Clik here to view.
Why Isn’t Child Maltreatment Taken More Seriously?
Child custody in Michigan is decided based on 12 Best Interest Factors. These factors cover everything from love and affection to physical health of the parents, to domestic violence. But none of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Schmidt Law Services Comes to Ferndale
Family Law Firm Moves to Ferndale to be closer to clients, business community. Schmidt Law Services, PLLC, is starting 2015 off in a big way: by moving the office to Ferndale! Attorney Lisa J. Schmidt...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Is the Divorce Rate Dropping?
It has become common knowledge that half of all marriages end in divorce. But is that statistic actually true? Recent articles in Time Magazine and the New York Times are casting doubt on this popular...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Co-Parenting: You’re Doing It Right.
A recent article in the Detroit Free Press does a better job of explaining co-parenting than any attorney ever will. In “An open letter to my ex-husband’s new girlfriend,” Tina Plantamura, an Asbury...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Grandparenting Time in Complicated Families
Custody law is almost always about families who don’t work as well as they once did. When the families involved become multi-generational, custody cases can get even more complicated. When families...
View ArticleDomestic Violence Advocates Push for Brain Injury Screenings
The last thing a domestic violence victim want to take with them as they leave an abusive relationship is a lasting injury. Unfortunately, advocates are now realizing that many survivors suffer...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Distributing Pensions Is About More Than the Money
When you think about your assets, after your home, the next most valuable thing you own is probably your retirement. Despite what you may have been told, there is a big difference between a 401(k) and...
View ArticleBeing a Parent is More Important than Winning Your Case
When you are in the midst of a hotly contested divorce or custody case, it can be easy to get so wrapped up in the fight and forget the bigger picture. The next time conflict with your co-parent heats...
View ArticleMichigan Modifies Domestic Violence Laws
Domestic violence is a serious problem in family law. Whether there has been a conviction or not, the lasting effects of intimate partner violence can make any divorce, custody, or parenting time case...
View ArticleLiving Together May Become Legal, Finally
In 2016, it’s hard to believe that living together could be illegal. Due to an old, outdated law, thousands of Michigan couples are technically committing a crime. That could change with a new bill...
View ArticleWhat Is My Child’s Home State?
If your children live in a different state than you do, it can be hard to know where to go to court. But this is one area of family law that is the same across the country. It all depends on what your...
View ArticleCourt Says Self-Represented Parent Can’t Avoid Children
Attorney fees can be expensive, so lawyers and judges report seeing a lot more self-represented parties in family court. But a recent Court of Appeals decision is an example of why that might not be...
View ArticleSelf-Help to Reduce Child Support
What do you do if you lose your job and can’t afford your child support? You probably don’t have a thousand dollars or more to pay a lawyer to help you. Instead, here are a few self-help tips for how...
View Article3 Things Same-Sex Couples Need to Know About Second Parent Adoption
As America rolls into its second year of legalized same-sex marriage, more gay and lesbian couples are finding ways to bring children into their families. But while Obergefell has opened the door for...
View ArticleSame-Sex Couples, Child Custody, and Michigan’s Equitable Parent Doctrine
It has been over a year since the United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states. Now, many gay and lesbian parents are trying to sort out what that decision means for them....
View ArticleHow Can a Teenager Get an Emancipation?
Growing up comes with a lot of transitions. Teenagers often find themselves at odds with their parents. But sometimes that conflict is more than just growing up. Sometimes an emancipation is the only...
View Article
