
Family law is a broad category that includes not just divorce but all family matters and domestic relations. Your Michigan family law attorney works with clients in all categories, including adoption, paternity, and guardianship, but especially the following matters:
Whether a marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership, a legally recognized spousal and domestic relationship can be terminated with a divorce. Only one person needs to decide that the marriage has suffered an irrevocable breakdown to file for divorce. While you may be able to identify the reason for the split, a Michigan divorce is considered no-fault.
A couple may request an annulment if their marriage is brief and they want it to be treated as though it never truly existed. Annulments are rare, but the court does hear these requests.
Child custody is determined within the parameters of a divorce settlement. This issue, however, is not final. Even after the judgment of divorce has been entered, the matter of child custody can be reviewed by the court on the request of either party.
There are two types of custody – legal and physical – and the decision of custody is always made in the best interest of the child. Legal custody is almost always awarded jointly so the two parties are both involved in making major decisions for their children when it comes to matters like health and education. Physical custody is where the child resides most of the time and this can be decided as sole, joint, or split custody.
Also known as visitation rights, parenting time can look and feel very complicated. A parenting time schedule determines when the children will have time with each parent and the schedule gets very specific: weekdays, weekends, holidays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas and winter break, Easter and spring break, summer, and extracurricular activities. While parenting time usually shakes out evenly, the court gets to decide what is in the best interests of the minor child.
Child support is the root of many arguments during and after a divorce. The matter is complicated and includes various sources of income as well as financial obligations. The Friend of the Court in Michigan recommends the amount of child support to be paid, using the net income of the non-custodial parent as a key consideration while also taking into account things like cost of living and child care expenses.
Whether a divorce is settled with a one-time payment to an ex or whether it ends with a regular monthly spousal support payment, all financial holdings are considered when determining spousal support.
Once referred to as alimony, spousal support is not a given in any divorce. Even though Michigan divorces are considered no-fault, when it comes to spousal support, an argument can be made that the person deserves a certain amount of spousal support because of how their former spouse behaved in the marriage. Length of the marriage often plays a role too, with longer marriages usually resulting in the awarding of spousal support for a lengthy time.
Family law is nuanced. There are many details that go into determining how each unique divorce will play out. It especially matters where the divorce is filed – called jurisdiction – for the convenience (or inconvenience) of both parties and for the divorce lawyer you hire.
At Michigan Divorce Help, we take great pride in our strong relationships with the Macomb County courts. We have a good working rapport with the judges who settle our clients’ divorces and are familiar with the powers that be who determine the details of your divorce.
We are an established family law practice, home to experienced and empathetic divorce lawyers. If you have questions about a Michigan divorce, contact us to schedule your no-cost initial consultation.
Most lawyers are in a general practice and do some of everything. One of our main focuses is on Family law and being expert at divorce, custody and support matters.
We are in court daily, working with the family court judges, their staff and clerks, the Friend of the Court office, the Bar Association and other attorneys working in this area. We pride ourselves on fighting hard for our clients while working well with everyone.
Our extensive experience and strong relationship with the courts and our peers leads many judges and attorneys to hire us to act as Mediators in other Family Law cases. Make no mistake; having a strong working relationship with the court can have a massive impact on your case. Unlike most attorneys, we have no fear of the court room and are in trial regularly against the best in the business. We see the judges every week and maintain strong ties with their staff.
Although every attorney can “handle” your case, Michigan Divorce Help cares about you and your family. We work extremely hard to keep this difficult process civil and to shelter your children from as much of the negative facets as possible.
Once your case is concluded, we will be there to help you with any post-judgment problems that may arise.
Everyone’s financial situation is different and we work with our clients to formulate a fee arrangement that works within your means.
We have handled every possible situation involving domestic law. We will do everything possible to wrap up your case in a timely manner, avoiding delays that cause unnecessary legal fees.
When your case cannot be easily solved, we will fight hard and use all of our resources to win. Unlike most attorneys, we have no fear of the court room and we regularly win cases against the best in the business at trial.
Unlike many attorneys who have a part-time typist and work 30 hours a week, we have an expert staff available all day long to assist you and provide immediate service.
At Michigan Divorce Help, your case will be handled by an experienced family law attorney. Each of our attorneys in our family law division has many years of experience in handling family law matters.
During traditional business hours, please call us at: (586) 954-9500
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The information presented within this website is for general information purposes and is NOT and should not be considered as being “legal advice”. You should not act on any information presented herein without the verifying same with your attorney.