Alternatives to Hiring a Michigan Family Law Attorney for Custody
Compare seven alternatives to full attorney representation for Michigan custody cases — from free court resources to guided self-preparation and limited-scope legal help.
Blog
All articles about Michigan Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide.
Best Michigan Custody Planning Tool for Self-Represented Parents
Find the best custody planning tool for Michigan parents representing themselves — compare free resources, guides, apps, and attorney options by cost and coverage.
Can a Child Choose Which Parent to Live With in Michigan?
Whether a child can choose which parent to live with in Michigan — factor (i) of the best-interest test, judicial interviews, age considerations, and what a child's preference actually means.
Established Custodial Environment in Michigan
What Michigan's Established Custodial Environment (ECE) means for custody cases — how courts determine it exists, why it shifts the burden of proof, and how it shapes final custody outcomes.
Ex Parte Custody Order in Michigan
How emergency and ex parte custody orders work in Michigan — when courts grant them, what you need to show, and how temporary orders shape the rest of your custody case.
FOC Mediation in Michigan Custody Cases
How Friend of the Court mediation works in Michigan — when it's required, what happens during the session, and how FOC recommendations affect your custody outcome.
FOC Michigan: What the Friend of the Court Does in Custody Cases
What Michigan's Friend of the Court (FOC) does — custody investigations, child support enforcement, mediation, parenting time disputes, and how to opt out of FOC services.
Grandparent Visitation Rights in Michigan
When Michigan grandparents can petition for visitation or custody — legal standing requirements, the DeRose presumption, and what courts consider under MCL 722.27b.
How to Build a Custody Case During Michigan's 180-Day Waiting Period
Use Michigan's mandatory 180-day waiting period to build your custody case — document the 12 best-interest factors, protect against an unfavorable ECE, and prepare for FOC.
How to File for Custody in Michigan
Step-by-step process for filing a child custody case in Michigan — required forms, filing fees, the 180-day waiting period, and what happens after you file.
How to Modify Custody in Michigan
How to change a custody order in Michigan — the Vodvarka standard for proper cause, the ECE burden of proof, and what qualifies as a material change in circumstances.
Joint Legal Custody Decision Making in Michigan
How joint legal custody works in Michigan — shared decision-making rules, what happens when parents disagree, impasse rights, and when the FOC gets involved.
Michigan 100 Mile Rule: Custody Relocation Laws
Michigan's 100-mile custody relocation rule explained — MCL 722.31 requirements, the five relocation factors, out-of-state moves, and the domestic violence exception.
Michigan Child Support Overnights Formula
How overnights affect child support in Michigan — the Parental Time Offset Equation, MCSF calculation basics, and why a 10-overnight difference can shift payments by hundreds.
Michigan County Custody Process — Wayne, Oakland, Kent, Macomb, Washtenaw
How custody cases work in Michigan's largest counties — county-specific FOC procedures, SMILE program differences, filing tips for Wayne, Oakland, Kent, Macomb, and Washtenaw.
Michigan Custody Agreement Without Court
Can Michigan parents agree on custody without going to court? How informal vs court-approved custody agreements work, enforceability, and why written orders matter.
Michigan Custody Evaluation Process
What happens during a Michigan custody evaluation — who conducts it, what evaluators look for, how to prepare, and how the report affects your custody outcome.
Michigan Custody Exchange Rules
How custody exchanges work in Michigan — pickup and drop-off rules, school schedule transitions, neutral locations, and what to do when exchanges go wrong.
Guardian Ad Litem in Michigan Custody Cases
How guardian ad litem appointments work in Michigan custody cases — when courts appoint one, what they do, how their investigation works, and how their report affects the outcome.
Michigan Custody Preparation Guide vs Co-Parenting App: Which Do You Actually Need?
Compare a Michigan custody preparation guide with co-parenting apps like OurFamilyWizard and Custody X Change to decide which tool fits your stage of the custody process.
Michigan Custody Hearing: What to Expect
What happens at a Michigan custody hearing — court procedure, evidence presentation, the role of the FOC, how judges evaluate the 12 best-interest factors, and how to prepare.
Michigan Custody Holiday Schedule
How to structure a custody holiday schedule in Michigan — standard rotation patterns, the FOC parenting time guideline, and common disputes parents need to plan around.
Michigan Custody Laws for Unmarried Parents
How custody works for unmarried parents in Michigan — establishing paternity, father's rights, legal vs physical custody, and filing a custody case outside of divorce.
Michigan Custody Without a Lawyer — Costs and How to Self-Represent
What it costs to hire a custody lawyer in Michigan vs. representing yourself — filing fees, attorney retainers, and how pro se parents can navigate the process.
Michigan Legal Help Custody Forms
Guide to Michigan custody forms — which SCAO forms you need for filing, temporary orders, parenting time, and modifications, plus how Michigan Legal Help's document assembly tool works.
Michigan Parenting Plan Workbook vs Online Divorce Document Service
Compare a Michigan parenting plan workbook with online divorce services like 3 Step Divorce and OnlineDivorce — different tools for different problems in your custody case.
Michigan Supervised Parenting Time
When Michigan courts order supervised parenting time, how supervision works, who can serve as a supervisor, and what it takes to move back to unsupervised visits.
Michigan Uncontested Divorce With Children
How to file an uncontested divorce in Michigan when you have minor children — the 180-day timeline, what you need to agree on, and how the process differs from a childless divorce.
Sole Custody vs Joint Custody in Michigan
Michigan sole custody and joint custody explained — legal vs physical custody, how judges decide, and what joint legal custody actually requires of both parents.
Summer Parenting Time in Michigan
How summer parenting time works in Michigan — extended visitation schedules, vacation planning, and how summer overnights affect child support calculations.
Temporary Custody Orders in Michigan Divorce
How temporary custody orders work in Michigan — when they're issued, why they set the status quo, and how the arrangement during the 180-day wait often becomes permanent.
Vodvarka Standard for Michigan Custody Modification
What the Vodvarka standard means for changing custody in Michigan — proper cause, change of circumstances, and the burden of proof parents must meet to modify a custody order.
What Should Be in a Michigan Parenting Plan
Essential provisions every Michigan parenting plan needs — from custody designations and holiday schedules to dispute resolution clauses and the SCAO requirements courts expect.