552.501 Short title; purposes and construction of act. Sec. 1. (1) This act shall be known and may be cited as the “friend of the court act”. (2) The purposes of this act are to enumerate and describe the powers and duties of the friend of the court and the office of the friend of […]
552.502 Definitions; A to I. Sec. 2. As used in this act: (a) “Alternative dispute resolution” means a process established under section 13 by which the parties are assisted in voluntarily formulating an agreement to resolve a dispute concerning child custody or parenting time that arises from a domestic relations matter. (b) “Bureau” means the […]
552.502a Definitions; M to T. Sec. 2a. As used in this act: (a) “Medical assistance” means medical assistance as established under title XIX of the social security act, 42 USC 1396 to 1396w-5. (b) “Office” and “office of the friend of the court” mean an agency created in section 3. (c) “Office of child support” […]
552.503 Office of the friend of the court; creation in judicial circuit; exception; separate office in county; vacancy; merger; head of office as friend of the court; friend of the court as employee of circuit court; performance of duties; office procedures; availability of services to public. Sec. 3. (1) There is created in each judicial […]
552.504 Citizen friend of the court advisory committee; establishment; composition; appointment; vacancy; terms; election of chairperson and vice-chairperson; court administrative office guidelines; term limitation. Sec. 4. (1) Each county may establish a citizen friend of the court advisory committee composed of the following members, each of whom is a resident of the county: (a) A […]
552.504a Citizen advisory committee; scope; duties; subcommittees; meetings open to the public; exception. Sec. 4a. (1) A citizen advisory committee is advisory only. Once established, the citizen advisory committee shall do all of the following: (a) Meet not less than 6 times annually. The citizen advisory committee shall keep minutes of each meeting and submit […]
552.504b Information and records to be provided to citizen advisory committee. Sec. 4b. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2), (3), and (4), and under the chief judge’s supervision, the office shall provide the citizen advisory committee with a grievance filed as provided in section 26 and access to records and information necessary for the […]
552.504c Information and records as confidential; disclosure; penalty; grounds for dismissal. Sec. 4c. (1) A citizen advisory committee, its members, and its staff shall consider as confidential a record or other information to which they have access in order to perform their functions under this act and shall properly safeguard its use and disclosure. (2) […]
552.505 Duties of friend of the court; failure of party to attend scheduled meeting; charging parties for investigation, report and recommendations; waiver or suspension of fees; disposition of money collected. Sec. 5. (1) Each office of the friend of the court has the following duties: (a) To inform each party to a domestic relations matter […]
552.505a Open friend of the court case; closure. Sec. 5a. (1) Except as required by this section, an office of the friend of the court shall open and maintain a friend of the court case for a domestic relations matter. If there is an open friend of the court case for a domestic relations matter, […]
552.507 Referee; designation by chief judge; powers; transcript of hearing; cost; de novo court hearing; request; interim order; review. Sec. 7. (1) The chief judge may designate a referee as provided by the Michigan court rules. (2) A referee may do all of the following: (a) Hear all motions in a domestic relations matter, except […]
552.507a Making report, recommendation, and supporting documents available to attorneys and parties; informing parties in child custody dispute or guardian concerning preference expressed by child; availability of information. Sec. 7a. (1) A copy of each report, recommendation, and any supporting documents or a summary of supporting documents prepared or used by the friend of the […]
552.508 Expediting relief; methods. Sec. 8. The circuit court shall utilize referees and take other appropriate action to expedite obtaining relief in the form of child or spousal support in domestic relations matters, including the entry and enforcement of child support orders and the enforcement of spousal support orders, as necessary to obtain dispositions of […]
552.509 Duties of office regarding support payments providing statement of account to parties; initiating and carrying out proceedings to enforce order regarding custody, parenting time, health care coverage or support; enforcement orders entered in other state. Sec. 9. (1) The office may accept a support payment made in cash or by cashier’s check or money […]
552.509a Centralized receipt and disbursement of support and fees. Sec. 9a. The SDU is responsible for the centralized receipt and disbursement of support and fees. An office of the friend of the court may continue to receive support and fees. History: Add. 1999, Act 150, Imd. Eff. Nov. 3, 1999 ;– Am. 2009, Act 233, […]
552.511 Initiating enforcement of support order and custody or parenting time order; procedure; arrearage; amnesty. Sec. 11. (1) Except as provided in this section, each office shall initiate 1 or more support enforcement measures under the support and parenting time enforcement act when 1 of the following applies: (a) Except as otherwise provided in this […]
552.511a Payment of health care expense; complaint; sending copy of complaint and notice to parent; objection; hearing. Sec. 11a. (1) A complaint seeking enforcement for payment of a health care expense must include information showing that all of the following conditions have been met: (a) The parent against whom the complaint is directed is obligated […]
552.511b Custody or parenting time order violations; complaint; sending copy of complaint to individual accused of interfering; action. Sec. 11b. (1) An office shall initiate enforcement under the support and parenting time enforcement act if the office receives a written complaint that states specific facts constituting a custody or parenting time order violation. Upon request […]
552.512 Reporting information to consumer reporting agency. Sec. 12. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the title IV-D agency shall report to a consumer reporting agency the arrearage amount for each payer with an arrearage of support of 2 or more months. The title IV-D agency may make support information available to the […]
552.513 Alternative dispute resolution; approval of plan; “protection order” defined; agreement; consent order; confidentiality of communication; qualifications of person providing domestic relations mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Sec. 13. (1) In a friend of the court case, the office shall provide, either directly or by contract, alternative dispute resolution to assist the […]
