FAMILY LAW

Berry Moorman was founded on values of trust, loyalty, and commitment to its clients. Nowhere are these more important than in the complex and ever-changing area of family law.

For many years, our firm has been helping business people and their spouses through complex divorces.  We’re known for handling high-stakes divorce, and for keeping our clients’ cases private. We have been helping families achieve amicable divorce while ensuring our clients receive their fair share.

Berry Moorman was founded on values of trust, loyalty, and commitment to its clients. Nowhere are these more important than in the complex and ever-changing area of family law. Our goal in every case we handle is to protect our client’s interests by providing the highest standard of legal representation.

Our Michigan family law attorneys serve each client with skilled, aggressive, and creative legal representation that responds to the unique requirements of each case. The client comes first, and we are committed to working towards a fair and equitable conclusion to the proceedings. If you are considering or are already involved in a family law action, you should speak with one of our experienced attorneys to learn about your legal rights and how you can protect your interests.

At Berry Moorman, we understand both the legal and emotional issues involved in family law cases and the need to handle each case with sensitivity so that you are comfortable and confident during every stage of the representation. We offer many years of experience advocating for clients of diverse backgrounds, we are always mindful of the stress family changes impose on the client, and we are at all times focused on the welfare of any children involved.

We strive to make sure that the outcome of your divorce or other family law matter allows you to move forward with your life. We will advise you of the legal options available and provide you with the best legal advice you need to make informed decisions as we proceed with your divorce or other family law matter.  With careful planning, complex family law matters can be resolved with creative solutions.  While we seek to avoid lengthy public courtroom drama, sometimes it is necessary to resolve a case and achieve the result you need.

In matrimonial and other domestic matters, we have the benefit of drawing upon the many practice areas of our Firm as issues arise in family law matters related to real estate, tax, corporate, estate planning, and other areas of the law. We work closely with our other practice areas to provide informed and insightful counsel.

Our family law practice includes the following full range of experienced and caring family law services:

  • the divorce process
  • complex divorce matters
  • asset and liability division
  • business valuation issues
  • spousal support (alimony)
  • prenuptial/postnuptial agreements and enforcement
  • separate maintenance
  • paternity
  • annulment
  • financial disputes between couples
  • property division
  • asset valuation
  • debt division
  • asset protection plans
  • family-owned or closely-held businesses
  • child custody including interstate custody disputes
  • parent/child issues and child therapists
  • parenting time
  • child support
  • child abuse/neglect
  • termination of parental rights
  • guardianship
  • change of domicile / parental relocation
  • abuse prevention orders and domestic violence
  • restraining orders, injunctions, and orders of protection (personal protection orders)
  • contempt actions / violation of orders
  • enforcement of judgment/court orders
  • modification of final judgment (e.g. child support, spousal support, child custody and parenting time plans)
  • domestication of foreign judgment
  • martial tort claims (assault, abuse, fraud, emotional distress, transmission of STDs)
  • changing schools and school districts
  • mediation and arbitration
  • jurisdictional dispute
  • appeals
    • mother’s rights
    • father’s rights
    • grandparents’ and stepparents’ rights
    • unmarried couples with children

We take into account the client’s long-term needs as they relate to other areas of law such as business, real estate, tax, corporate, pension, probate and estate planning. We pride ourselves on our expertise and resources in the following areas:

  • parenting coordinators
  • child therapists
  • guardians ad litem
  • complex business valuations
  • expert witnesses
  • appraisals of high net worth estates
  • abuse prevention orders in domestic violence
  • alternative dispute resolution
  • post-divorce estate planning including wills and trusts
  • probate law
  • real estate law

For more information and a confidential consultation, please contact one of our Birmingham, Detroit, and Ann Arbor, Michigan family law attorneys.

Berry Moorman represents family law clients in Oakland County, Wayne County, Macomb County, Genesee County and Washtenaw County and throughout Southeast Michigan.

John J. Schrot
SHAREHOLDER

Ph: (248) 645-9680
Ph: (313) 496-1200
Fax: (248) 645-1233

Family Law FAQ

Answers to some of the most commonly asked questions regarding Family Law.

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Related Practice Areas

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Business & Corporate

Civil Litigation

Estate Planning

Estate & Trust Litigation

Immigration Law

Real Estate Law

Tax Law

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

Berry Moorman attorney John Schrot addressed the vision and goals of the Family Division of the Circuit Court at 2019 Family Law Section Annual Meeting

Berry Moorman attorney John Schrot spoke on September 21, 2019 at the 2019 Family Law Section Annual Meeting of the Michigan State Bar. He addressed the vision, goals and history of the Family Division of the Circuit Court. More than 20 years ago the Family Division was created. The program focused on protecting and strengthening this specialty court.

Legal Marijuana and Family Law

By John Schrot, Jr.
Be careful if and when you light up, or otherwise consume, marijuana, as you may get burned. In spite of shifting legal and cultural norms, using recreational or medical marijuana can work to your disadvantage in divorce and/or child custody/parenting time cases.

Business Emergency Legal Preparedness.

By John Schrot, Jr.
Don’t let a disaster black out your business.  Most companies don’t survive emergencies.  Delay, in and of itself, can be devastating to the success and/or viability of a business.   While there are many aspects of business preparedness, this article focuses on legal preparations.

Spousal support tax deduction change

by John J. Schrot, Jr.
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) was signed into law in December, 2017, and it changes the treatment of spousal support (alimony).  Currently spousal support is tax deductible for the paying spouse and taxable as income to the receiving spouse, unless the parties otherwise provide in a judgment of divorce or separate maintenance.  The spousal support deduction was enacted in 1948 with the idea that if a former family’s income is divided between the parties that tax treatment should correspond.

Unmarried Cohabitation Relationships

By John Schrot, Jr.
A client recently advised me that her daughter became engaged and the couple plan to marry in the near future.  As the intended couple have only known each other briefly, she further related her belief that the couple should in the interim cohabitate to better understand one another; and, she asked me about the complications thereof.  I suggested, in part, their use of a cohabitation agreement.

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