Soon after becoming a judge, Stowe presided over the child custody matters of a woman named Cynthia Curry while she was divorcing her third husband. Judge Stowe then hired Curry to work for him in the family court and later the two began a physical relationship. Stowe continued to oversee the custody case while all this was occurring, which the Editorial Staff argues clearly violates judicial ethics rules. When Curry left the court job for a local social services agency job, suddenly the amount of money paid from the county to that agency doubled. When an attorney reported his suspicions of ethical violations, the attorney was fired and later given a settlement to avoid a whistleblower lawsuit.

Judge Stowe and Cynthia Curry married in 2009. Then, in January of 2012, police were called to their home. Cynthia Curry was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault of Stowe after a night of heavy drinking. Stowe was uncooperative with police, presumably knowing that any involvement could cost him his job. Allegedly, Stowe wanted to leave the premises before police arrived, even with Curry’s teenage son begging him to stay.

As experienced attorneys, we know the importance of having judges on the bench who understand and respect the law. Because our firm practices all across the Lower Peninsula of Michigan—and has been doing so for many years—we have argued in front of many judges. The majority of judges we come across are fair and impartial, but some judges abuse their power. What do you think of the allegations against Judge Stowe? Do you think they should cost him his job?

The Medical Records Access Act is the Michigan law that deals with a patient’s right to access his or her own medical records. It states that a patient or the patient’s authorized representative has a right to see or copy medical records from most licensed health care facilities, though this right does not automatically extend to psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and professional counselors. After making a written request to see or make copies of the records, the medical providers have 30 to 60 days to either provide the patient with the records or deny the patient’s access to the records for certain reasons, like if the requested records do not exist or cannot be found. Medical providers may charge the patient for the cost of preparing copies. These costs can become quite high, but if the records are instrumental to the defense of a case, the cost will likely be worth it to the attorney and client.

If you know you are being investigated for a crime, or if you are involved in a Michigan family law case, Children’s Protective Services case, or serious personal injury case, you will want to consult with an attorney immediately. The attorney will understand which medical records might be needed, and can suggest you try to obtain copies. The sooner the better when it comes to ordering medical records. This is because obtaining records can take time and delay could hinder efforts in your case.

In Michigan, grandparents are not afforded visitation only because a judge thinks it would be in a child’s best interest to see grandma or grandpa. Instead, grandparents must meet certain qualifications before bringing a petition for grandparent visitation or grandparent rights to the court. One of those prerequisites includes when the child’s parent, who is a child of the grandparents, is deceased. Another instance can be when an action for divorce, separation, or annulment involving the child’s parents is pending before the court. If you are a grandparent who wants to spend time with your grandchildren, it is a good idea to consult with a family law lawyer to determine whether you meet Michigan’s requirements to ask the court for visitation with your grandchildren.

Truly, any time custody or visitation of a child is at issue, it is a best to hire a skilled family law attorney. An experienced Michigan lawyer will know the ins and outs of dealing with the family courts in Michigan. Look for an attorney with a good track record, knowledge of the local courts, superior knowledge of the law, a professional that you can trust and an attorney with an excellent reputation.

Michigan’s Paternity Act of 1956 prohibits another man from claiming paternity of a child if the mother was married between the time a child is conceived and born. Maeleigh is now living in Kentucky with Candace Beckwith, while Adam Beckwith is in prison for drug trafficking charges. Quinn would like custody of Maeleigh. Quinn states, “I have no standing whatsoever to even claim paternity rights for my daughter.”

The Michigan Senate previously passed bills that would give a judge the ability to consider the biological father when it comes to paternity battles. Now, the Michigan House is examining a similar bill. House Bill 4067 was recently approved in the Families, Children, and Seniors Committee in the Michigan House and, just like the Michigan Senate versions of the bill, is awaiting approval by the House Judiciary Committee. As Michigan family law attorneys, we applaud the Michigan legislature for including biological fathers as one of the persons who can claim paternity over a child. For too long, Michigan law has deprived children of a relationship with their biological fathers in cases where the mother was married to a man other than the biological father. We believe that the legislature in Michigan must open the door that it slammed closed in 1956. What do you think?

When going through a paternity fight, it is important to have a family law attorney who knows, understands and works with the paternity laws in Michigan.

Under Michigan law, there are Domestic PPOs, which require certain pre-established relationships between the petitioner and respondent, and there are Non-Domestic PPOs, which protect victims without such a pre-established relationship from stalking behavior. A person can get a Personal Protection Order against another person in Michigan to restrict conduct such as:

Judges in Michigan freely grant PPOs as long as they feel there is sufficient evidence to do so. Unfortunately, the respondent generally only has 14 days to respond as to why he or she thinks the PPO should be terminated or its terms modified. And, the respondent is often fighting a losing battle because he or she is usually going to court after the fact to try and change the judge’s mind. Even if the PPO is based on false accusations, if the judge does not agree to rescind it or modify its terms, it will usually remain in effect for a period of six months or one year. That is why it is important to have an experienced defense attorney on your team when you fight or challenge a Personal Protection Order in Michigan.

A person who has a PPO against them may be restricted in where they can be employed and whether they can possess firearms. Also, PPOs sometimes go hand-in-hand with divorce and custody battles. Therefore, we suggest contacting a family law attorney who practices PPO defense as well as family law.

Veronica’s biological father is a member of the Cherokee Nation. In Oklahoma, as in other states, the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) applies to child custody disputes involving a child of Native American descent. In Veronica’s case, the Indian welfare law trumps her birth mother’s decision to put her up for adoption, and effectively reverses Veronica’s adoption by the Capobiancos. The Capobiancos are in a legal battle against the Cherokee Nation attorney general’s office to get her back. But for now, Veronica is living in Oklahoma with her biological father, who now has custody of her.

As family law attorneys, we know just how difficult it can be to fight for custody of a child when the ICWA is involved. Compound that with the level of national attention Veronica’s case has received and it is clear to see why so many attorneys with specialized training are needed. On the one hand, the only parents Veronica knows at this point are the Capobiancos, and taking her away from them could be traumatic for her. But on the other hand, Veronica’s biological father has been fighting for custody of her since she was four months old, and he claims that he should not be penalized because the legal system takes so long to navigate. What do you think?

When facing any custody issue, it is best to contact a top custody lawyer immediately.

In Michigan, a mother has something to gain by proving a man is the father of her child. This is because if paternity is proven, the father may be responsible for child support and other financial compensation. Though many fathers do not have as much money for child support as Justin Bieber, courts in Michigan use a formula to determine how much a father can afford to give for child support. There are also advantages for a father to prove he has paternity of a child, including receiving parenting time with the child and gaining the ability to share in major decisions regarding the child’s health and welfare.

If either a mother or father is interested in a paternity test, they should contact a experienced family law attorney for help. An attorney can guide their clients through the legal process of exactly how paternity is proven under Michigan law. The attorney can also fight for child support and parenting time once paternity is proven.

In some recent child custody and Children’s Protective Services cases from around the United States, and even in Michigan, judges have used negative posts from parents as evidence of the writer being unfit. For example, in a recent New York case, a mother posted on Facebook and a blog that the father of her child was “a horrible excuse for a human being,” jobless, behind on his child support payments, and lazy. The judge used those posts as part of the evidence needed to rule that the mother was a “less fit” parent than the father.

In another case, a mother suspected the father was abusing their son. She posted these suspicions on Facebook, and these posts were later admitted into evidence in court. The judge ruled that the mother “suffers from a delusional disorder which causes her to believe that such abuse is occurring despite a lack of objective evidence found by those who are trained investigators of abuse.” Having a judge call a parent delusional is not on the preferred list of adjectives for a parent.

If you are involved in a custody case in Michigan or elsewhere, posts about the other parent are best left off the internet. You want your family law attorney to speak for you rather than the words that you wrote in anger about the other party. Facebook and the internet is just not the place to do your venting. Judges can and will use your words against you. Contact an experienced divorce and custody attorney today!

One problem with morality clauses is that they can be hard to enforce. How will a party prove that the ex-spouse had an overnight guest while the child was there? In many cases, a judge will not rule that the clause has been broken unless the other spouse can provide firm evidence that there was some harm to the child due to the overnight guest. In other words, some judges decline to enforce morality clauses even though they are agreed to in the final divorce decree.

Morality clauses might truly become useful if there is a later custody battle between the parties. Evidence of the ex-spouse violating the morality clause can be helpful if a party is looking to obtain more parenting time or full custody.

If you are in the process of a divorce in Michigan, and you think a morality clause would be beneficial, see an experienced divorce lawyer. Your divorce attorney can help you draft a morality clause as part of your divorce agreement. If you are already divorced and already have a morality clause in your divorce judgment, your attorney can help enforce the morality clause if your ex has violated it.

It is well-known that Michigan’s unemployment rate is high due to the recession. When people are unemployed, they may be so consumed with finding a job that they do not have the time or emotional energy to file for a divorce, argues Rutgers University sociologist Deborah Carr. People in this situation may decide it is best to wait to file for divorce until after they secure employment or until they are no longer searching as hard for a job.

During difficult economic times, couples may not be able to afford the life that comes after a divorce. Each spouse will be responsible for the expenses of his or her own household, including rent or mortgage, utilities, furniture, and more. These expenses are largely shared when spouses live together. Andra Brosh, who runs a program that helps people cope with separation or divorce, says that financial worries cause some couples to remain married even if one spouse is having an ongoing affair. There also seems to be a rise in couples staying married so one party can continue using the other’s health insurance.

As expert divorce attorney, we understand that people need to consider what life will look like after a divorce. During the divorce, issues like spousal support or child support need to be carefully considered. People who represent themselves in a divorce agreement will not have the protection that a competent lawyer can provide.

Before making any decisions regarding a potential divorce, it is wise to speak with a Michigan family law attorney and consider all of your rights and options.