Child support

Case law update:  Retirement Statute of limitations.

A statute of limitations is a law that defines how long a person has to bring a legal action.  In some cases, it simply is time to move on.  For example, the current statute of limitations on unpaid child support is 10 years from the date the last payment is due.  So, if your child[…]

bias judge

Justice? – the case of the biased judge.

When things don’t go your way, it is easy to blame the decision on a biased judge.  A bias judge is a judge who has a prejudice in favor or against one thing, person or group compared with another.  It the context of a divorce or custody case emotions are often running high and an[…]

50/50 property

Consider fault when a 50/50 property division is not fair

Michigan is a no-fault divorce state and many people (and some lawyers) are of the belief that means only a 50/50 property division is fair.   While it is not uncommon for a divorce to result in property acquired during the marriage to be divided 50/50, it is not what Michigan law requires. In fact, fault[…]

Best interest of the child

Best interest of the child – The case of a stripper and the National Guard.

With a population of 21,000 people, Marquette Michigan may be considered a small town, however for the parties in Lessard v. Londo, Michigan Court of Appeals Docket No. 336156, the small town was home to a big problem involving the best interest of the child, age 16 months. Mr. Lessard met Ms. Londo on the[…]

Grandparent time

Grandparent time when both parents say NO.

On June 13, 2017, the Michigan Court of appeals issued a published opinion on Grandparent time.  In the case of Geering v. King et. al., Mich. App. No. 335794, the trial court made a determination that the biological parents were unfit and that grandparent time was in the children’s best interest notwithstanding the biological parent’s[…]

Divorce lawyer

Spare the Grey Hairs: 10 Ways a Divorce Lawyer Can Save You Money and Aggravation

Here at Findling Law, we appreciate how anxious you may be to get your divorce over as soon as possible. In fact, you may be scrolling through the extensive library of divorce materials on our website right now, educating yourself on a variety of Michigan divorce law topics, as well as how to best prepare[…]

the needs of the parties

Alimony in Michigan – The needs of the parties.

Alimony and spousal support are payments made to support a former spouse.  Most attorneys use guidelines to estimate an alimony payment.  However, Michigan alimony law allows for an evaluation of the needs of the parties in determining alimony or spousal support, something that alimony guidelines don’t do. The most popular alimony guidelines take into consideration[…]

Change custody in Michigan

How to change custody in Michigan? The checklist

Figuring out how to change custody in Michigan can be complicated.  To make things less complicated, we created the “How to change custody in Michigan checklist” to help you navigate the process. How to change custody in Michigan – The checklist. You cannot just show up to court anytime you want to change custody in[…]

divorced

The Path Toward Your New Happiness: Resolutions for the Newly-Divorced

For the newly-divorced, the goals might be less about decluttering, a regular workout schedule, or eating clean. A divorce offers the chance to forge a path toward your new happiness.    Healthy Boundaries (It’s Not About Salad) During the course of your marriage, you and your spouse had a set of boundaries, often unspoken, about[…]

college and Michigan divorce

Can a court order a parent to pay for college in a Michigan divorce?

Markus Moos a University of Waterloo Professor conducted research published in Forbes magazine that millennials are earning less than their parents.  One way to curb this trend is to ensure that children attend college, which begs the question:  Can a court order a parent to pay for college in a Michigan divorce? Child support in[…]

first responders divorce

First Responders divorce – a high risk profession

First Responders: At Risk for Divorce First Responders are individuals who are first on the scene of an accident or disaster, such as firefighters, police officers, or other law or medical personnel.  It’s no wonder why this unique category of professionals are considered to be at higher risk for troubled marriages and divorce. First Responders[…]

Status quo

Q: How are the bills paid during a divorce? A: Financial Status Quo Order

A breakdown in a marriage can also be a breakthrough in finding happiness regardless of how the marriage is ending.  While you may feel like life is in disorder, the bills still need to be paid which begs the question:  Who pays the bills during a divorce?  The answer can be found in a Financial[…]

Allard v. Allard

How the Allard III case killed pre and post-nuptial agreements.

The Allard III case may have killed one of the most valuable tools in a Michigan divorce lawyers toolbox in drafting a separation agreement after parties marry.  Unlike a pre-nuptial agreement, which is entered into before a couple gets married and predetermines the outcome of a potential divorce, a post-nuptial agreement is entered after the parties[…]

Post-nuptial

Ending a Marriage When You Still Love Each Other

When a marriage is filled with anger, dysfunction, conflict, and even hate, it seems plausible and even reasonable that it should and will end in divorce. After all, marriage is a relationship built on love and respect that lasts until the end of time. Or at least until the love and respect run out and[…]

divorce and special needs

Managing Divorce with a Special Needs Child

If you are a parent of a special needs child, you already know how much more challenging your days are providing care, education, treatments, and socialization for your child. Divorce is often an emotionally charged event for a couple with no children, quite a bit more so for a couple with children, and exceptionally challenging[…]

taxes on alimony

Paying (or not paying) taxes on Alimony (spousal support).

Alimony in Michigan When every dollar counts, paying (or not paying) taxes on alimony can be a big deal.  Under Michigan law, “Alimony” is the same as “Spousal Support” and are payments made to support a spouse after divorce.  The primary factors in determining an amount of alimony are the age, education, length of marriage[…]

File a Michigan divorce

Where to file a Michigan divorce? – The Jurisdictional and Residency Requirements of a Divorce

Where can you file a Michigan divorce? I was recently approached by the editors of the Michigan Family Law Journal to write a monthly column on Michigan Divorce and Family Law.  The Michigan Family Law Journal is a publication of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section and serves as “Family Law Council’s forum to[…]

Marriage is ending

10 Tips for Staying Productive when your Marriage is Ending.

Moving forward with your life is so hard when your marriage is ending. It can be really hard to stay focused and get anything done at home, work, or school. There are some little things that you can do to regain some of that focus and stay productive when you just want to curl up[…]

Child custody laws in Michigan

Everything there is to know about Michigan Child Custody Laws.

On of the most prolific family law topics relates to child custody and in this article, we will cover more Michigan Child Custody Laws than anyone.  Everything from the basics, to the complex.  In this post we will review everything we have published on the topic of Michigan Child Custody Laws. Michigan child custody resource[…]

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5 Tips for Introducing Your New Partner to Your Kids

After you and your spouse have separated, divorced, or found yourselves somewhere in between, you might find yourself in the position of finding a new love interest. And, if you already have kids, you might be wondering when the right time will be to share the news about your new partner with your kids. According[…]

divorce coach

What is a divorce coach and do you need one?

It seems that there’s a coach for everything these days, and that includes divorce, too. While your Findling Law lawyer is your most trusted expert when it comes to all of the legal and strategic aspects of your divorce, you may find that you could use some other types of support during this challenging time. That’s[…]

divorce selfies

Divorce Selfies: The Closure on Divorce

Chances are, you’ve got a smartphone and that you’ve taken some photos with it. You might even have taken a selfie or two, at least to send to your mother or to create a profile picture for your social media accounts. You may even have taken some selfies along the course of your divorce, to[…]

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When is a deal a deal?

When is a deal a deal?  Settlements. I was recently approached by the editors of the Michigan Family Law Journal to write a monthly column on Michigan Divorce and Family Law.  The Michigan Family Law Journal is a publication of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section and serves as “Family Law Council’s forum to[…]

Parallel Parenting

Parallel Parenting: When You Just Can’t Co-Anything Anymore

You’ve probably heard of co-parenting, a term used to describe the situation in which a child’s parents are no longer married or living together. These parents are no longer together as a couple, but they work together to parent the child. But, what happens when the conflict between the parents is really high? They really[…]

Parenting Guilt

Feel Like a Parenting Failure After Divorce? Parenting guilt? You’re Not Alone

It’s called parenting guilt, and all parents feel it at one time or another. In fact, the best of parents in the most secure relationships with excellent financial and emotional security can feel it. So, if you’re in the process of divorce or are newly divorced, it’s not unusual to feel like a parenting failure.[…]

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