When making decisions about physical child custody, family courts must determine whether a given home environment serves the best interests of the child. To facilitate...
In Michigan, family courts decide custody orders based on what’s in the best interest of the child. These orders are not meant to be permanent,...
When divorced spouses live in two different states, child custody questions are necessarily complex. This is especially the case when one parent wants to move...
When making custody decisions, courts must base their decisions on the best interests of the child. Factors they can consider include substance abuse. While substance...
When a Michigan court determines a custody arrangement, it’s not just a suggestion. These orders are legally binding directives arranged with the child’s best interests...
Divorces involving children can be contentious and emotional, especially when custody matters are involved. Parents frequently ask us how Michigan views these cases and whether...
What rights do unmarried fathers have in Michigan child custody cases? The answer depends on whether the father has established legal paternity. If you believe...
Your custody case could be affected if you move out of state. Under Michigan law, you cannot move a child more than 100 miles from...
“Custody” incorporates both a child’s living situation and parental decision-making responsibilities following a divorce or separation. However, there are two custody distinctions that parents need...
When parents separate or divorce, they must resolve the custody arrangement for the family. Courts usually default to keeping siblings together in a single custody...
Handling the ups and downs of a Michigan child custody case can be challenging. The courts consider numerous facts when establishing a parenting arrangement that...
Are you concerned about how a PTSD diagnosis could affect your custody case in Michigan? You should know that courts do not automatically deny custody...
When parents separate or divorce, figuring out a custody arrangement for their children is often one of their most important decisions. Many families fail to...
Determining a child custody schedule that works for everyone becomes crucial when parents separate or divorce. In Michigan, a 70/30 custody arrangement means one parent...
Custody battles often involve a series of hearings where parties negotiate, and the court decides on an acceptable custody arrangement. Most of our clients have...
When a father stops being present in their child’s life, many parents wonder about the legal implications. In Michigan, the timeline for losing custody rights...
In most Michigan divorce cases, the courts attempt to give the parents equal custodial rights to their children. In general, the courts believe that having...
Child Custody Disputes Biggest Mistakes Child custody cases in Michigan involve intense emotions and complicated laws. It’s easy to get frustrated, but it’s vital to...
Child alienation, also called parental alienation, is a phenomenon where one parent negatively influences a child’s perception of the other parent. This negative influence can...
In Michigan, an “unfit parent” is a parent who has had their parental rights terminated by the courts. Parental rights terminations happen when the state...
Going through a child custody battle can be one of the most overwhelming and emotionally challenging experiences of a parent’s life. In addition to the...
Establishing a parenting schedule is one of the most significant challenges divorcing parents face. Even when the spouses agree that they would like to share...
Anyone who has been through a child custody battle will tell you that it is one of the most overwhelming and emotionally challenging times a person can...
While many distressing things can occur during a custody battle, few scenarios are as anxiety-inducing as the possibility of your spouse refusing to let you...
Guardianship of a child is a legal status in which an adult who is not a child’s parent is given court-ordered authority to make decisions...
Whatever your reason for wanting full custody of your child in Michigan, you can expect the process to be an uphill battle. While obtaining sole...
When a relationship ends, sorting out what happens next can be an incredibly difficult process, especially when a couple has children together. In some cases,...
Child custody and guardianship share many similarities. Words like “child custody” and “guardianship” are often used interchangeably, even though they are different concepts under Michigan...
In certain cases, it may be necessary for a court to grant legal authority over a child to someone other than one of the child’s...
When families go through changes like divorce or separation, one of the most important things to think about is the kids. At The Smith Law...
Sometimes, permanent orders of spousal and child support do not arrive in time, causing those slated to receive an order of support to often suffer...
Many who have never gone through a divorce wonder whether a child gets to determine whom to live with, especially those who are just entering...
In most cases, parents can take children on vacation with a shared custody agreement. However, it’s important for both parents to first review their custody...
Separation can be a challenging experience, especially when it comes to co-parenting. Custody arrangements during marital separation require patience, cooperation, and a lot of effort...
Single parenting is hard, and so is decision-making. However, you can have a pretty complicated scenario when the two are put together. To learn how...
Child custody and support orders are subject to change if the judge no longer deems them suited to the child’s best interest. No matter the...
No matter how you and your ex feel about each other, your children’s best interests and their academic successes should be your top priorities. If...
Various aspects of divorce proceedings are stressful, but perhaps none more so than issues involving your children. You have an idea about what is in...
No one could know what is best for your child as much as you do, right? While this may be true, you must still abide...
Co-parenting requires you and your ex to have a respectful relationship with each other. This isn’t always easy to do, especially when there’s been negativity...
Summer vacations are a time for families to relax and have fun. When parents have divorced, children may get a vacation with each parent. This...
Some people avoid divorce because they are concerned about the outcome of a child custody arrangement. While this is common, many of these fears are...
Parents who divorce when their children are teens often don’t think they need to give much consideration to a parenting plan beyond the scheduling of...
However blissfully unaware of your marital troubles, your children are, at some point, you will have to break the bad news to them. Doing it...
Both the divorce process and life after divorce can be challenging for the children. However, it is important to remember that they are resilient and...
When the court needs to decide how to divide custody between two parents, they tend to focus on what is in the child’s best interests....
Life is constantly changing. Sometimes, the changes can be so significant that the existing custody or visitation arrangement you have with your ex-spouse no longer...
As a parent who is going through a divorce, you want to do what is best for your children. It can be difficult to know...
Michigan law generally requires parents to provide for their children until they reach the age of majority. Parents who do not have custody typically have...
Custody issues tend to be one of the most pressing aspects of a divorce between parents. Both parents usually want to claim more time with...
When parents have never married, or they separate either during the mother’s pregnancy or shortly thereafter, it can be more challenging to draft a co-parenting...
Michigan parents who are divorced or otherwise not living together are still responsible for raising their children in a cooperative fashion. If parents are not...
The breakdown of a marriage creates new challenges for parents. Often, the loss of trust between spouses can create stressors and animosity. At the same...
Emotions often run high in matters of family law. When a divorce involves a protracted child custody dispute, emotions can run especially high. Some observers...
There is a lot that goes into being a good parent. Detroit parents often work hard to earn a living and provide for their children....
Far too many divorced parents responsible for paying child support believe that moving out of Michigan, or the United States, ends their responsibility to pay...
Many Detroit residents have, at one time or another, been accused of something they did not do. These allegations can be troubling, particularly when the...
Detroit parents typically do everything in their power to provide a loving home for their children. From putting in long hours at work to going...
The bond between Detroit parents and their children is important. The last thing that many parents would expect to interfere with this relationship is the...
There is often nothing more important to Detroit residents than their children. Detroit parents work hard to provide for their children and foster a loving...
When a Michigan couple has a child but are no longer together, the best interests of the child need to come to the forefront. However,...
When Detroit residents make difficult decisions, there are often many different considerations that have to be taken into effect. Parents may need to examine multiple...
There are many changes that occur in the lives of Detroit residents over the years. These changes impact a person’s family, finances and personal circumstances...
Family law disputes involving custodial rights can get tense between two parents, or divorcing or divorced couples. Though it is in the best interest of...
Under the current Michigan law, pursuant to the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act, if a parent files a motion to change child custody while the other...
Child custody and parenting time disputes can arise between divorced or separated parents. Generally the parents are disputing the term of an agreement already in...
When child custody is disputed in Michigan, parents dealing with custody issues will have some contact with the Friend of the Court Office. In fact,...
Many brave men and women serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. As part of their service, they make tremendous sacrifices, including being away from their...
In Michigan, courts use a 12-factor test to determine a custody arrangement. Courts consider these 12 factors in order to determine what is in the...
When it comes to relocation within Michigan, court approval may not be necessary if the noncustodial parent agrees to the move, sole physical custody has...
Most of our Michigan residents have likely heard about the “best interests of the child” standard that is routinely used in family law cases, in...
The issue of child custody relocation typically arises when the custodial parent decides to move to another state or to a location within the state,...
Divorcing couples with children, and unmarried couples who have a child together, are more than likely familiar with the term child custody which is frequently...
Michigan fans familiar with the Bravo reality TV star Bethenny Frankel may find it interesting to learn that following a contentious and bitter battle in...
For both the physical and psychological well-being of children, it is important for them to be in a loving home with caring and responsible parents....
While there is national movement surrounding the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana, some legislators in Michigan are concerned about the impact the use of medical...
Whether married, dating, divorced or separated, parents in Michigan understand the importance of being involved in their child’s life. This desire is not always easy...
During the early months of a child’s life, a parent-child bond is essential for the well-being of the child. For instance, in the infancy stages,...
According to reports, even though the parents of a 6-month-old baby were legally authorized to use marijuana for medical purposes under Michigan’s Medical Marijuana law,...
In the family-oriented culture of the Midwest, most Michigan parents understand the importance of spending time with their children. In cases of divorce and relocation,...
In today’s society use of technology such as smart phones, iPad and social networking is common and second nature. But there is an insidious side...
Michigan residents interested in equality and familiar with the challenges gays and lesbians face may be aware the U.S. Supreme Court is set to consider...
In an emotional arraignment, felony neglect charges were brought against a Warren, Michigan man over the death of his morbidly obese, bedridden wife. The man...
Parents with minor and un-emancipated children who are no longer together routinely have to work with each other to arrange visitation and parenting time with...
Families are dynamic and typically made up of grandparents, in-laws, uncles, aunts, cousins children and grandchildren. But sometimes, due to irreconcilable differences, a family may...
Conventional wisdom holds that a child will benefit from having a variety of rich relationships — on both sides of a family tree. For that...
The standard rule in determining child custody in Michigan is that the best interests of the child should be served, based on multiple factors set...
If you are facing a divorce or dissolution proceeding for the first time, you may be unfamiliar with the different child custody options available to...
