The Divorce Attorney Journal

Along with heartache, stress, sleepless nights, tears, loneliness, anger, relief, joy, and a slew of other emotions, a Michigan divorce is also accompanied by guilt. And guilt will be the reigning feeling for years to come, especially if you have children. Allow us to assuage your regrets about your imploding marriage, first by saying that divorce happens, and sometimes it’s for the best. Second, there are plenty of things to feel guilty about during a divorce, but there are also plenty of things to not feel guilty about. (more…)

Here’s the reality: You may not like your ex all that much anymore but, presumably, your child still loves him or her. While your 50/50 custody arrangement – or otherwise – may be amenable to your work schedule, social calendar, and preferences, have you stopped to consider how your days on and off the clock as a parent impact the lives of your children? Joint custody arrangements do work out well for many families but, for some kids, limited time with the non-custodial parent just isn’t enough. (more…)

Your marriage is over. The divorce is final (or almost final). You’ve worked out a parenting plan. But you just can’t seem to shake the bugger from your life once and for all. Even if he or she is the one who initiated the divorce and moved out, old habits die hard. Don’t be surprised if your ex comes calling or finds new ways to annoy you during the holiday season. (more…)

Child support, custody, and parenting time are of utmost importance to divorcing parents. However, one area that may be neglected during the settlement is how life will continue to pan out when it comes to your children’s schooling. If you thought it was difficult to juggle school responsibilities when you were a two-parent household, it will become even more challenging post-divorce.  (more…)

Jurisdiction is a very important issue in every divorce case. Who files first in your divorce will impact where your divorce hearings and legal proceedings are held. Where two people are located also matters greatly when it comes to sharing child custody.  (more…)

Divorce can be emotionally taxing, financially burdensome, and, at times, confusing. You aren’t expected to have all the answers – that’s the responsibility of your divorce attorney. And one of the best ways to get started on the right foot with the dissolution of your marriage is to be prepared for the first meeting with your divorce lawyer.  (more…)

One of the worst things about divorcing with children is the upheaval kids experience in their lives. Shuffling from house to house, needing two of everything, missing their pets or their familiar surroundings, schedule changes – it’s a lot for anyone to manage, let alone a kid whose parents are splitting up and causing enough chaos as it is. Enter the bird nesting trend.  (more…)

One of the most important things to realize as a parent who is dating after divorce is that, for your kids, the fantasy of mom and dad getting back together is officially slipping away. That can be a difficult fact to accept. No matter how much your divorce had to happen, no matter how fractured your marriage was, the children that you created together will likely always harbor a little hope that their parents will indeed get back together. So, there’s your first obstacle: Overcoming the guilt of disappointing your children, yet again.  (more…)

For many kids, their parents’ divorce may come as no surprise. Children are pretty observant, whether you and your spouse are openly arguing, not communicating at all, or giving off vibes of dislike and disgust. Nevertheless, the finality of hearing, “We’re getting a divorce,” from your mouths can be gut-wrenching to a child, no matter their age.

Telling the kids you’re getting a divorce isn’t easy, and it’s a conversation that any parent dreads. Take the time to practice your delivery and prepare yourself for a variety of responses – and questions – from your children. (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…)