Family Law

  An unplanned teen pregnancy can be a very traumatic time that leaves the prospective young mother with a major decision to make.  The teen parent may decide to give birth and raise the child herself, or she may decide to release the child for adoption. ...

  There is a legal process in Michigan for anyone who wishes to change their name (or that of his or her minor child) provided that the proper statutory procedures are followed and the circuit court, in its discretion, finds there is a legitimate reason to do so....

  It is extremely frustrating for a parent to deal with unpaid child support.  An increased burden to provide material support is thrust on the custodial parent without any consequences to the other parent that refused to pay.  Frustration can turn to anger. ...

  When parents separate or divorce, they are free to pursue other romantic relationships with different partners while still retaining their parental rights to their children.  These other relationships may develop into a serious committed relationship that can...

  When parents separate or divorce, it may lead to their children having a legal residence in different cities.  This can lead to disputes regarding which school district that the child will attend.  The issue becomes even more contentious when a parent decides...

  In most of the English-speaking world throughout history, a child born to married parents inherits the surname of his father.  A child that was historically born to unmarried parents was considered “illegitimate” and usually took the surname of the mother...

  When someone marries the biological parent of a child, he or she does not suddenly gain or share the parental rights that the biological parent has in that child.  Divorce may terminate a marriage, but it does not extinguish the parental rights of the persons...

  The right to decide which religion or creed that a child will be brought up belongs to the parents who have legal custody of the child.  In Michigan, parents often share joint legal custody of the child even if one parent has actual physical custody.  This...

  Michigan is a “no-fault” divorce state, meaning that the spouse filing for divorce doesn’t have to prove adultery, abandonment, cruelty, drunkenness or any other specific reason.  The filing spouse only has to allege that “there has been a breakdown of the...

  Third-party custody can occur when the biological parents are unwilling or incapable of providing care to their children and the court awards custody instead to someone else such as grandparents, stepparents, relatives or even friends who have a relationship...