» Choosing the Best Divorce Process

Is It Easier to Break-Up a Relationship if You are Not Married?

A recent study found that 48% of newborn babies are delivered by unmarried women. This and other studies shows that increasingly people are choosing to form intimate partnerships without benefit of marriage. It is difficult to know what their motivat… Read More
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Is there a good time to divorce?

In order to avoid having a more difficult, hostile divorce, it is useful to pay attention to timing. For example, filing just before an important event, like your spouse’s birthday, or your wedding anniversary, will inflame the situation. Simil… Read More
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If Tom and Katie Can Divorce is Relative Privacy, So Can You

The stories regarding Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ divorce have died down. In the intervening months, they have demonstrated that their private, reasoned divorce can establish a new family relationship and they can both care for their daughter.… Read More
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Settling Your Divorce in Court is NOT Necessary

Particularly if you have children, there are tremendous benefits from maintaining a civil relationship with your spouse. Even couples who do not have children may need to work together in the future. In Michigan, starting a divorce requires the word,… Read More
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The Hard Talk - Telling Your Spouse the Marriage is Over

How to do it? Have the courage to sit down and talk with your spouse/partner what you are thinking and why. GIve them the courtesy of a face-to-face talk. Yes, there will likely be tears. Yes, it will be uncomfortable for both of you. Still you owe t… Read More
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Early Stage Mediation Works Better

Anyone filing a domestic case in Washtenaw County has a 75% chance of receiving an order to mediate when the Clerk of the Court returns the summons. As we know, Judge O’Brien and Judge Wheeler both require mediation unless the parties have reached… Read More
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How Do Divorce Lawyers Handle Their Own Divorces?

How do divorce lawyers handle their own divorces? They try to do everything they can to stay away from court. Why? They know that going to court is a losing proposition. It wastes money, time, energy and future good-will. They know that dwelling on t… Read More
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When Your Spouse is Being Unreasonable and Won't Settle

Family law practitioners have sophisticated tools for helping clients settle their cases. Most will settle if the couple can start using collaborative practice or facilitative mediation early. There are some cases where one partner is so angry about… Read More
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Does Fault Behavior Impact a Mediated or Collaborative Practice Case?

Many people know at the beginning of their divorce that they do not wish to resort to judicial decision-making or litigation. The want to use mediation or collaborative practice to resolve their family disputes. In such cases, does fault still matter… Read More
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Do We Each Really Need a Lawyer to Divorce?

Ethically, a lawyer can only represent the interests of one client in a divorce. Even when husband and wife reach agreement on a settlement, they each have different interests. Example: Wife wants to keep the house that has an equity value of $100,00… Read More
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