Friend of the Court

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The Role and Functions of the Friend of the Court

Children-LogoThe Friend of the Court is an entity created by statute to assist the Family Court in establishing, enforcing, and modifying orders regarding child support, child care expenses, child custody, parenting time, uninsured medical costs, and domicile.

The Friend of the Court investigates and issues reports and recommendations regarding these issues. The Friend of the Court holds Referee Hearings involving all of these issues and also holds show cause hearings to enforce child support, parenting time, and spousal support orders.

The Friend of the Court provides Conciliation Hearings at the beginning of new domestic relations cases to address the issues of child custody, support, and parenting time. The Friend of the Court additionally provides mediation for domestic relations cases which attempts to amicably resolve disputes between Parties in a nonadversarial fashion.

See the Friend of the Court Act, MCL 552.501; the Support and Parenting Time Enforcement Act, MCL 552.610.

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