce?
As you and your spouse divide your property during your divorce, you will want to pay special attention to their retirement accounts. Your spouse may have been your household’s breadwinner, and these accounts are likely held in their name alone. Yet, they may have established their accounts – or their accounts grew in value – […]
Is it appropriate to wait until your children are adults to divorce?
Parents generally want to do the right thing for their children. That can include not divorcing despite not wanting to be married anymore. Some parents believe that it is better to wait until their children reach the age of 18 to divorce. This would give them a more stable home environment and potentially minimize the […]
