More and more people have substantial credit card debts, home equity lines, and/or second mortgages on a home. I see many divorces where the assets are less than the liabilities. This is a situation where there may have to be some creative financing. There may be the necessity for exploring bankruptcy. It may be a […]
These are rapidly decreasing in value. In some cases where there are a lot of debts, and people want to avoid bankruptcy, it may make sense to take the husband’s 401K and/or IRA and roll it over to the wife, if she has an income. This way there are no penalties. She can then take […]
Change of domicile is a matter that the courts in Michigan take very seriously. This is where one parent – normally the custodial parent – is seeking permission to leave the state and move to another state. In the past, it was very difficult to change domicile because the court’s want to keep both parents […]
Domestic violence is on the rise, especially with people losing their jobs, losing their incomes, and facing a drastic reduction in lifestyle as is happening too frequently in ‘09. The following are nine issues to consider with regard to domestic violence: 9. Domestic violence consists of physical abuse, and if there is physical abuse, call […]
9. Once your divorce is filed, find out as much as you can about the judge. 8. Stay out of court as much as possible because court appearances are costly, not only financially, but also from an emotional standpoint. Judges will not know you or your case unless you are in a situation where you […]
9. Before taking any legal action, communicate with your spouse. 8. See if the marriage can be saved through counseling. 7. Try to resolve as many issues as possible, first of all through mediation, or using the collaborative process, which is where you each have independent attorneys, but you do not file until everything is […]
9. How specific a schedule do you need for parenting time/visitation? The better your communication and the older your children, the less specificity that you need. 8. What is the typical schedule? The typical, traditional schedule has been alternate weekends from Friday until Sunday, along with alternate holidays consisting of Memorial Day, Fourth of July, […]
9. How is child support determined? This varies from state to state, but normally it is a formula that looks at the income of both parents, the amount of time that the child or children spend with each parent, and then a computer formula is run to come up with the appropriate amount of child […]
The laws in the State of Michigan do not recognize either common law marriage or commitment ceremonies as same sex couples are not allowed to legally marry in Michigan. What happens when the couples who have lived together and co-mingled property without being marriaged, breakup? I have handled both types of situations in my practice. […]
Tough Economic times doesnt mean you have to choose between “getting by” or your responsibilities . There are steps that you can take to take care of your obligations without putting yourself in a more difficult position. In Michigan, there is no retroactive modification of child support by law. If you are about to lose […]
Lippitt O’Keefe Gornbein, PLLC
370 E. Maple Rd
Birmingham, MI 48009
(248) 646-8292
(248) 594-3222
hgornbein@lippittokeefe.com