On August 14, 2025, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued its opinion in the child custody case of Nathan Shields vs. Kaycee Shields. Divorced since 2018, the parties shared one child and Nathan had sole custody with Kaycee awarded parenting time. Kaycee filed a Motion to Modify Child custody in Michigan after Nathan’s house had a fire, Kaycee arguing the minor child was not doing well in Nathan’s temporary housing.
Child custody in Michigan – Modification.
The child custody modification case was originally heard by the Friend of the Court issued which issued a recommendation denying the request to change custody. The Friend of the Court determining that the fire at Nathan’s house did not amount to proper cause or change of circumstances. Kaycee requested a de novo hearing and the trial court agreed with the Friend of the Court’s recommendation after conducting its own best interest analysis.
Kaycee argued on appeal that:
(1) the house fire that made plaintiff’s home uninhabitable for several months and (2) plaintiff’s failure to communicate this fact to defendant, despite how it negatively affected [the minor child’s] wellbeing.
The Michigan Court of Appeals upheld the trial court’s findings that the house fire and communication allegations did not meet the threshold requirement to change child custody in Michigan.
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By: Daniel Findling (c) 2025.
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