Divorce and separation can create a difficult situation for parents. A child who once lived in both parent’s house on a full-time basis now must divide his or her time between each parent’s home. Sometimes, the parents share joint physical custody and the...
Family Law
What Is Considered “Separate Property” In A Divorce Proceeding In Michigan?
One of the most important aspects of a divorce proceeding is the division of the property. A married couple can spend many years accumulating wealth and items of both material and sentimental value. However, before a court can consider the division of marital...
Do I Have To Pay Child Support While I Am Incarcerated In Michigan?
The obligation to pay child support does not automatically stop just because the payer is incarcerated. There are horror stories of inmates who have served 10 years in prison and paid their debt to society only to be released and discover that they have...
Can A Spouse Inherit From The Decedent If Death Occurred During Divorce Proceedings In Michigan?
A surviving spouse has significant inheritance rights when it comes to the deceased spouse’s estate. Even if that spouse was disinherited in the decedent’s last will and testament, he or she may still be able to claim a spousal election against the terms of...
How Does The COVID-19 Emergency Affect Custody And Parenting Time Orders In Michigan?
On March 10, 2020, the State of Michigan identified the first two presumptive-positive cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in its borders. That same day, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency based on her...
Can A Parent Be Required To Pay Support After The Child Turns 18 Years Old In Michigan?
It is well known that a child becomes an adult at age 18 and acquires the freedom to make his or her own decisions. If the child was bound to follow a custody or parenting time order between his or her parents, then that obligation terminates upon the child's 18th...
How Does Infidelity Affect Divorce Proceedings In Michigan?
Michigan is a purely no-fault divorce state, meaning that the plaintiff filing for divorce does not have to prove any circumstances such as impotence, cruelty, drunkenness, domestic violence or even infidelity. The plaintiff only needs to allege that "there has been a...
Does The Obligation To Pay Child Support Continue After Death In Michigan?
In many cases when parents are either divorced or legally separated, there is an obligation for the non-custodial parent (or joint-custodial parent with higher income) to pay child support to the custodial parent (or joint-custodial parent with lower income) for the...
Does A Parent Who Conceived A Child By Rape Have Rights To Custody Or Parenting Time In Michigan?
In September 2017, a Sanilac County circuit court judge granted joint legal custody of a child to a convicted rapist. The father had two convictions for criminal sexual conduct, including one against the mother who he attacked in 2008 when she was only 12-years old....
Can You Get Pet Visitation After A Divorce In Michigan?
The relationship that people have with their pets is strong to the point that they are considered family members. The market for pet products is a multi billion-dollar industry (clothing, toys, medical care, food, etc.) and really shows that people tend to nurture and...
