When life changes impact your family, having the right legal counsel by your side can be critical. The trusted family law attorneys at The Smith Law Offices, P.C., are proud to serve clients in Plymouth and throughout Wayne County. Whether you’re facing divorce, a custody dispute, or a child support issue, our team offers compassionate support and aggressive advocacy during a challenging emotional time.
Plymouth is a tight-knit community that values family and strives to provide its youngest members with opportunities for success. Our family attorneys uphold those values by providing legal services centered around protecting families and prioritizing children’s best interests. Contact us today to learn more.
Legal matters involving your family are almost always high-stakes, emotionally charged, and deeply complicated. The legal representation you choose to defend your rights can make a tremendous difference in the outcome of your case. When you choose The Smith Law Offices, P.C., you’ll benefit from:
Our firm provides skilled legal representation across a wide range of family law issues. Some of the core areas we cover include the following:
Divorce
Even the most amicable divorce can be complicated, particularly if you attempt to navigate it alone. Our attorneys have extensive experience representing Plymouth clients seeking a fair and reasonable divorce settlement. Whether your divorce is contested or uncontested, we can help you finalize the agreement as efficiently and affordably as possible.
We can help you with the following:
When a divorce is contested, we will advocate fiercely for rights as a parent by fighting for a favorable custody arrangement and protecting your financial future by working with experts to accurately value and equitably distribute all marital assets.
Divorce Mediation
Mediation can be an effective alternative to litigation in some cases. It provides divorcing couples with a more private, cooperative, and cost-effective path to resolving disputes. Our attorneys guide clients through the mediation process, helping them avoid drawn-out, costly courtroom battles and working towards a fair and reasonable agreement that prioritizes their family’s needs.
Child Custody
There’s nothing more important than preserving your relationship with your child, but it’s an unfortunate fact that your parental rights may be in jeopardy if a custody dispute arises. You need an experienced child custody lawyer to protect your rights so you can protect your child. Whether you’re seeking joint custody, sole custody, or a fair parenting time schedule, we have the knowledge and experience to help you do it.
Child Support
Michigan courts determine child support through the Michigan Child Support Formula, which considers factors like the income of both parents, the child’s number of overnights with each parent, childcare and healthcare costs, and tax considerations. Whether you’re seeking a fair child support determination or looking to protect yourself against an unfair one, we’ll advocate for a favorable outcome.
Spousal SupportÂ
Spousal support is not a guarantee in Michigan, and it depends on several factors, including the length of the marriage, both spouses’ incomes, health, age, and contributions to the household. Whether you’re pursuing or defending against a spousal support claim, having an experienced attorney to analyze financial data, seek relevant legal precedents, and consult with financial experts can make a tremendous difference.
Paternity and Unmarried Parent Rights
If parents are not married, they face unique legal challenges when it comes to child custody, parenting time, and child support matters. We assist both mothers and fathers in establishing or contesting paternity through affidavits or DNA testing. Once paternity is confirmed, we can help you pursue custody, parenting rights, or child support.
Post-Judgment Modifications
 When life circumstances change, you may need to modify a court order to reflect those changes. Maybe you changed jobs, relocated, remarried, or your child’s needs have changed and you need to adjust your custody, parenting time, or child support arrangements. Whatever it may be, Michigan courts can potentially grant a modification to an existing order, but it will require a significant reason with strong proof. We can help you gather that proof and present that evidence, or we can help you defend against unnecessary or unfair modification requests.
Stepparent Adoption
When a stepparent wants to become the legal parent of their spouse’s child, we can guide them through the legal requirements, including obtaining consent from the noncustodial parent (or proving abandonment, background checks, and home studies when necessary. Strengthening the bonds between family members by making stepparents an official mom or dad is one of the most rewarding parts of our job.
Sometimes in family law a matter arises that needs to be resolved legally but doesn’t involve any tension or disputes between the two parties. When this happens, things tend to go a lot faster and cost a lot less. However, that’s unfortunately not always the case, and disputes are actually fairly typical in this area of law.
 When disputes do occur, there are a few different methods of resolution we might seek, including:
When you’re facing a family law issue, you need an experienced attorney to protect your rights and your family. The Smith Law Offices, P.C., is dedicated to providing personalized, compassionate legal services to the Plymouth community, and we’re ready to help you secure a bright future for you and your loved ones. Contact us today for your free consultation.
