Divorce Lawyer in Cascade, Michigan

We Help Clients in Cascade Charter Township With Contested and Uncontested Divorces

Kraayeveld Family Law is a full-service Cascade divorce law firm. We represent a wide range of clients: clients looking to end their marriages in as quick and painless a manner as possible and clients who know they will need to litigate to preserve their assets and their child custody rights. That is why our team is prepared to litigate when it is in our client’s best interest.

What You Need to Know Before Filing for Divorce in Kent County, Michigan

Some of the key things to understand about seeking a divorce in Kent County:

• Divorce cases involving Cascade Township residents are typically heard by Michigan’s 17th Circuit Court. Even if you and your spouse reach a negotiated settlement on the terms of your divorce, any final judgment must still be approved by the Court.
• Unlike many other states, Michigan does not require you to live “separate and apart” from your spouse before filing for divorce. But if you want to file for divorce in Kent County, one of you must have lived in Michigan for 180 days prior to the divorce filing. One of you must also live in Kent County for at least 10 days prior to filing.
• When it comes to settling questions of child custody and child support, Michigan judges must determine the “best interests of the child” based on a number of factors.
• Michigan has adopted the “no-fault” divorce rules. This means you do not have to prove any wrongdoing by either spouse to end a marriage. But in a contested divorce, a court may still consider fault when deciding certain issues, such as whether to award alimony.
• Michigan judges must distribute marital property “fairly” in a contested divorce. Fair does not always mean equal.
• Michigan does recognize and enforce prenuptial (also called antenuptial) agreements when certain conditions are met. But a prenup cannot be used to waive a parent’s child support obligations.

It is also important to emphasize that Michigan courts encourage divorcing spouses to negotiate an agreed upon divorce judgment. This can make the divorce process far less costly, time-consuming, and acrimonious for all parties involved. We can advise you on seeking a negotiating settlement and other forms of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation. Sometimes spouses are not able to reach a settlement of their disputes, and they will need to present their case to the judge to obtain a decision. Divorce trials require a lot of preparation and time commitment.

Contact a Cascade, Michigan, Divorce Lawyer Today

There is no such thing as an “easy” divorce. No matter how bad the marriage is, there are a lot of details that must be resolved before both sides can move on with their lives. We can help make that process go more smoothly. If you would like to speak to an experienced Michigan divorce attorney, call Kraayeveld Family Law today at 616-285-0808 to contact us online to schedule a confidential, no-obligation consultation.