The fall-out when a cohabitation arrangement breaks up can be very unpredictable. Unlike a divorce, a formal property settlement is not necessary. But if the couple had children, child support and child custody may need to be determined.
Child Porn Charges Follow Breakup of Cohabitation Arrangement
Adoption: Open Process Gains Popularity
This post will discuss the rise in open adoptions. Open adoption is quite different from its alternative, closed adoption, which requires no contact between birth families and adoptive families. Within the last 30 years, however, open adoption has become the norm.
Famous or Not, Divorce Requires Decisions on Property Division
Rich or poor, young or old, ending a marriage can be a stressful time for any person. And there are certain unavoidable decisions that Michigan couples need to make while they are in the process of a divorce that can affect them for the rest of their lives.
Failure to Pay Child Support: Is Inability to Pay a Defense?
The Michigan Supreme Court has held that a parent criminally charged with failure to pay child support should be allowed to offer evidence that they are unable to make support payments due to financial hardship. The ruling could have a significant effect on parents being prosecuted for failure to pay, but only if the parent is capable of showing that the support payments are impossible to meet.
Child Custody Dispute Rocks Michael Jackson's Family
Michigan residents may know that the children of Michael Jackson are now the subject of a child custody dispute stemming from a battle over the deceased King of Pop's will. Their grandmother and legal guardian, with whom the children reside, disappeared over the weekend and allegations surfaced that she was being blocked from contacting the children.
Defense for Failure to Pay Child Support in Criminal Cases
The Michigan Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision recently held that if a person criminally charged with the failure to pay child support could demonstrate it was "impossible" to pay, that will be a defense against the charge. This is significant as currently failure to pay child support can be prosecuted as a felony. To see the July 31, 2012 article, go to: http://www.freep.com/article/20120731/NEWS06/120731087/Michigan-Supreme-Court-creates-defense-in-child-support-cases?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
