With a population of 21,000 people, Marquette Michigan may be considered a small town, however for the parties in Lessard v. Londo, Michigan Court of Appeals Docket No. 336156, the small town was home to a big problem involving the best interest of the child, age 16 months. Mr. Lessard met Ms. Londo on the[…]
This morning, I read an interesting article in The Detroit News advocating for a new custody law to promote a shared custody arrangement, which is often referred to as joint custody. House Bill 4691, which was recently introduced by Rep. Jim Runestad, would joint custody and substantially equal parenting time as a starting point for[…]
On June 13, 2017, the Michigan Court of appeals issued a published opinion on Grandparent time. In the case of Geering v. King et. al., Mich. App. No. 335794, the trial court made a determination that the biological parents were unfit and that grandparent time was in the children’s best interest notwithstanding the biological parent’s[…]
Figuring out how to change custody in Michigan can be complicated. To make things less complicated, we created the “How to change custody in Michigan checklist” to help you navigate the process. How to change custody in Michigan – The checklist. You cannot just show up to court anytime you want to change custody in[…]
Markus Moos a University of Waterloo Professor conducted research published in Forbes magazine that millennials are earning less than their parents. One way to curb this trend is to ensure that children attend college, which begs the question: Can a court order a parent to pay for college in a Michigan divorce? Child support in[…]
Divorce can be a difficult experience, especially for kids. This can be a time when your child is truly struggling – with academics, personal relationships, or managing emotions and behaviors. A little extra help in dealing with this new situation can make all the difference. But, who do you turn to? Counselors, social workers, psychologists[…]
If you are a parent of a special needs child, you already know how much more challenging your days are providing care, education, treatments, and socialization for your child. Divorce is often an emotionally charged event for a couple with no children, quite a bit more so for a couple with children, and exceptionally challenging[…]
The Michigan Court of Appeals recently decided a case involving dental hygiene to change custody, affirming the trial court’s decision that there was neither proper cause or a change of circumstances sufficient to warrant a change of custody. In the case of Kelly v. Johnson, Michigan Court of Appeals Case No. 334144, the father was[…]
The 2017 Michigan Child Support Formula Manual (“MCSFM”) The new Michigan Child Support Formula Manual has arrived. The last time the Michigan Child Support Formula Manual was updated was 2013. The major changes to the 2017 Michigan Child Support Formula Manual are set forth on pages “i” and “ii” and are restated below. You can[…]
On of the most prolific family law topics relates to child custody and in this article, we will cover more Michigan Child Custody Laws than anyone. Everything from the basics, to the complex. In this post we will review everything we have published on the topic of Michigan Child Custody Laws. Michigan child custody resource[…]
After you and your spouse have separated, divorced, or found yourselves somewhere in between, you might find yourself in the position of finding a new love interest. And, if you already have kids, you might be wondering when the right time will be to share the news about your new partner with your kids. According[…]
Chances are, you’ve got a smartphone and that you’ve taken some photos with it. You might even have taken a selfie or two, at least to send to your mother or to create a profile picture for your social media accounts. You may even have taken some selfies along the course of your divorce, to[…]
When is a deal a deal? Settlements. I was recently approached by the editors of the Michigan Family Law Journal to write a monthly column on Michigan Divorce and Family Law. The Michigan Family Law Journal is a publication of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section and serves as “Family Law Council’s forum to[…]
It’s called parenting guilt, and all parents feel it at one time or another. In fact, the best of parents in the most secure relationships with excellent financial and emotional security can feel it. So, if you’re in the process of divorce or are newly divorced, it’s not unusual to feel like a parenting failure.[…]
When Circumstances Change I was recently approached by the editors of the Michigan Family Law Journal to write a monthly coulmn on Michigan Divorce and Family Law. The Michigan Family Law Journal is a publication of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section and serves as “Family Law Council’s forum to share ideas; review, evaluate,[…]
On topic that seems to come up more than any is the notion of physical custody. Unlike legal custody, which awards a parent with access to the educational, medical, religious and other pertinent records of the child. Physical custody in Michigan is not easily defined. In fact, the Michigan Child Custody Statute MCL 722.26a does not[…]
The Brady Bunch got it right when they sang the once well-known verse of their hit single: “When it’s time to change, you’ve got to rearrange.” However, in custody cases, change does not always come easy. In fact, Michigan custody modification law makes it difficult to “rearrange” custody if the change is really big. By[…]
Physical custody in Michigan: By: Daniel Findling Physical custody in Michigan explained. Unlike legal custody, which awards a parent with access to the educational, medical, religious and other pertinent records of the child. Physical custody in Michigan is not easily defined. The problem with defining Physical custody in Michigan arises from the current child custody[…]
Is the right to parent a fundamental right? The answer is yes! The 14th Amendment’s due process clause of the U.S. Constitution protects “life, liberty or property”. Fundamental rights are rights so important that the U.S. Constitution provides for heightened protection against government interference. Without this heightened protection against government interference, States could could infringe on “life,[…]