Michigan parents who must go to a child custody hearing should submit their documentation ahead of time. This might include logs for visitation and phone calls, which can be used to show the involvement or lack of involvement of the noncustodial parent in the child's...
Year: 2019
Second marriages increase need for financial planning
Remarriage has become increasingly common in Michigan, especially among older adults. The Pew Research Center reported that two-thirds of married couples around the country in the 55-to-64 age group have gone through previous marriages. When people enter subsequent...
How joint custody leads to better parenting
Parents in Michigan and throughout the country may actually become better at raising their children after a divorce. This is partially because they are required to take responsibility for their kids with no or limited guidance from the other spouse. In many cases,...
Women may have different motives for white collar crime
The CBS show Pink Collar Crimes has shone the spotlight on a niche area of law that many may find interesting. The numbers of incarcerated women in prisons in Michigan and elsewhere are increasing, but the criminal charges that landed them there can be very different...
The truth behind myths associated with non-custodial parents
A non-custodial Michigan parent is simply someone who does not have physical custody of their child. However, there are several common myths that still linger about what a parent without custody is, what rights they have and how they interact with their children. For...
Important documents women investors need before divorcing
Ending a marriage can be a life-changing experience for anyone in Michigan. Women, in particular, sometimes find financial matters especially burdensome after untying the knot. For this reason, divorcing women are often encouraged to get their investment portfolio and...
Court considerations for child support and alimony
Family court judges in Michigan are given broad discretion when it comes to making child support or spousal support determinations. Typically, the court will consider any compensation or earned income as well as passive income. Passive income might include income from...
Equitable distribution is sometimes unfair to stay-at-home moms
Michigan law states that marital property should be divided equitably but not necessarily equally in divorce cases. However, what is and is not equitable is often a matter of contentious debate. While states with community property laws require an equal division of...
Why your Miranda rights are so important
If you are like most Michigan people, you think you must answer any questions a law enforcement officer asks you. This is not true. You have no obligation to answer an officer’s questions. The only thing you must do is produce identification if and when (s)he...
Report looks at reasons for wrongful convictions
People in Michigan who are convicted of crimes they did not commit and then are later exonerated might be the victims of official misconduct. According to a report by the National Registry for Exonerations, it was a factor in at least 107 of the 151 exonerations that...