What Documents Should You Bring to Your Michigan Family Law Consultation?
For your family law consultation, bring photo identification, proof of where you live, recent tax returns and pay stubs, account statements, any existing court orders, and records of your children’s care. These documents allow Spickard Law to give you specific answers about your Michigan family law matter at your first meeting.
Personal and Family Records
Start with identification and family records, including driver’s licenses, your marriage certificate, and birth certificates for your children. Also bring a lease or utility bill to show where you live. Before filing for divorce, Michigan generally requires one spouse to have lived in the state for 180 days and in the filing county for 10 days.
Financial Records That Matter Most
Financial records affect property division and support. Collect as many of these as you can:
- Three years of tax returns
- Recent pay stubs
- Bank and retirement account statements
- Business records for any company you own
In contested divorces, both spouses generally must exchange a Verified Financial Information form early in the case. Having your statements on hand makes that form easier to complete accurately.
Digital Records to Save
Communication records can matter as much as bank statements in a custody dispute. Save and date:
- Text message threads
- Co-parenting app logs
- Emails about the children
- Screenshots of public social media posts
Save only information you are legally allowed to access. Accessing a spouse’s private email without permission or secretly recording conversations you are not part of can lead to criminal charges in Michigan.
Court Records and Custody Documents
Court documents and records from your children’s lives help show where your case stands. Bring any of the following you already have:
- A prenuptial agreement
- A personal protection order
- Prior court judgments
- Your Friend of the Court case number
- School attendance records
- Medical visit history
- A written parenting schedule
School, medical, and scheduling records can show which parent handles day-to-day care. In Ingham County, the Friend of the Court investigates custody disputes and collects support. Cases involving children or support also require a Verified Statement.
How Records Help Protect Separate Property
Property you owned before the marriage or inherited is generally treated as separate, but you need records to prove it. Under MCL 552.401, a judge can award part of one spouse’s separate property to the other spouse if that spouse contributed to its acquisition, improvement, or growth. Premarital account statements and inheritance records can help show that marital funds or effort did not build the asset.
Missing Records and Hidden Assets
You do not need every document before your consultation. Bring what you have and list any other accounts you know about, including the bank name and an estimated balance.
Missing records can often be obtained later through discovery or subpoenas. A spouse who hides assets takes a serious risk, because a court can reopen a judgment obtained through fraud and award the other spouse a larger share of the property.
Bring Your Documents to a Free Consultation
Tax returns, messages, and school records can help shape a practical plan from your first meeting. Through thousands of Mid-Michigan cases, Mack Spickard has learned which documents help family court judges evaluate a case. Call (517) 908-0818 or contact the firm online to schedule your free consultation.