Divorce Attorney in Norton Shores

Are you going through a divorce in Norton Shores, MI? Ending one chapter of your life and starting a new one can be emotionally challenging, but you don’t have to turn the page alone. Instead, an attorney from Kraayeveld Family Law can help you learn how to file for divorce in Michigan and provide the legal and personal support you need to confidently move forward.

Our firm has earned a reputation for zealous advocacy, top-quality client service, tenacity in the court, and determination to protect our clients’ rights and interests. For over 30 years, the legal community — including the judges who’ve heard our cases and opposing counsel who tried to defeat them — has known us as attorneys who take our work and our clients seriously.

You deserve experienced legal counsel who will provide professional and personal attention, prompt responsiveness when you reach out with questions, and comprehensive representation at every moment of your case. Our one-business-day guarantee on your calls and emails means you will never have to wait longer than necessary for us to speak with you about your case.

Contact Kraayeveld Family Law today to schedule a confidential consultation with a Norton Shores, MI, divorce lawyer. We’ll explain how to get a divorce in Michigan and what we can do to make your desired results a reality.

Why You Need an Attorney for Your Norton Shores, MI, Divorce Case

When you decide to separate from your spouse, you might ask yourself, “Do I need a lawyer to get a divorce?” Michigan law does not require spouses to hire legal representation to file for divorce. However, having a Michigan divorce attorney who will advocate for your rights and interests can help you pursue a favorable resolution to the outstanding issues in your divorce.

Let the legal team at Kraayeveld Family Law guide you through the divorce process by:

• Discussing your family’s circumstances and your goals, concerns, and needs to develop a tailored case strategy
• Recovering records, information, and other evidence needed to build compelling arguments in support of your case
• Evaluating the legal issues in your case, such as the existence of a prenuptial agreement or disputes over alimony, property division, or child support and custody
• Advising you if you choose to pursue settlement negotiations or mediation
• Advocating your case in court and at trial as necessary to pursue the fair and favorable outcome you deserve

What Are the Differences Between Contested Divorce and Noncontested Divorce?

Michigan law allows for a no-fault dissolution of marriage. A “no-fault” divorce means spouses do not need to prove that their ex caused or bears “fault” for the breakdown of the marriage. Instead, couples can seek divorce when there is an irretrievable breakdown of their marriages with no reasonable prospect of reconciliation.

Michigan no-fault divorces come in two forms: contested and uncontested. A contested divorce means spouses have an ongoing dispute over one or more issues in their divorce, such as property/asset division, alimony, or child custody/support. An uncontested divorce is one in which the spouses have resolved all outstanding issues in their divorce, whether through a prenuptial/postnuptial agreement or a divorce settlement.

What Are Common Issues in Getting a Divorce?

An experienced Michigan divorce lawyer with Kraayeveld Family Law can advocate for your interests and help you resolve issues in divorce proceedings or any other family law disputes in Michigan, such as:

• Child Custody – We represent clients facing disputes over legal and physical custody arrangements and parenting time schedules.
• Visitation – Our attorneys can advocate for your right to visitation if the court awards your ex sole custody in divorce.
• Child Support – Our firm will fight to ensure your child or children receive the financial support they deserve from both their parents.
• Parental Relocation – We can also help resolve disputes that may arise when one parent proposes to relocate far away or out of Michigan after the divorce.
• School Choice – Our attorneys can help you resolve disputes with your ex over educational decisions for your children or splitting school and extracurricular expenses.
• Spousal Support – Our firm also helps clients obtain temporary relief during divorce proceedings by obtaining orders for alimony pendente lite.
• Grandparent Rights – We help families resolve disputes over grandparents’ rights to see their grandchildren and participate in their lives.
• Prenuptial Agreements – Our attorneys can help you enforce or challenge the validity of your prenuptial agreement with your spouse.
• Asset Division – We can help you resolve disputes over the division of property, including classifying assets as separate or marital, uncovering hidden assets, and achieving a fair property division.
• Parental Alienation – If your soon-to-be ex is trying to turn your children against you, let us fight for your rights and protect your parent-child relationship.
• Annulment – Our firm can also help clients pursue annulment in marriages arising from duress, coercion, or a lack of capacity to enter the marriage.

What Does a High Net Worth Divorce Involve?

A high net worth divorce refers to a divorce proceeding involving a couple who earns significant income or owns high-value or complex assets. They are often more complicated to resolve due to the value of the assets involved and the high potential for conflict.

Couples in the midst of a high net worth divorce may need to divide valuable and complex assets, including the following:

Conflicts that could arise in a high net worth divorce include:

• Classifying assets, as in whether an asset qualifies as marital property subject to division or separate property that a spouse has a right to take with them in divorce
• Valuation of assets, which could require expert appraisers to help couples value such complex assets as real estate, jewelry, artwork, or business ownership interests.
• Handling indivisible assets, such as business ownership interests, which, due to corporate governing documents, could preclude the division or transfer of such assets
• Concealment of assets, if one spouse alleges that the other is attempting to hide income or assets so as to gain an advantage in alimony litigation or property division

These complex issues require time, expertise, and legal know-how — the kind a Norton Shores, MI, divorce attorney can provide.

Are There Residential Requirements When Filing for a Michigan Divorce?

Under state law, a spouse may file for divorce in Michigan if either spouse has resided in the state for at least 180 days before filing the divorce complaint. A plaintiff spouse may file the divorce complaint in any county in Michigan where either spouse has resided for at least 10 days before filing the complaint. However, a spouse does not need to meet the 10-day requirement if:

• The defendant was born in or is a citizen of a country other than the U.S.;
• The parties have a minor child; and
• The court concluded that the defendant poses a risk of taking the parties’ child or children out of the U.S. or retaining them in another country.

Are There Factors of ‘Fault’ a Judge Could Consider in a Divorce Judgment?

Although Michigan has a no-fault divorce system, courts can consider a spouse’s “fault” when resolving outstanding issues in a divorce proceeding, including property division, alimony, or child custody. Some of the types of “fault” that a judge might consider when issuing a divorce judgment include:

• Spousal Abuse – Spousal abuse can take the form of domestic violence, emotional abuse, or manipulation.
• Adultery/Infidelity – Infidelity during the marriage can affect property division if the unfaithful spouse used marital assets to fund their adultery. It may also affect the child custody determination if the couple’s children learn of their parent’s infidelity.
• Desertion/Abandonment – A spouse’s abandonment of the marriage or failure to provide financial support may entitle the other spouse to a larger share of the marital estate in property division.
• Criminal Matters – A spouse who faces criminal prosecution or incarceration may have those circumstances weighed against them during a property division or child custody determination.

How Long Could It Take for My Divorce to Become Finalized?

You may be wondering, “How long does a divorce take?” In Michigan, spouses without a child must observe a mandatory 60-day waiting period after filing for divorce before the court can hold a hearing to issue a final divorce judgment. However, divorces with a child have a minimum waiting period of six months.

Various circumstances will influence the timeline of a divorce case, including:

• Whether spouses have ongoing disputes over property division, alimony, or child custody/support
• Whether a couple has minor children
• The size of a couple’s marital estate and the complexity of their assets
• Whether a spouse suffers from behavioral or substance abuse issues
• The need for professionals or experts, such as psychologists, family therapists, or parenting coordinators, to become involved in the case

Most cases take several months to reach a final judgment, although complex or hotly contested cases can take up to a year to resolve. By speaking with an attorney from Kraayeveld Family Law, you can get a better idea of a timeline based on your situation.

Can I Have My Divorce Decree Modified?

Over time, your family’s circumstances may change enough that your divorce decree no longer reflects the reality of your family’s situation. Fortunately, you can petition the court to modify an alimony, child custody, or child support order, provided you can demonstrate to the court that circumstances have substantially changed since the entry of the current order. In addition, modifying child custody also requires you to show that a proposed new custody arrangement will serve your child’s best interests.

What Divorce Situations Would Necessitate an Appeal?

If a family court committed a procedural or legal error in your divorce that affects the case’s outcome, you may have the right to seek relief on appeal.

An appeal does not mean you get to reargue your case before another court in hopes of a more favorable outcome. Instead, you must convince the appellate court that the family court made a procedural or legal error that affected the outcome of your divorce case to your detriment, such as:

• The family court refused to hear or overlooked material evidence or testimony
• The family court erroneously admitted or excluded evidence or testimony
• The family court misapplied procedural rules
• The family court misapplied the law to the facts of the case or used the wrong legal standard/precedent
• The family court’s decision denied due process

How Much Does a Divorce Cost?

Many people worry about the expense of the divorce process, and one of our most frequently asked questions from prospective clients is, “How much does a divorce cost?” Unfortunately, divorce can become expensive, depending on the circumstances surrounding a couple’s split. Spouses may incur costs during a divorce case for court filing fees, legal expenses, and hiring professional support services or expert witnesses.

That said, the cost of hiring an experienced lawyer is often far less than the cost of going without legal help and consequently receiving an unfavorable divorce judgment or settlement.

Contact Our Norton Shores, MI, Divorce Attorneys Today

If you’re ready to get the legal representation you need to protect your rights and interests in a divorce, we at Kraayeveld Family Law invite you to reach out to us. We can explain the Michigan divorce process and discuss how our firm can help you pursue a favorable resolution to your case that turns the page to the next chapter of your life. Contact us today to set up a confidential consultation with a divorce lawyer in Norton Shores, MI.