Westland MI Family Law Blog

Michigan residents who are considering divorce have a lot of little and big details that they need to figure out. Dividing a household into two is arduous work, and how it turns out in the end may not be how one thought it would be going into the dissolution process. Making the terms of a divorce settlement work can also prove challenging for some people. Divorce law attorneys often see one party looking for settlement terms that, in the long run, are unsustainable for them. A good example of this has to do with the marital home.

What will be done with the marital home? Will one spouse keep it? Will it be sold? What a couple wants to do with it is a very personal decision. If one chooses to keep it, though, he or she needs to be able to afford it.

If you are divorced or separated -- or preparing for either -- there are a lot of things you and your ex need to figure out, especially if you have children. Child custody issues, for example, can be a source of serious contention. Even if you think you've got everything figured out, problems often arise that require you to revisit and rethink your custody plan. In Michigan, addressing this sort of family law issue may require court intervention.

There are a number of child custody problems that may arise. Maybe you and your ex cannot come to terms on an initial custody plan. Perhaps you feel that your current plan is no longer working. Maybe you have an ex who is failing to abide by the existing custody order. No matter the issue, you have every right to seek swift resolution to the problem, as dragging out a custody fight is no good for anyone.

Many parents with young children at home often find themselves struggling financially. According to a recently published article, two things are affecting this particular population right now, and those things are student loans and childcare expenses. It is impossible to pay off student loan debt without a job, but for many Michigan residents, it is difficult to find employment that gives them the funds they need to pay their loans off and cover the cost of childcare -- which keep going up every year. 

Roughly 25% of Americans with student loans have balances of $37,000 or more, which means they are supposed to be paying just shy of $400 a month to keep their accounts current. According to the Center for American Progress, the average family spends $250 a week for childcare. So, between student loans and childcare, young families are finding themselves out about $1,400 a month. That is more than most pay for a mortgage or rent. If they add on transportation expenses, food, insurances and other necessities, that leaves them with little -- if any -- disposable income at the end of the month. 

Recently, a case in another state brought into focus the issue of acceptable communication during the divorce process. At some point, spouses have to discuss things, particularly if they have children. However, it is possible to go too far to the point where frequent attempts to communicate it is considered harassment. Michigan residents accused of harassment or, on the flip side, who believe that an ex is harassing them can turn to a divorce law attorney for help fighting the issue while, at the same time, working toward finalizing their marital dissolutions.

There are several ways in which a former couple can communicate during the divorce process: email, phone, texting, through social media accounts or legal counsel -- if necessary. No matter how one goes about it, one must do it responsibly. Recently, a judge in another state sided with a woman who claimed that her husband's frequent texts constituted harassment. She says that, in a year, he sent her over 5,000 texts -- averaging 14 per day. The judge in this couple's case has issued a temporary order, limiting the number of texts this man is allowed to send to his ex to one per day, and has threatened to throw him in jail if he does not abide by this order.