Empowering People

Our Services

We know family matters can be difficult to navigate. Whether moving through changes or planning for the future, situations can quickly turn emotional and complex—we understand. These are real struggles with the potential for life altering consequences. It is your life and it’s important. Our team of attorneys help you face these important crossroads in a straight-forward manner while providing professional, compassionate guidance in a supportive environment.

We are also proud to be a member of the Collaborative Practice Institute of Michigan. This membership allows us to actively participate in changing Michigan’s divorce culture and to better serve our clients and their families.

 

 

10.0Shelley A. Kester Shelley A. KesterClients’ ChoiceAward 2021
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Divorce

When married partners choose to end their relationship, we focus on your desired outcomes in the complicated areas of custody, property and marital finances through negotiation and settlement or when disputes cannot be resolved, creative and skilled litigation.

Collaborative Divorce

We are trained in collaborative divorce. In collaborative divorce, a team approach is used to work through the legal, financial and emotional issues that arise in the dissolution of a marriage. When the best solutions have been captured in a written agreement, the parties together file the divorce action, and the process is respectfully and promptly completed. We can help you determine if collaborative divorce is an appropriate option in your case.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

We can discuss with you the alternative dispute resolution options available to reach agreement with your spouse that best fits your situation and the parties involved. Please ask us about the various options to reaching agreement with your spouse or co-parent.

Child Custody

We work closely with you to put the needs of your child(ren) first. Legal custody has to do with the major decisions affecting your child(ren) such as their education, medical care and religious education. We will help you understand the ramifications of sole versus joint legal custody as well as its impact on your ability to relocate. Physical custody can be with one parent or both. We educate our clients on the objectives behind custody and parenting time and the meaning behind the phrase ‘best interests of the child(ren),’ the Michigan parenting time statute and the evidence you will need when custody of your children is your concern.

Parenting Time

Are you worried about your child’s parenting time schedule and how it is affecting or will affect your child? Are changes needed? Is your time being denied or your relationship with your child being undermined? We are highly experienced and committed advocates for our clients and their children.

Paternity

Paternity cases concern unmarried parents with minor children. This area often involves complicated legal and emotional issues that can be time sensitive. We will educate you on the methods to establish paternity, help you achieve your goals for custody and parenting time and discuss with you the legal implications caused by delay of action. Whether you are filing or defending a suit as an unmarried parent, we will work diligently to help you achieve your parenting goals and educate you to be better prepared for the future.

Child Support

We help you understand the Michigan Child Support Guidelines, how they apply to your case and whether a deviation from the guidelines is appropriate as well as the steps to effectively present your case to the Court.

Post-Judgment Modification

Though the divorce judgment is final, an unplanned change of circumstances may require a change in custody, parenting time, child support or modifiable spousal support. We’re here to advocate and protect your interests to respond to those changes.

Judgment Terms Enforcement

When parenting time, support payments or other divorce settlement issues are not honored, we can help you enforce or defend a motion to enforce the Judgment terms.

Personal Protection Orders

There are two types of personal protection orders (PPOs). If you are being stalked from another person, we can help you obtain a PPO. If you are in a domestic relationship and have been threatened, harassed, physically abused or stalked we can help you obtain the protection you need or defend you from a PPO that was improperly obtained.

Mediation

We routinely advocate for our clients at mediation to help them achieve effective results at mediation and understand human nature and the nuances of negotiation. Our firm has attorneys who are trained and experienced mediator in both facilitative and collaborative mediation. Our skills and broad experience have resulted in a high success rate in dispute resolution.

Separate Maintenance

If both parties prefer to remain legally married but wish to be economically and physically separated, we offer solutions for custody, property and marital finances for married partners whose religious or moral beliefs prevent them from dissolving a marriage but who are best served by living separate lives.

Guardianship (Adults or Minors)

When an individual lacks sufficient capacity to make or communicate informed decisions about their personal well-being or they have a developmental disability, or for matters involving minors in need of a guardian, a guardianship may be appropriate. We can help you with the process and make the best decision for your situation.

Step-Parent Adoptions

We represent parents and step parents in step-parent adoption proceedings where a biological parent has failed to meet their parenting obligations for two years under the law, consents to the adoption or has passed away.

Estate Planning

As life progresses and your goals or family dynamics change, your estate plan should move with you to meet your changing goals. We represent a broad range of individuals in areas of estate planning, administration of trusts and estates and in the drafting of wills, trusts and durable powers of attorney.