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FAMILY LAW 23: Trial court failed to determine the established custodial environment.

Plaintiff and defendant have three children together: ALF and twin boys.  They have never been married, but they have had an on-again/off-again relationship for several years. In 2016, the trial court entered a custody order granting sole physical custody of ALF to plaintiff. Both plaintiff and defendant shared joint legal custody. The order did not specify the parties’ parenting time. Instead, the order stated that the Defendant shall have reasonable parenting time, as the parties agree. If the parties are unable to agree, either party may file a motion with the Court. Further, the order specified that the domicile or residence of the child may not be moved from Michigan without the approval of this Court and the custodian shall promptly notify the Court when the child is moved to another address.

Defendant filed a motion to show cause and a modification of parenting time in October 2017, claiming that plaintiff violated the custody order by moving ALF to Chicago, Illinois without obtaining the trial court’s approval. In addition, defendant asserted that plaintiff controlled parenting time and did not allow defendant to see ALF.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the trial court determined that it was in ALF’s best interests to grant defendant primary physical and legal custody.

An appeal followed.

The appeals court need not address all of plaintiff’s issues, nor consider whether the trial court erred in its findings because they were convinced that the trial court failed to follow the proper procedure.

Plaintiff contends that the trial court erred in failing to determine ALF’s established custodial environment before it modified the custody order. Plaintiff correctly states that the trial court failed to determine the established custodial environment.

This failure constitutes error requiring reversal. The trial court never specifically addressed ALF’s established custodial environment. Accordingly, the trial court clearly erred in failing to determine whether there was an established custodial environment with either or both of the parties before its custody determination. A remand is necessary to the trial court for such a determination.

It is important to remember that decrees regarding child support, child custody, visitation and spousal support (alimony) are not always final.

Our family law attorneys at Aldrich Legal Services have helped countless family law clients across southeast Michigan, including in Wayne, Washtenaw and Oakland counties.  Contact Aldrich Legal Services and schedule a free consultation if you would like to meet with one of our lawyers about your case.

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