| The state of Michigan has very exact laws that | | | | who can help them make fair custody arrangements. |
| provide guidelines for parents to make a custody and | | | | It is very similar to mediation and the goal is to help |
| visitation schedule. These laws are found in Chapter | | | | the contested case get resolved before going to |
| 552 of the Michigan Revised Statutes, and they are | | | | court. The court appoints a friend of the court who |
| key for a parent who needs to make a schedule | | | | acts in the child's best interest and parents should put |
| that the court will accept. Within these statutes, | | | | forth a good faith effort to work with each other |
| parents will find that they must make a visitation | | | | and the friend so that the best custody schedule can |
| schedule that includes reasonable parenting time for | | | | be determined. |
| each parent, that the state of Michigan encourages | | | | 3. Factors considered when determining the best |
| parents to work out their schedule without the | | | | interest of the child. If the parents are still not able to |
| assistance of a judge, and that the state has certain | | | | agree on the visitation schedule, they must go to |
| factors the parents should think about when deciding | | | | court and let a judge decide about the schedule. The |
| what is in the best interest of the child. Here is an | | | | judge will make a decision based on the best interest |
| overview of these important points that impact the | | | | of the child. This is the standard found in the Michigan |
| custody schedule. | | | | Revised Statutes. Some of the factors that the |
| 1. Each parent must have reasonable parenting time. | | | | judge will consider when thinking about the best |
| The Michigan law states that both parents should | | | | interest of the child are: the love, affection, and |
| have reasonable parenting time with the child. This | | | | other emotional ties between each parent and the |
| allows for a lot of flexibility as the parents make their | | | | child; the capacity of the each parent to give the |
| custody and visitation schedules, and it also means | | | | child love, affection, and guidance and to continue the |
| that the schedule must be fair. There isn't an exact | | | | education of the child; the ability of each parent to |
| formula for determining what reasonable parenting | | | | provide food, clothing, medical care, and other needs |
| time is--this is left for the mother and father to | | | | to the child; the length of time the child has been in a |
| decide. It is based on what the child needs. Parents | | | | stable environment; the permanence of the existing |
| should make sure that each parent has enough time | | | | or proposed custodial home; the moral fitness of the |
| with the child to build and maintain a nurturing | | | | parents; the health of the parents and the child; the |
| relationship. The custody statutes also encourages | | | | child's home, school, and community; the preference |
| parents to have joint custody whenever possible. | | | | of the child; the willingness of the parents to |
| 2. A Friend of the Court. Chapter 552.501-552.535 is | | | | encourage the child to see the other parent; any |
| the Friend of the Court Act. This act requires parents | | | | history of domestic violence; and any other factor |
| who are not able to agree on a custody and | | | | that is relevant to the particular case. |
| visitation schedule to meet with a friend of the court | | | | |