Rochester Hills Divorce Lawyers

If a divorce is on the horizon, it’s a good idea to address the matter head-on and consult with an experienced Rochester Hills divorce lawyer sooner rather than later. Divorce is a complicated legal endeavor that is very likely to profoundly affect you and your children’s future, which makes working closely with a dedicated divorce attorney essential.

The Elements of Your Divorce

No two divorces ever follow the same course, but every divorce involves the same basic elements, including:

• Child Custody – If your divorce involves children, your child custody arrangements are likely your primary concern. If you and your divorcing spouse are in general agreement regarding child custody, you can hammer out terms that work for you and your unique situation. In essence, child custody falls into two basic categories – legal and physical custody. Legal custody refers to who makes important decisions for the children, and physical custody refers to whom the children reside with – and when. Both legal and physical custody can be either sole or joint, but even when physical custody is sole custody, the other parent is typically awarded a visitation schedule. The court bases its custody decisions on the best interests of the children, and children are presumed to benefit from having a close, loving relationship with both parents (barring exceptional circumstances).
• The Division of Marital Property – Your marital property, put simply, is that property that you and your spouse acquired together throughout your years as a married couple. Anything that either of you brought into the marriage with you (and kept separate throughout) is separate property that remains yours alone. In the State of Michigan, marital property is divided upon divorce in a manner that is considered fair. While fair is often interpreted as equal, this isn’t necessarily the case. The court has vast discretion when it comes to the division of marital property and can take a wide range of factors into consideration in its decision-making process. These factors can include matters such as marital infidelity, individual contributions to the marriage, individual financial need post-divorce, and much more. Often, a couple’s home is their primary asset, and determining how best to proceed in relation to this home can be especially complicated. 

• Child Support – Child support is generally based on state calculation guidelines, but again, the court has considerable discretion in the matter and can take special circumstances into careful consideration. Child support is based on the important tenet that both parents are responsible for raising their children to adulthood and is a tool for helping to balance each parent’s financial contributions.
• Alimony – While alimony isn’t always a consideration when the court finds that one spouse has a financial need and the other spouse has the financial ability to help, alimony may be implemented (usually as a temporary fix). 

Discuss Your Case with an Experienced Rochester Hills Divorce Lawyer Today

The dedicated divorce lawyers at the Law Offices of Robbins & Licavoli in Rochester Hills are committed to skillfully advocating for divorce terms that are right for you. Your case is important, so please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information today.