Divorce Residency Essentials to Get Divorce in Michigan

If you wish to file for a dissolution of marriage in the State of Michigan, at least one spouse must be a resident of the state for 180 days and a resident of the county in which he or she plans to file for at least ten days. There are no stipulations made by the state court regarding where the marriage took place or where the grounds for divorce occurred.

Reasons for Divorce in Michigan

There is only one ground for divorce in the state of Michigan, which is an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. This ground will cover nearly every possible reason that a couple would have for wishing to end a marriage. More information about choosing the grounds for divorce will be found as you begin filling out your divorce papers on OnlineDivorceSolutions.com

Custody of the Children in Michigan

In Michigan, one potential child custody arrangement that the courts recognize is joint custody. Joint custody is not usually granted at a 50-50 arrangement. It does, however, permit both parents to participate in the decision-making process regarding a child’s overall well-being.

In a contested child custody matter, the court must keep the wishes of the child, as well as the best interests of the child and all other parties, in mind. The court will also consider the child’s adjustment to his or her household, school, friends, community, siblings and other elements when making choices regarding child custody situations.

Michigan Child Support Guidelines

The State of Michigan has child support guidelines which apply in nearly every situation. When calculating child support in Michigan, both parties' gross income and child related expenses are taken into consideration. Support continues until the child reaches 18, but may be extended until the child completes secondary school.

Divorce Mediation

When there are contested issues, and the parties wish to file an uncontested divorce, the parties may seek mediation. A judge may also refer certain matters to arbitration with a written stipulation that disputed problems are resolved before the divorce is finalized.

Filing fees

All court filing fees in the state of Michigan are charged in addition to the inexpensive price of using OnlineDivorceSolutions.com. These filing fees may vary from county to county. Please check with your local courthouse for exact costs to put together your plan for paying for your divorce without a lawyer.