Category: Child Support
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Driver’s License and Hunting License Suspensions for Child Support in Michigan – How They Work and How to Get Reinstated
When Michigan parents fall behind on child support, the consequences can be more than just interest and arrears. Under Michigan law, your driver’s license, hunting license, or even certain occupational licenses can be suspended if payments are not made. This enforcement tool is used across Oakland County and the rest of the state, often after…
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The Risks of Voluntarily Overpaying Child Support
By Attorney Brandy J. Thompson | The Kronzek Firm | Lansing, Michigan For parents paying child support in Michigan, the desire to provide more for a child is understandable. But voluntarily paying more than a court-ordered child support obligation can create legal and accounting complications that are not always obvious. The Friend of the Court…
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What Happens If You Refuse a Court-Ordered Paternity Test in Oakland County, Michigan?
In Michigan family cases, a court-ordered paternity test is often used to determine the biological father of a child when he is unknown. This typically occurs when child support and visitation rights are at issue. But what happens if you do not want to take the test? The consequences of refusal can directly impact child…
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Day Care Expenses and Child Support in Michigan
Parents of young children often have an important question during divorce or after separation: Who pays for day care? If both parents work, child care can be a significant expense. Parents may wonder whether those costs are already included in child support or whether they are handled separately. Under Michigan’s child support guidelines, child care…
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Understanding Discovery in Michigan Family Law Cases: A Guide for Mid-Michigan Families
To reach a fair outcome in any family law case, relevant information is key. The way that each party gains access to that information is through a process called discovery. In Mid-Michigan, including areas like Lansing, East Lansing, Okemos, Charlotte, and Mason, you should work with your attorney during the discovery process to ensure they…
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If Both Parents Share Custody, Does Anyone Pay Child Support in Michigan?
Does 50/50 Custody Eliminate Child Support Obligations in Michigan? A frequent misconception among Michigan’s divorcing parents is the belief that a 50/50 physical custody arrangement—sharing parenting time equally—automatically negates the requirement for child support. As a matter of law, this is rarely the case. Under Michigan’s statutory framework, child support is not a “reward” or…
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Can a Parent Turn a Child Against the Other Parent in Michigan Custody Cases?
By Brandy J. Thompson When parents separate, children can feel pressure, confusion, and divided loyalties. In some Michigan custody disputes, one parent may interfere with the child’s relationship with the other parent. That conduct is often described as parental alienation, though Michigan courts usually focus on the behavior rather than the label. Judges are primarily concerned…
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How Michigan Courts Divide Child Support Among Multiple Families
Parents around Michigan counties like Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, and surrounding areas could find themselves in a situation where they have child support orders in different counties for children from different relationships. Our family law attorneys are asked how Michigan courts divide and allocate child support in these types of situations? Michigan law does not treat…
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Does It Matter If I Am the First One to File for Divorce in Michigan? A Question of Strategy
One of the most common questions we divorce attorneys hear is: Does it matter who files for divorce first? Many people think filing first gives them an advantage over their ex-spouse during disputes over custody and property division. In truth, it often doesn’t matter in terms of guaranteeing a certain outcome. However, in some situations,…
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How Will Relocating Affect My Custody and Parenting Time Agreement in Michigan?
When one parent wants to move a significant distance away from the children, whether it’s across Michigan or to another state, it can raise serious legal issues under Michigan’s Child Custody Act (MCL 722.31) and our Parenting Time statute. Michigan law limits how far a parent who has an existing custody order can move with…