Divorces are filed in
the Family Court. The party filing must have lived in
Michigan for six months and Lapeer County for ten days
immediately prior to filing. The court will help the
parties resolve issues concerning the minor children and
division of property. Often cases are referred for
mediation to assist the parties.
There is a mandatory waiting period in Michigan before a
divorce can be finalized; two months if there are no minor
children and six months if there are minor children.
Most people employ an attorney to
assist with their divorce because of the complexity involved.
The Court staff cannot provide legal advice and presently there
is no free legal aid for domestic relations cases.
There are many agencies and faith based
programs to help parties with marriage or relationship
problems.
Additional information can be obtained
by visiting the Friend of the Court website.
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DIVORCE