You and your spouse have decided to try divorce mediation instead of litigating your divorce in court. Now what? Understanding how divorce mediation works and what to...
Now that you have decided to use divorce mediation to resolve the differences between you and your spouse, it is best to take a few steps to...
Deciding whether mediation is right for your divorce requires thoughtful consideration of several factors concerning your relationship with your spouse. Being open and honest with yourself will...
Raising a child isn’t easy, and you expected your divorce to complicate things a bit. What you didn’t expect, however, was your pre-teen child to suddenly...
It’s no secret that figuring out a parenting plan can be difficult. You want to share time with your ex so that you can both...
Shared custody or co-parenting has become the go-to solution in modern divorces. The courts generally view shared custody as being in the best interests of...
Shared custody arrangements are the new normal for most divorcing parents. Although many familial factors influence the exact way that judges split up custody, most...
When considering the cost of divorce, many people only focus on the financial side. The truth is, divorce can also come with a vast emotional...
Figuring out child custody arrangements can be one of the biggest challenges in a divorce. To make the process go as smoothly as possible, Michigan...
If you’re divorcing when your children are still very young, you may be thinking most about preserving your parenting time and protecting your relationship with...
If you are a medical professional in Michigan, the value of an existing practice may be key point of contention during a divorce. This is...
Michigan parents who are going through a separation or divorce are likely to encounter some challenges if they and their exes are sharing child custody....
Divorced parents in Michigan and across the U.S. sometimes need to make special child custody agreements when they live in different cities or states. A...
It may have taken months or longer, but your divorce is final. You have received your divorce decree from the court. You’re free to move...
The stress of a divorce can have repercussions in a number of different areas of a person’s life, including the workplace. There are steps people...
Individuals going through a divorce in Michigan may be struggling in other aspects of their lives, like getting themselves to work or taking care of...
Having to work with your ex might be very low on the list of things that you want to do in the upcoming years. Unfortunately,...
In some cases, when Michigan couples are going through a divorce, one spouse might attempt to hide assets from the other. Some people may use...
When a couple in Michigan gets divorced, the partner who was less involved in managing marital finances may be at a disadvantage both during and...
If you are going through a difficult divorce with your ex and you have children, you may be thinking about ways to avoid co-parenting. The...
The state of Michigan is a no-fault divorce state, which means that you cannot contest the actual divorce. However, you can still contest other items...
It is not simply an individual’s living situation that changes with divorce; there are often significant alterations to financial circumstances as well. Making adequate preparations...
When you share a child with someone and you and that person no longer have a romantic relationship, you may need to determine who is...
You cannot just walk into court and request a change in custody in Michigan. The process can be complicated, and it involves several steps. So,...
Child custody is a broad topic that only legal minds can fully interpret. Every custody case is unique, depending on the couple and what the...
Changing or losing holiday traditions with your children in Michigan for the first time since your divorce may seem almost as though you have suffered...
The focus of couples who are going through a divorce in Michigan is often on the details, such as asset division and child custody, of...
In many Michigan marriages, one person significantly out-earns the other. This is especially the case when one person opted to remain at home to raise...
Gender equality in Michigan is a slow process, but it is happening. Though many women still make less than their male colleagues for the same...
Couples in Michigan have divorced at a consistent rate over the past several years. According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, between...
Men are often distraught to learn that they can become financially responsible for a child even when that child is not biologically their own. In...
In most instances, children benefit from having both parents in their lives. For this reason, determining custody when parents are undergoing a divorce or separation...
In almost all cases, parents have difficulty getting used to sharing custody. This is a normal experience shared by thousands of families throughout the country...
If you’re a stepparent in Michigan, it’s not unusual for you to form a strong parental bond with the children of your spouse. In fact,...
When parents divorce, working out fair parenting and child support agreements is crucial to providing for the children in the marriage. Among the many issues...
For some parents in Michigan and elsewhere, paying child support is not always an easy and straightforward thing. Sometimes there is conflict between parents over...
If you face a divorce as the primary provider between you and your spouse, you may find yourself on the hook for ongoing spousal support...
When a marriage falls apart, it is not always easy trying to decide how to officially end it. For some Michigan residents the answer is...
When you and your child’s other parent split up, the court usually hands down a custody order to provide guidelines around how you divide up...
Whenever a parent has to go on a business trip, the other parent is there to care for the children during his or her absence....
For some Michigan couples, it is a difficult decision to make; for others, the appropriate decision is clear. Once the decision to divorce has been...
Living in a world where everything is practically at one’s fingertips and there is the constant need for instant gratification, as in getting things done...
Figuring out the best way to keep things normal for children after divorce is a challenge. Obviously there is going to be a big change...
Divorce can turn even the nicest person into a bully. It is often a stress and anger-filled time in one’s life. While that may be...
When it comes to divorce, there are advantages and disadvantages to ending one’s marriage. These will be different for everyone, depending on one’s station in...
When a couple divorces, the spouse who is at an economic disadvantage may be awarded alimony as part of the dissolution settlement. According to Michigan...
Parents in Michigan and elsewhere who have court orders to pay child support sometimes fail to meet their financial obligations. There are times that this...
If you are considering divorce, you are likely concerned about the cost and time to finalize your divorce. Luckily, there are strategies to speed up...
Alimony is essentially a financial support payment made to the other spouse based on mutual agreement or court order. It’s set up to protect the...
Getting hitched to the right partner is widely considered as a critical milestone worldwide. Not only do you get to spend cherished moments with your...
Most people assume that divorce is a formulaic process. You get married, you decide to file for divorce, you hire attorneys, and the divorce is...
Divorce at any age can be an emotionally draining experience. But for older individuals, a parting of the ways could be especially daunting. The fact...
When you were married, you made a sacred vow to your spouse. Religion guides how we make decisions for our lives. These beliefs are often...
Before a couple gets to have fun on their wedding day and celebrate their union, they may have to take care of one legal matter...
Divorce is always hard. It is even more difficult when you have children, add on top of that, a child with special needs, and divorce becomes a quagmire...
Divorce is painful for everyone. The problems with divorce are magnified the more assets, retirement accounts, business properties, and incomes that are added. You may...
Often many individuals who divorce realize that they made a mistake and wanted to remarry the person they divorced. If you want to remarry your...
Interstate child custody disputes occur between the states (as opposed to intrastate disputes which occur entirely within one state). Interstate disputes are more and more...
Paternity is the establishment of formal legal rights and relationships between a father and his children. It entails reciprocal duties. For example, the father must...
In short, anything that affects the child’s well-being is considered by the court. That includes the location of a parent’s home, for example, if it...
Deciding to end your marriage can be uncomfortable and emotionally trying. Your relationship is over and you know you need to divorce, but the mechanics...
Spousal support, unlike child support, is not heavily regulated by the state government. Couples are free to waive spousal support or set their own amounts....
When it comes to Michigan divorce law, there are a lot of misconceptions out there. Below are five of the most common divorce myths. A...
Don Mclean, the famous artist behind the hit 1971 song ‘American Pie’, just ended his marriage of 30 years. The divorce comes after his ex-spouse...
Cohabitating rates are rising and marriage rates are dropping. The United States is undergoing a rapid change in the concept of “family” and “marriage.” This...
Mediation isn’t for everyone. It is a good alternative if you and your ex-spouse can compromise and work together. It isn’t a good option if...
Older couples are getting divorced at increasing rates; some studies cite numbers as high as double the numbers from 1990. This has led to an...
The job market has been challenging in places like Michigan. Gone are safe, union jobs at many of the automobile manufacturing plants that used call...
Divorce is always personal. The process may appear to be uniform, relying on the same laws, courts and judges for everyone in Michigan, but because...
A common theme that comes from our Detroit clients is how emotionally upsetting a divorce can be. Of course, it is not just the divorce....
There are many myths that are spread about the legal system. This can be particularly true when Detroit residents are facing legal disputes, as other...
For many divorced and divorcing partners, the holidays can be a time of unique stress. For their children, it can be even worse. We would...
Over the course of a long marriage, Detroit residents typically go through many different experiences together. The birth of children, the change of careers and...
Individuals in Michigan in the process of getting a divorce, or those who are already divorced, may be wondering as to what the ramifications of...
Just because a divorce has been finalized, irrespective of whether it was through a court decree or a mutually agreed upon settlement agreement, it does...
Michigan fans of actor-director Ben Affleck and actress Jennifer Garner may find it interesting to learn that the two Hollywood stars have decided to get...
The different types of custody arrangements include sole custody and joint custody. Joint custody can be either joint legal custody or joint physical custody. Sole...
There are an estimated 15,000 same-sex couples who reside in Michigan. However, because Michigan passed a law in 2004 which essentially banned same-sex marriage in...
People who are thinking about getting a divorce may think that they can navigate the family court system themselves without legal representation. Although it is...
When two people decide to marry, it can be a joyous event. Even though people typically do not think about the legalities of marriage or...
When a marriage is headed toward dissolution, a couple may immediately conjure up images of many hours in a family courthouse with the parties battling...
In a divorce proceeding, many family law issues can surface which require resolution or some understanding between the parties undergoing the dissolution. In addition to...
When a person in Michigan has made the decision to file for a divorce, the paperwork must first be filed with the court, and then...
First and foremost, it is important to remember that divorce happens, and Michigan is a no-fault state. A no-fault divorce means that the party filing...
Most Michigan residents know that April 15 is tax day. No one looks forward to tax day and trying to understand a tax code is...
Many people may have the incorrect view that an annulment and divorce are essentially the same. However, it is very important to understand that although...
Most people going through a divorce have a lot of issues that they have to tackle. Undoubtedly, the process can be emotionally taxing. Post-divorce, many...
Generally, the answer to the question of whether a grandparent can seek an order for grandparenting time with their grandchild is that it depends. Under...
Alternative dispute resolution or ADR is a process which gives parties an option to settle their family law dispute through an ADR covered process such...
There are many self-help and toolkit options which assist parties in filing the appropriate divorce paperwork, but in many cases divorce can get complex, particularly...
No one doubts that divorce can be emotional, psychologically and financially taxing on all parties involved. But what divorcing couples may not realize is that...
Michigan residents may find it interesting to learn that the ex-wife of Continental Resources’ CEO, who heads a top oil producer in the U.S., has...
When a married couple is on the verge of going their separate ways and filing for divorce, the process can be daunting and emotional for...
Staff at Smith Law Offices P.C. understand how important having a relationship with one’s child is. Whether one is a custodial or noncustodial parent, we...
Many unmarried individuals, particularly fathers, may have the wrong impression that because they were not married to their partner when a child was conceived and...
Michigan fans of the American action spy movie Mission Impossible may find it interesting to learn that the female lead actress, Paula Patton of the...
When one thinks of family court, the very first image that comes to mind is a divorce proceeding. Though it is true that divorces occur...
Divorce can be a difficult time for Michigan residents who are going through the process. Many financial and family law issues, ranging from child custody...
When family law comes to mind most people immediately think of separation, divorce proceedings and, for parties with children, child support and child custody related...
Michigan fans of the show X-Files, particularly the fans of the fictitious character Agent Fox Mulder, may not want to believe that the high profile...
Residents of Michigan are most likely are aware of the discussion surrounding same-sex marriage and that same-sex marriage is illegal in the state. However, what...
With many children honoring their fathers on the recent Father’s Day, fathers who are divorced, separated or have children but do not have primary physical...
With today’s advances in reproductive technologies, in vitro fertilization is no longer futuristic. Michigan residents may find it fascinating to learn that many parents who...
For many divorcing couples the most complex issues the parties will likely deal with will revolve around property division and assets. Our Michigan readers may...
Most Michigan residents likely know a family member or friend who is divorced. In fact, most people are far too familiar with the statistic that...
Most of our Michigan readers have heard or read about the estimate that nearly 50 percent of all marriages in the U.S. result in a...
Regardless of whether or not a divorce was agreeable or highly contentious, the tax implications of this life-changing event can get complex, particularly when it...
Separation after marriage is not only a challenge for the parties involved but also an emotionally agonizing experience. Despite being a difficult time for all...
Michigan residents may not be aware that before property can be divided, courts have to determine what is and is not marital property. The things...
Most people in the U.S. are likely aware that nearly 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce. Though no one wants to be part...
For the emotional and psychological growth of children, it is important for them to have contact with extended family members such as cousins, uncles, aunts,...
Most people are familiar with Arnold Schwarzenegger, either as the former Governor of California or as the actor who plays macho roles in Hollywood production....
Most Michigan residents have probably heard of prenuptial agreements. A prenup is a legal document which is drafted before marriage and typically governs how property...
Married couples in Michigan understand that the dissolution of a marriage can be a difficult time. Although the initial filing for divorce is a huge...
According to a recent survey conducted by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, nearly 63 percent of that organization’s nearly 1600 members were surveyed and...
Even though the definition of family is ever-evolving, most families are comprised of uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents. Generally, having contact with extended family members...
Most individuals in the process of divorce likely have questions and concerns pertaining to property jointly owned with their soon to be ex-spouse. The outcome...
It is important for children of divorce to have a healthy relationship with not only their parents but also with extended family members such as...
When a marriage ends, many divorcing couples wonder if they are getting a fair deal when it comes to the division of the assets and...
When most people enter into a marriage, they hope to be happily married and to live in peace and harmony with their partner forever. No...
Baseball fans may have heard that Prince Fielder, a player for the Detroit Tigers, has filed for divorce. According to court documents, the dissolution of...
In today’s hard economy, financial matters are a major concern for many families. Michigan residents may find it interesting to learn several recent studies regarding...
People across the country are familiar with the controversial but award-winning documentaries of Michigan native Michael Moore. However, what Michigan fans of Moore may not...
Food Network fans in Michigan may find it interesting to learn that chef Nigella Lawson and her husband have announced that they hope to end...
In the wake of the historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional, and a federal judge’s ruling that overturned...
Adopting is child is a wonderful way to giving a child a loving home and family. In Michigan, when adopting a child, the adoptive parents...
Celebrity news is inundated with scandal, marriage, separation and divorce stories. Most people find such news not only entertaining but may also marvel at the...
Wedding planning elicits images of white dresses, cake, tuxedos, flowers and the like. However, on the heels of a romantic wedding comes the more mundane...
Marriage and divorce are two terms most people are familiar with, and may even know someone who either got married or divorced recently. Lately, the...
The end of marriage is fraught with crucial decisions for both sides which impact not only the parties involved, but also any children from the...
The option of drafting a prenuptial agreement is available to any couple interested having one before marriage. However, it is not routine for an average,...
Marriage is a time to celebrate the union of people who wish to spend the rest of their lives together. Nevertheless, when irreconcilable differences arise,...
When irreconcilable differences arise between married Michigan couples, one or both may contemplate whether they are at the end of a marriage. Getting a divorce...
In every divorce there are many complex divorce legal issues that must be addressed before the legal bond is finally terminated. In an effort to...
Hollywood fans in Michigan may find it interesting to learn that according to reports nearly three months after Actor Ashton Kutcher, who was 2012’s highest...
Many readers in Michigan are probably familiar with the well-known statistic that nearly fifty percent of marriages will end in divorce. While d may seem...
Children are the apples of their parent’s eyes. Most parents will do their utmost to ensure that their children are well cared for. However, when...
Reality TV shows fascinate many viewers. Most viewers return weekly to learn about what has transpired in the lives of the stars of the reality...
Most people are well aware of the statistic that approximately 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce. The reasons for ending one’s marriage will...
When a couple decides to part ways, the process that follows can be emotionally charged, taxing — both psychologically and potentially financially — and difficult...
Advances in medical technologies have made it possible not only for infertile couples and chemotherapy patients but also same-sex couples to conceive their own biological...
The Census Bureau estimates that married couples own over three million businesses in the U.S. Given, however, that the statistic that 50 percent of all...
While many Michigan residents are aware of the statistic that nearly fifty percent of all marriages will end in divorce, couples usually do not marry...
According to a new study by the University of Michigan, the loss of healthcare coverage, particularly for women, following a divorce can last more than...
In addition to issues such as spousal support, child support and visitation during a divorce, it is common for divorcing couples to disagree on how...
In June 2012, the governor of Michigan signed a new law intended to give biological fathers the right to petition for parental rights. Prior to...
Marriage has its charms — companionship, family life, children, typically a higher standard of living, and more. Most do not think of what might happen...
When irreconcilable differences arise between a married couple, they have the option to seek a divorce. Even though many legal issues such as property division,...
Marriage and weddings are a joyous time for both sides and families involved. It is union of two people, their families, intermingling of assets and...
In a society where most long for human interaction, companionship and contact, marriage seems like a good option to flourish, grow together and to foster...
A person’s name is their identity. It defines the fabric of their being and lineage. Occasionally, a name change is warranted as a result of...
Divorce can happen to Michigan couples for various reasons and be initiated by either side. When it does, couples may be facing an expensive proposition....
