Answers
The questions people actually call about.
Answered in the first sentence, with the statute cited where there is one. If your question is not here, it is a good reason to call.
Section 01
Getting started
- When should I actually call a lawyer?
- Earlier than feels necessary. The decisions that are hardest to undo get made before most people call anyone: moving out, agreeing to a temporary schedule, talking to police, paying a ticket. A first call costs nothing and regularly changes what someone was about to do that same week.
- What should I bring to the first conversation?
- Whatever paperwork you have. A citation, a complaint, bond papers, or an existing order tells him more in thirty seconds than a long explanation. If you have nothing but a situation, that is fine too. Just call.
- Will you tell me if I do not need a lawyer?
- Yes, and it happens regularly. Some matters do not need representation yet, and some need a different kind of lawyer. He will say so on the first call rather than after a retainer, which is exactly what you would want in his position.
Section 02
Family matters
- How long does a Michigan divorce take?
- There is a mandatory wait in every case: at least 60 days, and six months where there are minor children. What determines whether your case lands near the floor or well past it is mostly decided by choices made early, which is what the first call is about.
- Do I need grounds to file?
- No. Michigan is a no-fault state, and a spouse who disagrees cannot stop it. The real questions are the ones underneath: the house, the children, support. Those are worth a conversation before you file anything.
- Is property split fifty-fifty?
- No. Michigan divides property equitably, which is argued case by case rather than calculated. Where your case is likely to land, and what strengthens your side of that argument, depends on facts he can hear in one call.
- How is custody decided?
- Judges work through a list of best-interest factors, but any given case turns on a few of them. Which few, and what you should be doing about them starting this week, is the actually useful question, and it needs your facts to answer.
- Can I change an existing custody or support order?
- Sometimes, but there are thresholds to clear first, and most do-it-yourself attempts die there. If circumstances have genuinely changed, how the request is framed decides whether it gets heard at all. Call before you file.
Section 03
Charges and citations
- Do I have to talk to the police?
- No, and you should not without counsel, even if you have nothing to hide, and especially if you think talking will clear things up. That instinct fills case files. Say you want a lawyer, then call one.
- I was arrested for OWI. What now?
- Two clocks are already running: the court case and your license, and the license side has the shorter deadlines. This is the one situation on this page where the answer is simply: call today.
- Should I just pay my ticket?
- Paying admits responsibility, attaches the points, and cannot be undone. The insurance cost of the points usually dwarfs the fine, which makes the moment before paying the only moment worth a phone call.
- Will this charge end up on my record?
- It depends on the charge, your history, and early decisions in the case, some of which cannot be revisited later. Depending on your situation there may be paths that protect the record, and finding them late is the same as not finding them.
Last reviewed by Vasso C. Karapatsakis.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change and outcomes depend on the specific facts of each case. Consult a licensed Michigan attorney about your situation before acting. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Still not sure where you stand?
That is what the call is for. (734) 787-4121, weekdays 9am to 5pm.
44245 Ford Rd, Ste 101, Canton MI 48187. Weekdays 9am to 5pm.