Michigan Family Law Blog

Parties to a divorce should attempt to at least be civil to one another in order to get through the process without causing unnecessary litigation and costs.  When the parties to a divorce have children, it is imperative that the parties to treat each other decently even when they disagree for th...

When someone is harassing, threatening, or stalking another person, a personal protective order may be required to prevent the person from taking any action that continues the threat or harassment. An order of the court can prohibit a person from encountering another person to assault, harass, mo...

If you are contemplating a divorce or going through a divorce, it can help to understand the laws and rules for dividing marital debt. Just like assets, debts are divided into marital debts and non-marital debts. However, a judge does not use this distinction as the only factor when dividing mari...

Q: Can a disagreement on vaccinations impact child custody? A skilled Michigan family law attorney understands that each family in transition has a unique family dynamic and requires a personalized approach to dissolving the marital union. Getting divorced in Michigan involves dividing the couple...

In Michigan divorce and child custody cases, in order to modify parenting time, the party seeking the modification must show good cause or a change in circumstances.  If a party is able to meet this threshold inquiry, then the a court must hold a mini-trial (known as an evidentiary hearing) focus...

Medical Marihuana, Child Custody and Parenting Time in Oakland County Michigan An issue that comes up often in divorce consultations these days is how the use of marihuana may effect child custody or parenting time.  If a person is registered and has the proper medical marihuana licenses, then th...

When a judge orders supervised or restricted parenting time, it means that the judge has determined that this type of visitation between the parent and the child is in the best interest of the child. For some reason, the judge determined that allowing you to spend time with your child without sup...

Russell Crowe's recent divorce has gained a lot of attention from the media, particularly because of the auction of his apparently vast collection of interesting movie memorabilia.  The memorabilia included the "jock strap" that Mr. Crowe wore in the movie Cinderella Man on the outside of his box...

The Detroit News reported a case on May 8, 2018 that I found interesting (and a little amusing) as a divorce lawyer in Michigan.  The News reported that a man by the name of Joseph Stroup was arrested in Canada due to outstanding child support from a 1989 Grand Rapids case.  Mr. Stroup was hiding...

One of the biggest assets that most people own is their residential property.  This is not only their home and place, it is also a large part of the nest egg.  People are often very concerned about what will happen with the marital home and how this asset is handled in a divorce case. The Marital...

Will I Have to Pay My Spouse's Attorney Fees in Divorce? When it comes to attorney fees in general, Michigan courts follow the "American Rule".  That means that each party is responsible for paying for his, her or its own fees and costs regardless of whether or not that party has less economic me...

In some cases, sharing custody of a child is in the best interest of all parties. The parents are able to be involved in their child's daily life and activities by sharing the parenting responsibilities in ways that benefit the parents and the child. However, if you share legal custody with your ...

Fault and Divorce in Michigan  When handling divorce matters, the issue of fault often comes up.  In Michigan, by law, there are many types of fault that the court may consider when dividing property or awarding alimony.  One form of fault that is unfortunately present in many divorce cases is em...

Fault and Divorce in Michigan  When handling divorce matters, the issue of fault often comes up.  In Michigan, by law, there are many types of fault that the court may consider when dividing property or awarding alimony.  The primary type of fault that most people think of when it comes to the to...

It can be heartbreaking for a grandparent to lose access to his or her grandchild. Most grandchildren benefit from a close and healthy relationship with their grandparents. However, divorce, misunderstandings, or the death of a parent can often put grandparents in a situation where they must figh...

Fault and Divorce in Michigan  When handling divorce matters, the issue of fault often comes up.  In Michigan, by law, there are many types of fault that the court may consider when dividing property or awarding alimony.  The primary type of fault that most people think of when it comes to the to...

Families in America are increasingly becoming blended families of various compositions. According to The Step Family Foundation, there are approximately 1,300 new stepfamilies formed each day in the United States and over one-half of the families in our country are re-coupled or remarried. Some s...

When spouses decide to end their marriage, many issues must be addressed. For example, if the parties have children, questions related to custody, visitation, and child support must be resolved. In some cases, a spouse may seek alimony or temporary spousal support. Even when the parties do not h...

How Do I Enforce Child Support Orders? Being awarded child support is helpful, but being able to collect it is even more beneficial. When the other parent refuses to pay child support, it can have a severe detrimental impact on you and your children. Thankfully, you can take steps to enforce a c...

What Happens if I Can't Pay Alimony? Alimony, or spousal support, is used to allow one spouse a means to maintain the lifestyle that he or she had during the marriage. When one party's income or property cannot support him or her properly after a divorce, alimony will often be awarded. There is ...

Child custody orders are not written in stone in Michigan. They are living documents that the judge can change when appropriate. If you are facing the possibility of changing the parenting plan in your case, you might be wondering what a judge considers before modifying child custody orders. The...

Going through a child custody battle can bring out the worst in people, but you do not want to make stupid mistakes during this short-lived time that will hurt your long-term custody time with your child. To help you avoid this regrettable situation, here are the top 5 ways you can screw up your ...

You have married someone who has children from a prior relationship, and you have created a family. You would like to make it official by adopting your spouse's children. The legal process for this is a step-parent adoption. You should understand the legal ramifications before taking this step, s...

Legal separation (called “separate maintenance” in Michigan), is a divorce alternative that few people use. When you get a legal separation, you are still legally married. Neither of you is free to marry someone else. In some situations, however, a legal separation can meet at least some of the n...

If you are going through a divorce in Michigan, you might be wondering about your options. You have seen friends or relatives go through toxic divorces that permanently destroyed relationships and hurt people deeply. If you want to do everything in your power to avoid such an experience, you migh...