When married partners cannot reconcile their differences, it is necessary to untangle their lives and finances. In many cases, conflict is expected but is not always inevitable. A skillful and respected attorney will help achieve resolution of your case, often without the drama normally associated with a divorce case.

Issues incident to divorce include:

• Parenting time
• Child Support
• Spousal Support
• Property Division
• Attorney Fees

There is no doubt that a settlement as to some or all of these issues saves time, money, and stress. Using our experience and judgment, we help you evaluate whether a matter should ultimately be settled or decided by the court. In any divorce, our goal is to achieve your most important objectives while guiding you through the process as quickly as possible. We will regularly explore alternative dispute resolution strategies, including mediation, before pursuing remedies in the courtroom. Our team will be honest and direct as we evaluate whether we should resolve or further litigate an issue.  If litigation proves necessary, our attorneys are at home in the courtroom and aggressive advocates.  

When minor children are involved, custody and parenting time will need to be decided. Custody and parenting time are often the most emotional part of a case. In Michigan, there are two types of custody (legal and physical). Legal custody concerns important decisions about a minor child’s life and development, including their education and healthcare. Physical custody, however, is typically tied to the parenting time schedule. Parenting time is essentially who the minor child is with and when.

We have considerable experience handling difficult and high-conflict custody and parenting time dispute.

Division of property and debts is a contentious issue for many couples who are divorcing. The process is governed by Michigan law, and how it plays out will differ based on the unique circumstances of your case.

When dividing property and debts, the court will follow take an equitable distribution approach. This means the court will divide marital property in a fair and equitable manner between the divorcing parties. A fair and equitable manner does not always mean equal. Some of the factors the court will need to consider are the value of the property, how the property was acquired, duration of the marriage, conduct of the parties, etc.

Typically, the court will not divide separate property. Separate property is generally understood as property acquired by one party prior to the marriage or through gift or inheritance and not commingled with marital property.

Our attorneys have extensive knowledge and experience handling complex property division issues including valuation of property, classification of marital & separate property, appreciation (active vs passive), commingling (wherein separate property becomes martial) and invasion of separate property to achieve an equitable result.

In a divorce, a party may be entitled to receive spousal support (also known as alimony) from the other spouse. Here, the court is not permitted to rely upon a “formula” to set the amount and duration of spousal support.  If a spousal support case proceeds to trial, the court will consider a number of factors including the length of marriage, ability to pay, needs of the parties, health, ability to work, age, present situation of the parties, prior standard of living, and even fault in the breakdown of the marriage. Unlike child support, the determination of spousal support is based on equity, and every case is very different.

In Michigan, both parents have a legal obligation to financially support their minor child until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later. The amount of the child support obligation is determined by the use of a state formula. The formula result depends on the income of the parties, number of overnights each parent exercises with the child, costs of health care insurance for the child, costs of childcare, tax filing status, exemptions, and whether either parent has children from a different relationship. Importantly, a party’s income for purposes of child support is not the same as his or her take home pay or net taxable earnings. While it is typical for the court to adopt the formula, the court can deviate (up or down) depending on the circumstances.

We have extensive experience with complex child support issues including but not limited to self-employed income and potential/imputation of income.

When a party has a business interest, the value of that interest must be determined, and potentially adjusted/discounted when there is a minority interest or an inability to sell that interest. The valuation of a business is often one of the most complicated and complex issues in a divorce case. It involves the review of financial statements and tax returns, and often requires review of internal financial records and practices of the business and meeting with the business owner(s). Our attorneys have considerable experience with all types of business valuations and ensuring business interests are property valued. Working closely with you and a business valuation expert, we will analyze the business’s income-producing capacity, profitability, and longevity, among other key factors.

Divorces involving high-net-worth individuals are notably complex, especially in disputes concerning property division and payment of the property settlement. The higher-earning spouse will understandably endeavor to safeguard his or her property. Our attorneys know the intricacies and obstacles inherent in complex and high-net-worth matters and regularly structure innovative, workable solutions to achieve our clients’ goals.

Our attorneys possess significant experience and a proven record of success in locating undisclosed or concealed asset to ensure our clients receive an equitable distribution of the marital estate. We have similar experience and success advocating and achieving a disproportionate division of the marital estate based on dissipation through extra-marital relationships, substance abuse, gambling and other forms of financial misconduct.

It is not uncommon for an individual to have accumulated significant separate property prior to his or her marriage and seek to protect that property before entering into a marital relationship. A prenuptial agreement can provide both parties with clarity and ensure a smooth, fair separation should a divorce become unavoidable at some point in the future. Our attorneys are experienced drafting prenuptial agreements and, when necessary, litigating them.

Court orders are often the culmination of extensive negotiation or litigation. These orders are not mere recommendations—they are orders of the court that must be followed. When a party fails to comply, our attorneys take prompt and decisive action to ensure accountability and compliance is achieved.

Understandably, circumstances change. When changes occur, modifications to existing court orders—such as those involving custody, parenting time, or child and spousal support—may be warranted. Successfully securing such a modification requires proving certain legal threshold are met. Our attorneys have a proven record of securing modifications and defending against them.

Our attorneys are skilled in all forms of dispute resolution including traditional litigation, arbitration, mediation, and collaborative divorce. We are committed to identifying and pursuing the approach best suited for your unique circumstances.