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[…]
The Friend of the Court consists of persons trained in helping circuit court judges manage divorce and custody cases. For example, if someone requests a change in child custody or parenting time, the circuit court Judge will often refer the matter for a Friend of the Court Recommendation. A Friend of the Court Recommendation are[…]
On July 9, 2025, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued its opinion in the case of Glowacki vs. Glowacki, a case involving the division of debt in divorce. Specifically, the divison of a very large tax obligation. Michigan law provides for debt to be divided in the same way as assets are divided. Restated, property[…]
Parenting time in Michigan describes the nature and extent of time each parent spends with a child. In this new parenting time video, we examine the fourt primary statutes that govern parenting time disputes under Michigan law. Michigan Compiled Laws (“MCL”) 722.27a describes how parenting time is granted, MCL 722.23 is the best interest of[…]
On July 8, 2025, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued a new divorce arbitration opinion entitled Townsend vs. Townsend. If a case cannot settle, a judge typically makes a decision. Divorce arbitration is an alternative to trial and the Arbitrator’s decision is binding. The parties to a divorce may agree to hire a private attorney[…]
In this article we will examine the new Michigan Divorce and Custody cases for June 2025 as interpreted by the Michigan Court of Appeals and the explore the various fact patterns. The Court of Appeals issued one non-published divorce opinion in June 2025 and one non-published custody opinion. A non-published opinion does not have precedential[…]
Both Prenuptial Agreements and Postnuptial Agreements are contracts entered into either before marriage (prenuptial) or after marriage (postnuptial) that can define how property is divided and if spousal support is awarded. Prenuptial Agreements and Postnuptial Agreements are also known as antenuptial agreements. For a Prenuptial Agreement to be enforceable in Michigan provided certain requirements must[…]
Makeup parenting time is warranted when one party has wrongfully been denied parenting time. Parenting time can be defined as the frequency and duration each party spends with the children. Parenting time is typically set forth in a Parenting Time Order or with a Judgment of Divorce or Custody. Michgan’s parenting time statue can be[…]
Michigan divorce laws come from three sources. First, Old English Common Divorce Law, which are the laws brought to the United States in 1776. Second, Statutory Divorce Law which are laws passed by our legislature and governer (which replaced most Old English Common Divorce Law, such as eliminating common law marriage) and; Third, laws created[…]
Both child custody and parenting time decisions involve an anaylis of the statutory 12 best interest factors set forth in Michigan Compliled Laws section 722.23. One of the best interest factors (factor g), examines the health of the parties. It makes sense to consider a parents health in deciding a child custody case. After all,[…]
Some people love their dog more than thier spouse in the best of times. When divorcing, the dog (cat, bird, or other pet) can become more important. provide love, comfort and security. Which begs the question: “Who gets the dog in divorce?” Some issues in a divorce are easy, like who gets the lawnmower or[…]
On January 17, 2025, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued its opinion in the case of Lisa Jenson vs. Stephen Thiel. Stephen requested reversal of the trial court’s order awarding Lisa sole legal custody of the parties’ minor child and suspending parenting time for Stephen. The parties married in 2011 and had one minor child.[…]
On January 29, 2025, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued its opinion the case of Criag vs. Marcy Maynard. The Maynard story goes like this. The parties married in 2006 when Craig was 64 and March was 60. When the parties married, Marcy moved into Craigs home he purchased before marriage. Marcy worked three part[…]
The burden of proof is another way of saying: “How much you have to prove something”. If asked, most people know the burden of proof in a criminal case, which is ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’. Beyond a reasonable doubt is the universal common law rule which limits the governments power to convict someone of a[…]
On December 20, 2024, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued its opinion in the case of Julie Weber vs. Lucas Weber. Julie and Lucas married in 2012 and lived with their two minor children on a 20-acre farm where they grew crops and raised cattle. However, things on the farm became unsettled. The parties separated[…]
Divorce is a challenging and emotional process, and navigating the legal system can feel overwhelming. For residents of Oakland County, Michigan, understanding the role of the Judges of Oakland County Divorce Court is essential to effectively managing this life-changing event. This blog post provides valuable insights into the Divorce Court judges of Oakland County, including[…]
When navigating the complexities of divorce, one of the most critical aspects to address is the division of the marital estate. Whether you’ve been married for a few years or decades, understanding the full scope of your marital estate before settling a divorce is essential to know before you settle a divorce to ensure a[…]
As a general proposition, only property acquired by reason of the marriage (and during the course of the marriage) is divided in a divorce. However, there are circumstances when property received after divorce is also divided. For example, your spouse may have a bonus that was earned during the marriage but paid after the parties[…]
Divorce can be an emotional and stressful experience, and when the legal process is involved, it can quickly become overwhelming. For those going through a divorce in Michigan, it is crucial to understand how Michigan divorce laws work and what steps you need to take to protect your rights and ensure the process goes as[…]
If you are stuck in your situation and want out, you may want to settle your divorce quickly. Divorce can be one of the most challenging times in your life, and your decision to move on with your life without your spouse may be best. Once issues relating to kids, custody and support are resolved[…]
Every couple of years the Michigan Child Support Formula manual is updated. In this blog we are going to review the list of major changes or the new child support laws for 2025. Deviation from the child support formula in 2025 The first new child support laws fo 2025 concern deviation from the formula. Simply[…]
Good communication can be a foundation to understand and address issues that may be of concern for parents with children going through a divorce. Sharing information regarding school work, doctor appointments and extracurricular activities can help foster and encourage a good parent child relationship with both parents. Unfortunately, good communication during divorce can be complicated[…]
Granting sole legal custody to a party is not very common, however there are facts and circumstances sufficient to do so. Unlike parenting time, which defines the frequency and duration each parent spends with a child, legal custody describes decision making authority. The law defining legal custody can be found in Michigan Compiled Laws, section[…]
The statutory right to modify spousal support is outlined in MCL 552.28, “. . . the court may revise and alter the judgment, respecting the amount or payment of the alimony” but the statute does not provide how to change spousal support? “The object in awarding spousal support is to balance the incomes and needs of the **302 parties so[…]
“Ex Parte” is a latin phrase every law student learns in the first year of law school and literally means: “on one side only” or “by or for one party”. An ex parte order is a court order entered by only hearing one side of a case instead of both sides. Unlike an Order entered[…]