There’s nothing more important than protecting your child’s well-being and preserving your relationship with them. When custody disputes arise and these things are in question, it can be one of the most challenging, stressful, and emotional experiences of your life. The Smith Law Offices, P.C., is here to help you navigate these challenges and achieve a favorable outcome that prioritizes your child’s best interests.
Our team of experienced child custody lawyers proudly protects the rights of clients in Plymouth and throughout Wayne County as they face custody battles or seek to modify existing custody arrangements. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your situation.
When it comes to Plymouth child custody cases, the stakes are about as high as they get. You’re fighting for your rights as a parent and your child’s future. Working with a knowledgeable attorney can be critical for achieving your goals. Your lawyer can help by:
Providing Legal Advice
Child custody cases can be sensitive, and it’s not hard to make a critical error when you don’t have all the information you need to protect your rights, particularly when emotions are running high. Your attorney can sit down with you, review your case, and offer critical guidance that can help secure a bright future for you and your family.
Offering Local Knowledge
The way each judge approaches custody, parenting time, and other child-related disputes is unique. Working with a lawyer who has intimate knowledge of Wayne County courts and judges means your case can be built with their unique perspectives in mind.
Protecting Your Parental Rights
Child custody disputes can be a direct threat to your parental rights if you’re not prepared. Whether you’re fighting for joint custody, primary placement, or a reasonable visitation schedule, you need an attorney with the knowledge and experience to defend your legal rights and negotiate a favorable outcome for your case.
Michigan courts divide custody into two main categories: legal and physical. It’s critical to understand the difference between the two when facing a custody dispute.
Legal Custody
Legal custody refers to the authority to make major decisions about the child’s upbringing, including their education, medical care, and religious instruction. Courts may award sole legal custody (one parent has full authority) or joint legal custody (both parents share decision-making), depending on which option they determine is in the best interests of the child.
Physical Custody
Physical custody determines where the child lives and how parenting time is divided. Like legal custom, either one or both parents can be awarded physical custody. Even in joint physical custody, the child may live primarily with one parent while the other receives regular parenting time.
In all cases, the primary focus of Michigan courts when determining custody is the best interests of the child. The Michigan Child Custody Act defines the factors that should be considered when determining a child’s best interests. Those factors include:
We help our Plymouth clients build strong cases for their desired custody arrangement based on these factors. We gather the evidence and documentation you need to prove your fitness as a parent and show how important it is for your child to maintain a strong relationship with you.
Our team has extensive experience with all aspects of child custody, from fighting for favorable arrangements in divorce proceedings to modifying existing orders when circumstances change and everything in between. Here are some of the most common matters we handle:
Parenting Time
Parenting time, often called visitation, is a key aspect of custody arrangements. Michigan law presumes that it’s in a child’s best interests to have both parents in their lives unless there’s clear evidence to the contrary. That evidence might include abuse, neglect, abandonment, or a prolonged history of substance abuse.
Parenting time can range from perfect 50/50 schedules to arrangements where one parent has primary custody and the other receives weekends, holidays, and summer time. Some common elements of parenting time schedules include the following:
When parents can’t agree on parenting time, it may require mediation or a Friend of the Court (FOC) investigation. Our attorneys assist clients at all stages of this process and we always advocate for both your parental rights and your child’s well-being.
Modifying Child Custody Orders
As you and your child’s lives continue to evolve, there may come a time where an existing order may require modification. Michigan law allows these changes, but the courts will require a good reason and substantial proof.
Accepted reasons for a modification can include:
Michigan courts hold high standards for accepting modifications to custody arrangements. Our attorneys will help you build and present a compelling case for your desired change while making sure that any new arrangements prioritize your child’s best interests.
Emergency Custody and Protective Orders
In situations involving ongoing abuse or imminent danger, it’s crucial to take swift legal action. If you believe your child is at immediate risk, we can help you seek emergency custody or a Personal Protection Order through the Wayne County court system. Our experience working with Child Protective Services, filing emergency motions, and obtaining temporary custody orders can expedite the process and get your child to safety as soon as possible.
Custody Disputes Between Unmarried Parents
Seeking a favorable custody arrangement as an unmarried parent comes with some unique legal challenges in Michigan. Things like custody, parenting time, and child support are not automatically granted. They must be established through a paternity action, which legally establishes parenting rights and responsibilities for the child’s father.Â
Once paternity is confirmed, the father can petition the court for custody and parenting time, and mothers may seek child support and formal parenting schedules. Our team offers skilled legal guidance throughout these processes, and we always advocate for both parents to work towards the healthiest solution for everybody involved, especially the child.
High Conflict Custody Cases
Many custody cases come to fair and reasonable resolutions without much conflict, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. There are times when our clients must face conflict to achieve their desired outcome and protect their child. These cases most often involve:
These situations can be intensely emotional and challenging to manage with a level head, but it’s crucial that you do so if you want to secure a bright future for your child. We’re here to fight alongside you through high conflict cases, gathering evidence and working with experts to build and present a compelling case.
If you’re facing a child custody dispute in Plymouth, The Smith Law Offices, P.C., can help. We have deep knowledge of Michigan family law, familiarity with Wayne County courts, and an approach to client service centered on compassion, understanding, and dedication to justice. Contact us today for your free consultation.
