Parenting time is the term used to describe when each parent spends time with a child in a divorce or custody case. In Michigan, the parenting time statute provides that parenting time shall be granted in the best interest of the child. The State Court Administrative Office publishes the guidelines for parenting time which is directed to help Friend of the court’s around the State. We help you understand what you need to know.
It is presumed to be in the best interests of a child for the child to have a strong relationship with both of his or her parents.
MCL 722.27a(1)
There are many different Michigan parenting time guidelines drafted by various Friend of the Court’s around the State.
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- In Macomb County, their parenting time guidelines provides for alternating weekends and alternating holidays and school breaks;
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- In Livingston County, their minimum parenting time guidelines provides for every other weekend, one midweek, half the holidays and school breaks;
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- In Charlevoix County there parenting time guidelines apply to holidays only.
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- Oakland County does not publish parenting time guidelines; and
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- Huron County publishes parenting time guidelines without a specific schedule.
For a clickable link to every county in Michigan scroll to the end of this blog.
However, every family is unique and there is no one size fits all answer for how parenting time should look. Factors such as the needs of the child, parent availability, domestic violence and others should be examined before determining what is right for your family. Notwithstanding, there are some common parenting time schedules which are examined below.
Sample Michigan Parenting Time Guidelines
Every other weekend
5 out of 14 days
(week on / week off)
(2-2-5-5)
(2-2-3)
In a contested case, the Michigan parenting time statute (MCL 722.27a(7) provides a list of factors a court should consider when determining parenting time:
(7) The court may consider the following factors when determining the frequency, duration, and type of parenting time to be granted:
(a) The existence of any special circumstances or needs of the child.
(b) Whether the child is a nursing child less than 6 months of age, or less than 1 year of age if the child receives substantial nutrition through nursing.
(c) The reasonable likelihood of abuse or neglect of the child during parenting time.
(d) The reasonable likelihood of abuse of a parent resulting from the exercise of parenting time.
(e) The inconvenience to, and burdensome impact or effect on, the child of traveling for purposes of parenting time.
(f) Whether a parent can reasonably be expected to exercise parenting time in accordance with the court order.
(g) Whether a parent has frequently failed to exercise reasonable parenting time.
(h) The threatened or actual detention of the child with the intent to retain or conceal the child from the other parent or from a third person who has legal custody. A custodial parent’s temporary residence with the child in a domestic violence shelter shall not be construed as evidence of the custodial parent’s intent to retain or conceal the child from the other parent.
(i) Any other relevant factors.
MCL 722.27a Parenting time.
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Michigan Parenting Time Guidelines by County (click)