The simple answer to the question of whether or not a mediator can replace a divorce attorney is no. Now for the reasons why: Mediation can be a great option for many couples who want to make progress in the division of their union as amicably as possible. But never forget that a divorce, just like a marriage, is a legally binding contract. And mediation is certainly not a substitute for the expertise of a divorce attorney.  (more…)

If you spend any amount of time on social media, you’ve witnessed the couples who communicate with each other via mushy Facebook posts even though they’re sitting across the table from each other at dinner or sitting together on the couch. This activity might seem ridiculous to those who don’t engage in it, but a new study implies that the more similar a couples’ social media habits are, the happier and more stable they are likely to be. (more…)

“I want to be married by the time I’m 30” used to be a common phrase uttered by twenty-somethings. Turns out, it’s not such a bad goal to have after all, at least according to new analysis. Data collected by the National Survey of Family Growth found that people who marry past the age of 32 increase their odds of getting a divorce by 5 percent each year.  (more…)

Divorce is hard enough on children. Their home life and everything as they have always known it is changing. That’s not easy for even the most grounded and intelligent child to reconcile. As a result, many children of divorce misbehave or act out of character. But is refusing to see one parent reason enough for them to be sent to a juvenile detention center? One Michigan judge thinks so.  (more…)

Is Facebook an online destination for you to brag about your kids, stalk former classmates, or promote your business? For some people, Facebook and other social networking sites have become more than just a way to reconnect with blasts from the past or to market their product or service. For many, Facebook is an outlet – a place to play away from real life. And the consequences are leading to the demise of many a relationship, in Michigan and beyond. (more…)

You might be tempted to name infidelity as the top reason for divorce, but a recent study reports that more couples are divorcing because of “unreasonable behavior.”

After studying U.K. divorce trends of the last 40 years, the U.K.-based Cooperative Legal Services discovered that currently 47 percent of divorce cases cite unreasonable behavior for the demise of their marriage while 15 percent of divorces are caused by infidelity. In the 1970s these numbers were 28 percent (unreasonable behavior) and 29 percent (cheating). (more…)

Forget the idea of a “starter marriage.” Some Michigan residents are done after one try at marriage – and one unpleasant divorce. They are more than happy to stay single forever, cohabitate, or simply just date.

According to a new data analysis released by Bowling Green State University, the remarriage rate in the United States has dropped 40 percent over the past two decades. And USA Today reports that only 29 of every 1,000 divorced or widowed Americans decided to tie the knot again in 2011. In 1990, that number was 50 per 1,000.

Why so jaded? (more…)

Parenting time can be fraught with complications. Ideally, you and your former spouse have worked out a fluid system that allows you both to spend a reasonable amount of time with your children during the week, on weekends, and on holidays. But there may be one unexpected speed bump to overcome: where to exchange the children. (more…)

There isn’t one divorcing person who hasn’t asked the question, “How long is my divorce actually going to take?” While the definition of a “quickie” divorce is all relative, there are only two types of divorces in Macomb County and the state of Michigan. That designation is what will determine the minimum amount of time it will take to complete your divorce. (more…)