Parenting Time Lawyers in Livonia, MI

Wayne County Attorneys for Parental Visitation

It is nearly impossible for parents to develop relationships with their children unless they can spend meaningful time together. When a child's parents no longer live together—or never did—obtaining such time together can be quite difficult. At Elkouri Heath PLC, we firmly believe that every parent should have the right to cultivate a healthy, productive relationship with his or her child, and we work hard to help our clients obtain appropriate amounts of parenting time.

Attorneys Susan Elkouri and Symantha Heath are skilled family law attorneys who are equipped to help you protect your rights to parenting time in the wake of a divorce or in child custody proceedings. Our firm is well-known throughout southeast Michigan for our dedication to client service and our commitment to helping families navigate challenging circumstances.

Protecting Parents' Rights in Washtenaw and Canton

In any child custody case, one parent will typically be named as the custodial parent and assume primary responsibility for the child's overall well-being. Depending on the arrangement, the other parent may or may not share authority for making important decisions about the child's life. Either way, Michigan law provides that it is the right of the child to have parenting time with both parents unless spending time with a particular parent would "endanger the child's physical, mental, or emotional health."

Parenting time—sometimes called visitation in other states—is determined based on the child's best interests. Parents are encouraged to develop a parenting time schedule that meets their needs, but if the parents cannot reach an agreement, a schedule may be set by the court upon consideration of a number of statutory factors, including:

• Any special needs or circumstances affecting the child;
• The likelihood of abuse of the child or parent;
• The inconvenience to the child required to travel between homes;
• Whether a parent is expected to comply with the order;
• A parent's previous failures to exercise parenting time;
• Any attempts by a parent to keep the child from the other parent; and
• Any other factor found to be relevant.

A reasonable parenting time agreement should be customized to meet your family's unique needs regarding birthdays, holidays, school calendars, family traditions, and extracurricular activities. At Elkouri Heath PLC, we will work with you in developing a plan that will serve you and your children for years to come.

Macomb Parenting Time Violations Lawyers

If either parent acts or fails to act in such a way that the other parent's parenting time is compromised, the situation may constitute a parenting time violation. In Michigan, the Friend of the Court (FOC) is a government agency that provides assistance to parents with custody, parenting time, and child support concerns. The FOC is required to initiate enforcement activities if it receives a written complaint with evidence to support a parenting time order violation. Such enforcement measures may result in the commencement of civil contempt proceedings or the modification of the existing parenting time order.

At Elkouri Heath PLC, we understand that if you are the subject of an investigation or enforcement efforts by the FOC, you need help. We will work closely with you to ensure your rights are protected throughout the process.

Call Us Today

Whether you are a parent who is going through a divorce or an unmarried parent looking to protect your rights, contact our office for guidance. Call 248-344-9700 for a free, confidential consultation at Elkouri Heath PLC today. Located in Novi, MI, we serve clients in and around Livonia, Farmington Hills, Canton, Washtenaw, Macomb, Livingston, Oakland County, and Wayne County.