Growing Paternity Rights in Michigan

We’ve all heard the old age “Mother knows best,” and traditionally in the family law arena, courts of the past had seemed to agree. This meant that historically, often, it had been typical for a mother to be granted primary physical custody of her children, barring unusual circumstances. However, now more than ever, domestic courts all over Michigan are showing a greater tendency to consider a father’s role in his children’s lives tantamount to that of the mother, and granting joint custody accordingly. This means that, while in the past, it was expected that children of divorced parents would primarily live with their mother, and a father may have only enjoyed parenting time every other weekend, family-court judges are now often favoring awarding fathers fifty-fifty parenting time when possible.

In some cases, it’s also not unheard of for a judge to determine that a child’s best interest is served when primary physical custody is awarded to a stable and loving father. For example, in today’s modern society when drug use or mental illness may hinder the lifestyle of an otherwise well-meaning mother, a court may look to the father to provide a safe and stable home to the children of the parties. Very recently, our firm was able to settle a case in family court that awarded sole physical custody of his minor child to our client, a hardworking and deserving father. There are many significant factors a family court judge may consider under the law, called “best interest factors,” when determining a parenting time award, and we advise you discuss any concerns you may have with a lawyer before any changes to custody or parenting time are ordered. Nothing makes us happier than seeing the needs of our clients and their families met under difficult circumstances.

Navigating the challenging world of the family court system can be challenging and complex! If you need advice from an experienced family law attorney regarding your custody and parenting time issues, the Law Offices of Joumana Kayrouz can help. Please give us a call today and schedule your free consultation at 248-557-3645.