Michigan Divorce Laws & Resources

If you're contemplating a separation or divorce in Michigan, you can find the help you need on this page so you'll be able to make sensible decisions.

By WomansDivorce Editorial Team

For example, you can look up experienced family lawyers and other professionals in the surrounding area to help with your situation. If you would rather do your own divorce, you'll find online divorce services and divorce forms to help you prepare your paperwork. You'll also be able to look up domestic abuse resources in the state, as well access the MI child support formula to help calculate the level of support that might be awarded, and more.

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Divorce Assistance 

Laws, Calculators, Forms

Divorce Lawyers

Need a Divorce Lawyer? If you're like most people facing divorce, you have more questions than information. A local divorce lawyer can answer your questions and explain your options. Connect with a divorce attorney near you. 


Ellen Paynter, Esq.
7071 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 245
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
Counties served: Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne
Telephone: (248) 851-7555

Our Divorce and Family Law experience will provide you with sound, calming legal advice with representation tailored to meet your needs - now and into the future. Call for your free phone consultation.

Aggressive Michigan Divorce Attorney
Jannelle J. Zawaideh
26677 W. 12 mile Rd. Ste 171
Southfield, MI 48034 
Counties Served: Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne
Phone: 248-356-0600

Michigan Family Law Office offering PAYMENT PLANS including credit cards and a FREE Consultation, servicing Oakland, Macomb, & Wayne Counties. Our practice is dedicated to handling all family law matters, including divorce and separation, custody and support issues, visitation enforcement, spousal support, marital property division, annulments, and prenuptial agreements.

Heather Bendure
15450 East Jefferson Avenue, Suite 100
Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230
Serving: Macomb, Wayne, and Oakland counties
Telephone: 313-331-2282

LADY4JUSTICE PLLC
Mindy L. Hitchcock
6632 Telegraph Road Suite 145
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48025
Counties served: Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Wayne
Telephone: (248) 773-3317

Getting divorced is a challenging experience, even if each party is willing to cooperate in the process. By helping her clients work through the individual issues (as opposed to fighting it out in court), Mindy L. Hitchcock enables parents to continue to maintain a good relationship after their divorce, thus making it easier on their children. By combining top legal preparation with her compassionate attention to her client's needs, Mindy is able to help her clients reach a settlement that is fair to all. After all, "It started with love, why not end it the same way?"

Mindy is an experienced family lawyer who is a member of the Collaborative Law Institute of Michigan.

Chris Nesi
18538 Mack Avenue
Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236
Counties served: Wayne, Oakland, Macomb
Telephone: 313-886-5769

Alisa Peskin-Shepherd
4190 Telegraph Rd. Suite 3100
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48302 
(248) 290-0560

Ms. Peskin-Shepherd has practiced family law for over 20 years, helping her clients with both compassion and knowledge. She is a Collaborative Divorce attorney, as well as a specially trained mediator in the areas of divorce, custody, and family law and works with her clients to resolve their disputes in a sensible and dignified way.

Reeder Murphy Attorneys and Counselors
Miles J. Murphy, III
124 Fulton SE, Ste. 100
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Counties served: Kent, Ottawa, Ionia
Telephone: 616-458-3994

The Shaw Group, P.C.
42705 Grand River, Suite 201
Novi, Michigan 48375
Counties served: Oakland, Wayne, Washtenaw, Livingston
Telephone: (248) 374-1800

Other Office Locations:
Ann Arbor - 2723 S. State St., Ste. 150, (734) 451-1800
Plymouth - 296 S. Main St., Ste. 206, (734) 451-1800


Find out how to list your professional services.

Uncontested Divorce Papers

Get all of your divorce paperwork completed without hiring a lawyer! This service will make preparing the uncontested divorce documents a lot easier than filling out a blank divorce form. Your paperwork will meet the court requirements and you'll get detailed directions on how to submit your papers to the court. Start your uncontested Michigan divorce today.

Domestic Violence Victim Services

Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence - Michigan Chapter. You can locate domestic violence resources near you by clicking on the "Find Help" tab on the website.

Michigan Divorce Law Summary

Residency requirements for divorce

To be able to file for a divorce in Michigan, at least one spouse needs to have been a resident of the state for at least 180 days prior to filing for a divorce. Additionally, the spouse who files for a divorce must reside in the county where the divorce is filed for at least 10 days prior to filing for divorce. The country resident requirements may be waived if the defendant was born in or is a citizen of another country, the couple have a minor child or children, and there is a reasonable risk the defendant could take the children out of the country.

Where to file for a divorce  

A complaint for divorce may be filed in the circuit court of the county where either you or your spouse reside.

Grounds for divorce and where to file

Michigan is a no-fault divorce state. The only ground for divorce is the assertion the marriage has irretrievably broken down and there is no reasonable likelihood the marriage can be preserved.

Separation / Separate Maintenance

Michigan doesn't recognize legal separation as a distinct legal status. Instead, a couple can seek an action for separate maintenance which provides similar benefits to a divorce, including property and debt division, child custody and support, and spousal maintenance, without terminating the marriage. However, if one spouse files a counterclaim for divorce, the court will dissolve the bonds of matrimony.

Alimony / Spousal Support

Alimony is determined on a case-by-case basis in Michigan and may be awarded to either spouse. The court has discretion in deciding whether alimony is appropriate and how much should be awarded and for how long. Alimony can be temporary or permanent, depending on the circumstances of the case. In making the determination, the court will consider: 

  • The length of the marriage.
  • The age and health of the parties, including physical and emotional health.
  • The financial needs and resources of each spouse.
  • The standard of living established during the marriage.
  • Each spouse's current and future earning capacities.  
  • Whether a spouse’s conduct caused the divorce.
  • The obligated spouse’s ability to pay alimony while still meeting basic needs.
  • Whether it's reasonable for the spouse seeking alimony to gain employment.
  • Any other factors the court deems relevant to making a fair and equitable decision.

Child custody

Michigan prefers custody arrangements that allow for the active involvement of both parents in their child's life whenever possible. Both legal custody (decision-making power) and physical custody (where the child lives) can be awarded jointly or solely, depending on what is determined to be in the child's best interests.

The court considers various factors when determining what arrangement will provide the most stable and supportive environment for the child. These factors include:

  • The love, affection, and emotional ties between the child and each parent.
  • The moral fitness of the parties involved.
  • The mental and physical health of the parties involved.
  • The ability of each parent to provide the child with the basic necessities of life.
  • The length of time the child has lived in a stable environment and the desirability of maintaining continuity in that environment.
  • The child's home, school, and community record.
  • The permanence of the existing or proposed custodial home.
  • The preferences of the child, if the court determines the child to be of sufficient age to express his or her preference.
  • The willingness and ability of each parent to facilitate and encourage a close and continuing relationship of the child with the other parent.
  • Any history of domestic violence, regardless of whether it was directed against or witnessed by the child.
  • Any other factor considered by the court deems to be relevant. (Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.23).

Division of assets and debts

Michigan is an equitable distribution state, meaning that marital assets and debts (those acquired during the marriage) will be divided in a fair and equitable manner, as opposed to being split 50/50.

Separate property is generally not divided in a divorce unless the property has been co-mingled. Separate property are assets and debts acquired before the marriage or through a post-marital agreement, inheritance, or gifts specifically to one spouse. Transmuting or comingling separate property by adding the other spouse to the title, refinancing a debt in both spouse’s names, or depositing separate funds in a joint account will result in that property becoming part of the marital estate to be divided in a divorce.

If a couple is unable to reach a mutual agreement on how the marital estate will be divided, the court will take the following factors into consideration when making a decision on how everything will be split:

  • The duration of the marriage.
  • The age, health, and needs of each spouse.
  • The contributions of each spouse to the marital estate, including homemaking.
  • The earning ability and future financial prospects of each spouse.
  • A custodial parent’s need to occupy the marital home 
  • The conduct of the parties, if relevant to the dissipation or preservation of assets.

Reference: Michigan Revised Divorce Statutes