West Bloomfield Divorce Lawyer

Getting divorced is almost always an emotional experience, even for those who believe it is the best course of action. Whether you are the one wanting the divorce or the spouse who is blindsided when asked for a divorce, you need a West Bloomfield divorce lawyer who has a deep understanding of the many issues surrounding divorce.

The very best way to accomplish all these things is to hire an experienced, empathetic West Bloomfield divorce lawyer who will help you work toward your goals. When you hire Melissa Pearce & Associates, you will get all this and more. Attorney Melissa Pearce strives to change the way we look at divorce as an adversarial process that can traumatize the children involved. Melissa guides parents toward working together to redefine their family structure while keeping the child/parent bonds strong.

About West Bloomfield

West Bloomfield is a Charter Township in Michigan, within the Detroit Metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, West Bloomfield had almost 66,000 residents. Often cited as one of the most expensive places in Oakland County to live, West Bloomfield offers many benefits to its residents. The TreeRunner West Bloomfield Adventure Park is a premier aerial adventure park offering more than 130 obstacles and zip lines, seven courses, and three difficulty levels. A Junior Park for the little ones (3-7) opened in 2019. Those looking for the perfect outdoor adventure will find it at TreeRunner.

About West Bloomfield Divorces

If you want to file for divorce in West Bloomfield, either you or your spouse must have resided in the state of Michigan for at least 180 days. The divorce will be filed in the county where the spouses reside—if they are living apart, then the divorce can be filed in either county of residence. Each divorce in the state of Michigan has a 60-day waiting period, while a divorce with minor children has a six-month waiting period.

As with most states, Michigan offers a no-fault divorce.

This means the spouse filing for divorce must only claim that the marriage is irretrievably broken, rather than claiming adultery, cruelty, or another “fault” as the reason for the divorce. Having a strong West Bloomfield divorce lawyer from Melissa Pearce & Associates can ensure your divorce is straightforward, with no unnecessary detours.

West Bloomfield Divorce Services Provided by Melissa Pearce & Associates

Melissa Pearce & Associates offers comprehensive services for divorce and all related issues, including:

Divorce—Whether your divorce is uncontested or hotly contested, Melissa Pearce & Associates will work toward mutual respect and a collaborative process between spouses.
Child custody and child support—Child custody is often one of the most contentious areas of a divorce. At Melissa Pearce & Associates we believe children thrive when the parents work together toward a common goal, and that the vast majority of parents do not want to emotionally harm their children.
Asset evaluation and division—Our firm will first make a comprehensive evaluation of marital and non-marital assets, explaining the differences in a clear, easy-to-understand manner.
Spousal support—Spousal support in Michigan is not a given, and there is no set “formula” for determining spousal support as there is with child support.
Legal separation—Although Michigan does not offer legal separation, it does offer a similar alternative known as separate maintenance. Separate maintenance is much like legal separation in that the same issues are resolved as would be resolved during a divorce—but the couple remains married.
Paternity issues—If the parents of a child were married when the child is born or when the mother became pregnant, the husband is considered to be the child’s legal father. Unmarried parents must establish paternity, either voluntarily, or through a court-ordered DNA process.
Pre- and postnuptial documents—A prenuptial agreement is finalized prior to the marriage, while a postnuptial agreement is agreed upon after the marriage. Having an experienced West Bloomfield divorce lawyer from Melissa Pearce & Associates will ensure your pre or postnuptial agreement accurately reflects the wishes and goals of each partner.
Protective Orders—Victims of domestic abuse may require a protective order to keep their abuser away from them and keep them safe.
Modifications of spousal support or child support—When either spouse or either parent experiences a significant change in circumstances, they can return to court to ask for a modification of a current spousal support or child support order.

How Is It Decided Who Gets What in a Divorce?

Asset division is often a “touchy” subject during a divorce. The first job will be to separate marital assets from non-marital assets. In most cases, assets one spouse owned prior to the marriage, as well as inheritances and gifts given to one spouse remain their sole and separate property. This is true only if those assets, inheritances, or gifts are not “co-mingled” with marital assets.

As an example, if your great uncle leaves you $100,000 prior to your marriage, but once you are married you place that money into a joint bank account, then it is no longer considered a separate asset. Non-marital property may also be divided by a judge if the other spouse contributed to improving or growing the property, or if the other spouse’s share of the marital property is insufficient to meet that spouse’s needs.

Once your marital and non-marital assets are divided, the marital assets will be divided fairly—but not necessarily evenly. Marital assets and debts will be divided by a judge after considering:

Whether one spouse is more at fault for the end of the marriage
If one spouse is able to pay more, or
When one spouse is responsible for incurring debt without the consent of the other in a manner that did not benefit the household.

Does One Spouse Always Get Half of the Assets in a Divorce?

Because Michigan is an equitable distribution state, marital assets will be divided fairly. In a community property state, marital assets are divided right down the middle regardless of whether one spouse provided the majority of the assets or other factors.

How West Bloomfield Divorce Attorney Melissa Pearce Can Help

If you are facing a divorce, you need knowledgeable assistance. If you want to avoid ending your marriage fighting endlessly about assets and child custody, you need an experienced, highly skilled West Bloomfield divorce attorney from Melissa Pearce & Associates. At our firm, we offer a pre-engagement meeting where we learn about your goals and desired outcomes to determine whether we are the right firm for you. Contact Melissa Pearce & Associates today!