Resolutions for Families: A Child Custody Attorney in Macomb County
Divorce is one of the most stressful experiences of life. But add the matter of child custody and any related disputes or questions, and the need for an attorney with special skills becomes clear.
Based in Sterling Heights, the Law Offices of Boyer Dawson & St. Pierre has worked with many families undergoing this process. Don't hesitate to speak to a skilled child custody attorney at our offices serving clients in Clinton, Shelby, Macomb, Warren and other parts of Macomb County. The skills of attorneys involved go beyond understanding points of law. Also required is an understanding of the human element, where legal decisions are made rationally and in the best interests of the children.
In accordance with state law on divorces involving minor children, a 180-day waiting ("cooling off") period is required before the granting of a divorce decree. In this time period, the court reviews a series of considerations relative to both parents and their abilities to provide for the best interests of the children:
- Love, affection, and other emotional ties between the child and both parents (separately)
- Capacity of each parent to reciprocate love, affection, and emotion
- Disposition and capacity of each parent to provide guidance and education in his or her religion or creed (if any)
- Disposition and capacity to provide essentials including food, clothing, other material needs, medical care, or remedial care as permitted by Michigan law
- Willingness of each parent to facilitate and encourage the relationship the child has with the other parent
- Incidences of domestic violence, either directed at the child, the other parent or both, or third parties
- The permanence of the existing or proposed custodial homes
- Moral fitness, as well as mental and physical health of each parent
- The current home, school, and community history for the child
- Preferences of the child (if the child is determined to be of sufficient age to make such determinations)
- Any other factor the court deems relevant
This list is not used as a scorecard, however. The court ultimately is able to determine how one or several of these considerations are worthy of overriding the others. For example, if a mother is a model parent in every respect but tries to alienate the child from his or her father, that may be a strong consideration. And certainly, a parent with a domestic violence history would be viewed with extreme caution by the court.
Experienced, accessible child custody attorney in Sterling Heights
For more information on child custody and other divorce matters, contact the Law Offices of Boyer Dawson & St. Pierre, 43805 Van Dyke Avenue, Sterling Heights, Michigan 48314. Phone: 248-841-4665, Fax: 586-731-6370, by e-mail: drd@boyerdawson.com or contact us online.
