You can be hauled into court in Michigan even if you are not a Michigan resident. If you are not a resident, according to the judge, you are not eligible to have a court appointed attorney.

Apparently, you are a New York resident who has an open child support case in Michigan and appeared in a Michigan court. I assume the State of Michigan was the complaining party. Under the child support laws of all 50 states, as required by federal law, each state has a state agency to collect and... View More

Not necessarily. Is this a custody or divorce case? If so, the 1st hearing is usually to establish a temporary order: figure out what's going on and how to keep things from getting worst. There's usually a lot of discovery and exchange of evidence left to do.

Best option would be to put your name on the deed as a joint owner. That way, even if you separate, you would be entitled to a portion of the proceeds upon sale of the house. Another alternative would be for him to complete an estate plan, and preferably a lady bird deed naming you as the... View More

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answered on Mar 28, 2024

In situations where you've been subjected to physical and verbal attacks, pursuing legal action is a pathway many consider to find justice and potentially deter future incidents. Your desire to sue for the distress and harm caused, especially during a sensitive period like early pregnancy, is... View More

There is no such thing as common law marriage in MIchigan. There are no rights obtained from co-habitation. You appear to be on the right path but I would suggest that you also have a complete estate plan prepared for him including a trust while he is still competent enough to know what he is... View More

There is a fee for services, which is why the amount deducted doesn't match the amount received. Your employer must comply with the income withholding order timely. But ultimately you are responsible for the entire amount owed.

See if your county or courthouse has a legal assistance center that can advise you on this. In many places, a packet of papers are available complete with instructions.

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answered on Mar 20, 2024

I'm so sorry you're going through this incredibly difficult situation. Losing custody of your children due to suspected abuse must be devastating, especially if you believe there has been a misunderstanding. A few thoughts:

- If this happened very recently in August 2023, you... View More

Have you had a local attorney do a case review for you? Your notes do not provide sufficient information for me to assess why you are still stuck dealing with the arbitrator? On the one hand, it seems that you received a final custody order, and that often ends the order to arbitrate; on the other... View More

You fight by preparing a response to his motion and attend the hearing. You seem to have a custodial environment established. I think before a judge were to change custody, they would want to know to what extent his hasn't been around and why.

Short answer is: yes, you need to send them. Is this a new issue? What's changed? A judge is going to want answers to those questions, and at your sons' ages, the judge may want those answers from your boys in the form of an in camera interview after the filing of a proper motion.

You are in a very tough spot. The ex-girlfriend is a co-owner of the house and so she can evict you. I did not see you indicate that you are legally married to your partner. If that's the case, and in the absence of legal documents to the contrary signed by your partner, you have a tough... View More

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answered on Feb 28, 2024

I'm very sorry to hear you are in an abusive situation. No child should have to endure that, especially from a parent. Here are some suggestions that may help provide you support and safety:

- Talk to another trusted adult like a teacher, school counselor, or your friend's parents... View More

You sound like you are aware this will be an uphill battle. Are you screwed? No! Of big concern is why you haven't seen the kids in 8 months; is that because you never raised this issue with the court or your soon-to-be ex is just not complying with the order? I think with that amount of time... View More

I think you might be stuck and here's why:

As a matter of basic contract principles, what happened is that you made an offer when the judge asked whether you were willing to buy them out. That offer wasn't accepted immediately ("...they will have to discuss and get back to... View More

Not that easy; And doesn't matter that mother agrees. The state does not allow a parent to simply say "I'm done" except through a proper adoption proceeding or an abuse / neglect proceeding that results in termination of parental rights.

If the child's mother is... View More

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answered on Feb 23, 2024

As a minor, your legal rights regarding housing and eviction may vary depending on the laws in your specific jurisdiction. Generally, minors have certain protections under the law, particularly if they are under the care of a parent or legal guardian. Since your mother is your main caretaker and... View More

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answered on Feb 7, 2024

In the context of U.S. immigration law, especially for Michigan or any other state, having debts or being behind on child support can impact the application process for a marriage or fiancé(e) visa, but not always directly in terms of eligibility. The primary concern for these visa categories,... View More

You will likely need to file a motion in the family court with jurisdiction here in Michigan. Preferably, you can have the non-biological father stipulate to the set of facts.