[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/custody\/process\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/custody\/process\/","headline":"Process for Determining Custody","name":"Process for Determining Custody","description":"Understanding the Child Custody Process Legal custody, physical custody, joint custody, sole custody, change in circumstances, established custodial environment, best interest factors: if this is the first time that you are confronted with a child custody situation, these terms may be confusing, scary and overwhelming. At Kraayeveld Family Law, our Grand Rapids family lawyers are […]","datePublished":"2024-07-22","dateModified":"2026-10-14","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/author\/kraayeveld\/#Person","name":"Kraayeveld Family Law","url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/author\/kraayeveld\/","identifier":8,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/179f6a26e32050a6162fd3fcdca95850b748564b8835d594d7a995415f30e730?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/179f6a26e32050a6162fd3fcdca95850b748564b8835d594d7a995415f30e730?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Kraayeveld Family Law","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Kraayeveld-Logo.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Kraayeveld-Logo.svg","width":0,"height":0}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/process-custody.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/process-custody.jpg","height":344,"width":808},"url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/custody\/process\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4QJXGHQ33-4#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4QJXGHQ33-4","name":"How to Get Child Custody: 5 Things You Must Do First","description":"How to Get Child Custody: 5 Things You Must Do First\n\nA judge who has never met your kids will decide custody. Here are the 5 things you must do first.\n\nAttorney Jim Kraayeveld, founding attorney at Kraayeveld Family Law with over 30 years of experience in West Michigan, walks through the step-by-step process of preparing for a custody case, so the judge actually understands what your child needs. In this video, Jim covers:\n\n\u2705 Legal vs. physical custody, and why giving up joint legal custody can cost you a say in schooling, healthcare, and even moves\n\u2705 Why you must answer divorce or parentage papers, or risk a default that shuts you out of the case\n\u2705 How an Affidavit of Parentage can save you time and money if you were never married\n\u2705 What to expect from a temporary order and the Friend of the Court FIG conference, and why you shouldn't sign just anything\n\u2705 How discovery, experts, and depositions prepare you for the evidentiary hearing or trial, where you don't get a second chance\n\nWant to go deeper on how Michigan judges decide custody? Watch our full Best Interest Factors video series.\n\n\ud83d\udcde Anticipating a custody dispute in Michigan? Contact Kraayeveld Family Law today.\n\ud83d\udcf1 Call: (616) 612-1393\n\ud83c\udf10 kraayeveld.com\n\nSubscribe for a new Michigan family law video every week.\n\n#KraayeveldFamilyLaw #ChildCustody #MichiganFamilyLaw #LegalCustody #ParentingTime #BestInterestFactors #FriendOfTheCourt #FamilyLawAttorney #WestMichiganLaw #CustodyRights\n\n---\n\nWant the YouTube Studio tag set and reel title options for this one too?","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/4QJXGHQ33-4\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/4QJXGHQ33-4\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/4QJXGHQ33-4\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/4QJXGHQ33-4\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/4QJXGHQ33-4\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2026-10-14T13:00:39+00:00","duration":"PT7M43S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4QJXGHQ33-4","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCIFBq8W6k05pXgw0k98DZPQ#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCIFBq8W6k05pXgw0k98DZPQ","name":"Kraayeveld Family Law","description":"\nGrand Rapids family law attorneys helping clients with divorce and child custody disputes in West Michigan.\n","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/0ucpS3xzwE2Lhnwtcd7eoF0oLwq7VmOIYlMbRuDAMZJdnz1G6W69BDWIvkGPEEHYXHzsdvPDLg=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4QJXGHQ33-4#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4QJXGHQ33-4#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4QJXGHQ33-4&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4QJXGHQ33-4#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":200}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4QJXGHQ33-4#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":6}]}},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/custody\/process\/#BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Child Custody","item":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/custody\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Process for Determining Custody","item":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/custody\/process\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]