Michigan Family Law Blog

Child custody is a general term used to address parents' legal and/or physical custody of their child. Other terms with more specific definitions are used throughout the United States, for instance the term "parenting time" is used in Michigan. Regardless of the legal term, we all understand that...

Providing what's best for a child is sometimes blurred by emotion, assumptions, and misunderstandings. Whether it is a custody dispute, adoption dispute, or another issue with a child, including an adult child with a disability, a Guardian ad litem (GAL) may be appointed in Michigan to represent ...

Both parents have the constitutional right to custody of their child, and that's typically the preference of the courts. The idea is a simple one: each child and parent has the right to develop their relationship. Barring any serious issues like abuse or neglect, child custody is a right both par...

Postnuptial agreements in Michigan are not as widely known or used as prenuptial agreements, but they are just as important in terms of the protection they can offer, and just as damaging when not entered into fairly. At North Oakland Michigan Divorce and Family Law, PLC, our postnuptial attorne...

Prenuptial agreements in Michigan are frequently misunderstood. They are not just important tools to use to protect yourself and your assets going into a marriage; they offer transparency, and that's a good place to start a marriage. At North Oakland County Michigan Family Law, PLC, our family l...

Are you in the middle of a dispute with the other parent about which jurisdiction applies in your child custody and child support case? Today, families are mixed and varied. A father may live in one city or another state while the mother lives in another city or another state entirely. These situ...

Military Divorce Lawyer in Michigan When one or both spouses are members of the Armed Services and one or both of you are considering a divorce, the mere fact that you are in the military adds an extra layer of consideration. There are unique issues that must be addressed. How you address those ...

The question is how taking a buyout from General Motors might be an issue for a divorcing or divorced individual.  There are a number of factors that will have an impact on this issue as well.  In this blog, I will go through three simple hypothetical situations and explain how the different situ...

The rate of divorce has increased over the years, and much of it has to do with social acceptance of it. Social acceptance, however, does not make the dissolution of a marriage in Oakland any easier. When a marriage ends, you have decisions you need to make that will affect your future and the fu...

When circumstances change, child support can also be changed to accommodate those changed circumstances. But the reasons for modification are limited, must be adequately proven, and must be approved by the court with a new child support order issued to replace the original one. That all takes res...

The right to marry means LGBTQ couples also have rights enjoyed by other married couples, like state and federal benefits and inheritance rights. They also have the right to divorce. Navigating a same-sex divorce in Michigan does not have to be any more complex than a traditional divorce, but the...

Both parents of a child have the right to build a relationship with the child unless circumstances are such that those parental rights are terminated. When there's a question about paternity, this poses a significant problem because with paternity, not only is there the right to build a relations...

More and more today, the makeup of a family transcends borders. Likewise, the breakup of a married couple also transcends borders. International divorce can pose unique challenges. At North Oakland Michigan Divorce Law, our international divorce attorney based in Michigan understands what these c...

High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer in Michigan High net worth divorces involve couples whose property has a high monetary value. These types of divorces proceed under the same legal principles and procedures but are more complicated given the nature and extent of the property to be divided. High-asse...

Understanding How Domestic Violence Impacts Divorce in Michigan Domestic violence in Michigan is persistent and can affect families in deep ways that impact their present and future lives. False accusations of the same are also damaging. In divorce, both occur. In many cases, a cause for the dis...

Courts make decisions all the time that affect children. These decisions are often related to things like child custody, parenting time or visitation, child support, any future modifications to custody and support. These decisions are made in light of the best interests of the child.  At North O...

If you and your partner have lived together and portrayed yourself as though you are married, you may think you have entered into a domestic partnership or a civil union. Most states no longer recognize this type of domestic arrangement but some still do.  At North Oakland County Michigan Divorc...

Whether your divorce is contentious or not, whether you have children or not, whether you have a lot of assets or not, whether just about anything, there is one common theme among all divorce: it is emotionally taxing. Under those circumstances, it can be easy to overlook an important matter or t...

How to Create a Parenting Schedule in Michigan Parenting schedules are required in most custody situations that go through the court system in Michigan. Creating these schedules, however, can be a time-consuming process. You want a schedule that works for you and the other parent but especially ...

Michigan Parenting Plan Guide We all want to make sure our children are not hurt by a divorce, separation, or breakup.  Michigan courts also want to do their part to make sure that parents get quality time with their children because it is believed that the children, absent a valid reason like s...

Michigan Divorce Lawyer for Divorces Across State Lines Sometimes spouses live in different states. Various reasons exist for these living situations to occur. It could be work-related or it could be because they have separated. It happens often when couples live on the border of another state, ...

Emergency Child Custody Lawyer in Michigan You never want to be in a situation where your child is at risk of harm from the other parent. But it can happen.  Harm materializes in different ways, from physical violence to kidnapping to parental substance abuse. In Michigan, options are available ...

When spousal support, also known as alimony, is court-ordered, it has to be paid. Failure to pay spousal support has its consequences. If you are the one ordered to pay, you may have an option: you can file a petition to modify spousal support based on changed circumstances. If you are the one ow...

The rate of divorce has increased over the years, but that does not make the dissolution of a marriage in Michigan any easier. When a marriage ends, you have decisions you need to make that will affect your future and the future of any children you may share with your ex-spouse. Getting the right...

Ending a marriage later in life carries with it some considerations that are not necessarily present when you divorce earlier. In Michigan, things like healthcare, insurance, business interests, retirement savings, estate planning, taxes, and Social Security can get complicated. You want to make ...