Welcome back, and thanks for joining us for this discussion on Oakland County’s Friend of the Court. So far we’ve discussed what they are, and what a person could expect when first dealing with them. Moving on, we’re going to look at some of the roles they play and the purposes they serve, many of…
Regardless of where in Michigan they live, most people have heard of the Friend of the Court in some capacity or another. It’s a name that some people associate with problem solving, while others get angry just hearing the words. But one thing the name doesn’t do, is explain itself. What does “friend of the…
Unmarried fathers are often thought of as having the least amount of influence in the lives of their children. This is predominantly because, historically, it was the mother who was awarded custody when the couple parted ways. Also, it was the mother who was viewed as invaluable to the raising of the child. Thankfully, we…
For many people who are not familiar with domestic violence, they tend to assume that once the abuser has been arrested, the problem goes away. In truth, many abusers continue to dominate, manipulate and frighten their victims, even while they are behind bars, by way of the jail telephone. How is that possible, you ask?…
We had a number of people reach out with questions about adoption in response to our previous article on Michigan’s licensing requirements for adoptive and foster families. As such, we have decided to share with you some information about adoption in Michigan. Consent laws refer to the agreement made by a parent, or the person…
The first thing to remember when considering fostering or adopting a child in Oakland County, is the fact that foster care is meant to be temporary, while adoption is meant to be permanent. Because of the temporary nature of fostering children, it isn’t recommended for a Michigan foster parent to expect to be able to…
Most people have heard references in movies to the fact that “a wife can’t testify against her husband in court.” But very few people actually know what the spousal privilege law is. In Michigan, the law recognizes that in any marriage, personal and private information is often exchanged between spouses. So if either a husband…
It’s that time of year again! Yes, you guessed it: Tax Season. Taxes are viewed as a source of stress and added work for many families. However, they often mean that there’s a chunk of change headed your way, which is never a bad thing! If you’re a parent, you need that extra money more…
Divorce is very complicated. Very few people would argue with you about that. Besides dividing the couple’s assets and determining who gets what, there is the even more important question of figuring out custody. Deciding what is best for the children in a divorce can be one of the hardest things a divorcing couple has…
Judge Gorcyca, an Oakland County, Michigan Circuit Court Judge who has recently been put on the hit list for the way she handled a fiercely controversial custody case last year, has spoken out against the Judicial Tenure Committee (JTC) that is supposed to be impartially reviewing her conduct. The case began in 2014 when…
