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Child Custody Lawyer in Michigan
Settle Your Custody Battle
When it comes to deciding on child custody matters, there’s no easy way out. We can help you fight for the best possible outcome for your children. Our attorneys have extensive experience handling child custody hearings and will keep the best interests of your children in mind throughout the legal process.
When determining child custody, the court takes many factors into account before making a decision. Wood & Associates PLLC will make sure you are fully informed before appearing in court so you have the best possible chance at achieving a favorable outcome. During your custody hearing, you’ll get the chance to explain why you want custody and how you think the parenting time arrangements should go. The judge will take into consideration:
- The capacity of each party to give the child love and affection
- The capacity of each party to provide the child with food, clothing, and medical care
- The capacity of each party to provide a stable, loving environment
- For more factors, check out below for the top 12 factors.
Learn more about the legal process by contacting Wood & Associates PLLC.
I can't say enough about how above and beyond Brigette Booser went for our family when we were in need of her legal counsel. She was very professional, compassionate, attentive, and incredibly intelligent."
Questions you may be asking:
How long do you have to be married to do a step parent adoption?
Michigan requires the parties to be married for at least one year prior to the finalization of the step parent adoption process.
If I am single, do I have to be married to adopt a child?
You do not have to be married to adopt a child. However, a single person is usually only able to adopt a child, without being married, if the child’s biological parents parental rights have been terminated and the child is now a ward of the state.
Best interest factors MCL 722.23:
- The love, affection, and other emotional ties existing between the parties involved and the child.
- The capacity and disposition of the parties involved to give the child love, affection, and guidance and to continue the education and raising of the child in his or her religion or creed, if any.
- The capacity and disposition of the parties involved to provide the child with food, clothing, medical care or other remedial care recognized and permitted under the laws of this state in place of medical care, and other material needs.
- The length of time the child has lived in a stable, satisfactory environment, and the desirability of maintaining continuity.
- The permanence, as a family unit, of the existing or proposed custodial home or homes.
- The moral fitness of the parties involved.
- The mental and physical health of the parties involved.
- The home, school, and community record of the child.
- The reasonable preference of the child, if the court considers the child to be of sufficient age to express preference.
- The willingness and ability of each of the parties to facilitate and encourage a close and continuing parent-child relationship between the child and the other parent or the child and the parents. A court may not consider negatively for the purposes of this factor any reasonable action taken by a parent to protect a child or that parent from sexual assault or domestic violence by the child’s other parent.
- Domestic violence, regardless of whether the violence was directed against or witnessed by the child.
- Any other factor considered by the court to be relevant to a particular child custody dispute.