On behalf of Lisa D. Stern, P.C. posted in Divorce on Monday, February 13, 2012
Going through a divorce in February can be difficult because of Valentine's Day. The stores are filled with heart decorations, restaurants offer special meals for couples and everyone seems to be talking about love. So it may be surprising to learn that February is the most active month for divorces. October is the least active month.
Divorce is quite common, and roughly half of all marriages end in one. Every city in the United States shows that divorce rates are higher in women. In Detroit, Michigan, 12.4 percent of women and 9.6 percent of men are divorced.
On behalf of Lisa D. Stern, P.C. posted in Fathers' Rights on Friday, February 10, 2012
Although custody battles can put a significant strain on parent-child relationships, moms and dads still have a responsibility to maintain a connection with their children. Michigan divorce proceedings can be difficult on some fathers, who often are shut out of their children's lives because of animosity and resentment from their former spouse.
Parents sometimes don't know about fathers' rights and they find themselves alienated by children who will not return their calls or acknowledge their presence. Some mothers even file false abuse claims or use other nefarious methods to keep fathers away from their kids. Despite these threats, fathers have a number of personal options to assert their paternity.
On behalf of Lisa D. Stern, P.C. posted in Child Custody on Friday, February 3, 2012
An old Michigan law stands in the way of a biological father's right to custody of his daughter, while the man who the state says has all the rights is in jail on drug charges. The man is now the inspiration behind a bill that will allow biological parents to petition for child custody in some circumstances.
Currently, The Paternity Act of 1956 says that child custody rights belong to the mother and the man to whom the mother was married at the time of conception. What happens, though, when the biological father is not the mother's husband? This is the recent case that is prompting some to seek changes to the law
On behalf of Lisa D. Stern, P.C. posted in Child Support on Thursday, January 26, 2012
Few Michigan parents face as large of a back child support obligation that Randy Jackson, brother of the late pop star Michael Jackson, is facing. He is purportedly on the hook for a total of $600,000 in back child support, including interest.
Years ago, his ex-wife obtained a default judgment against him in a paternity case, ruling him the father of her daughter, and ordering support payments of $1,200 a month. He claims that he was never properly served with the lawsuit. He is therefore going to court to challenge it.
On behalf of Lisa D. Stern, P.C. posted in Visitation on Friday, January 20, 2012
A child custody battle between parents inevitably has an effect on the child. Parents may disagree about the conditions set for visitation, child support and other issues that commonly come up during a child custody case. If one parent is unwilling or unable to abide by obligations set in a custody hearing, there may be legal consequences.
A pattern of consistent interference and inconvenience in a parenting plan is grounds for bringing the matter to the attention of Michigan courts. Whether a parent does not pick up a child for scheduled visitation, denies the other parent time with the child, fails to communicate, or negatively influences the child, these violations can certainly put a strain on the child.
On behalf of Lisa D. Stern, P.C. posted in Fathers' Rights on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Under the law, Michigan fathers have the same rights to co-parenting as mothers. Often, a father may feel as though these rights have been violated. In some cases, the laws that are upheld in a court are antiquated and no longer relevant to a more modern familial structure. Recently, the Michigan Senate approved four bills that would update an outdated law that may violate a father's rights.
The law in question is from 1956. The decades-old law states that a child born during a marriage is a product of that marriage. This becomes a problem when the husband in the marriage is not the biological father of the child, as is the case for at least one Michigan man. The biological father has been prevented from seeing his daughter as a result of the law and wants to see that changed.
On behalf of Lisa D. Stern, P.C. posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, January 4, 2012
When divorced or unmarried parents are sharing custody of their children, one difficult issue that can come up is whether their child custody arrangement adequately covers parenting time during holidays and vacations. Like most families, parents in Michigan want to spend the holidays with their children. That may not always be realistic and, in fact, being shuffled around during holidays may be very stressful for the children.
Parents should always consider what family courts look to when they are determining the best course of action, which is what is the best interest of the child. Is it helpful for a child to witness parent's tug-of-war during the holidays? Or is it instead more appropriate for a child to simply enjoy a holiday or vacation day, even if one parent misses out?
On behalf of Lisa D. Stern, P.C. posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Detroit parents who are getting divorced must already go through the difficult process of determining the future of their children. With whom will they spend most of their time? What will the holidays look like? Who will pay child support? What is the child's preference?
In addressing these larger matters, parents are getting even more specific with child custody plans. More and more, parents are including meticulous religious guidelines and acceptable practices in the custody arrangements.
In these types of agreements, parents can specify religion, denomination and doctrine. They are also laying out guidelines for practicing religion. For instance, a document might say that a child must attend religious education classes through middle school and cannot quit before then.
On behalf of Lisa D. Stern, P.C. posted in Divorce on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
It is not uncommon for a divorced couple to feel emotionally strained in the wake of the separation. It may take some time for a person to overcome the anxiety and trauma that a divorce can cause. With stress and emotions already running high, the holidays can prove to be very difficult for someone who is dealing with a divorce.
There are a number of ways a person can cope with this difficult time of year in order to make this period a little better.
On behalf of Lisa D. Stern, P.C. posted in Child Support on Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Under ideal circumstances, child support payments would be made on time and in full. However, with the recent economical and employment issues that many Michigan families have faced this year, these payments are suffering.
While few parents like to pay child support, the financial support is essential to a child's future. How those payments are calculated can vary and a number of factors are taken into consideration. What is consistently considered is the income of both parents. Based on this and other factors, appropriate child support payments can be determined.
