When you live a married life, you start to acquire things. You acquire what we call assets. Will these things become marital assets? 

What are marital assets? In Michigan, what is considered to be a marital asset as couples divide up a divorce estate? 

Click here to watch the video What Are Marital Assets in Michigan?

Maybe they came to you before the marriage. Or maybe you brought them into the marriage. Maybe they are things actually accumulated during the marriage but are owned by a corporation or some other entity. Just because you happen to have these things now or you happen to have control of it doesn’t necessarily mean they are marital assets for the purposes of divorce. It may be or it may not be.

It’s up to your lawyer to have this discussion with you. You and your lawyer can determine whether or not under the law that particular item or asset falls into the marital asset category.

Obviously, this is something for which there may be questions. A lot of people say well, I inherited something. Is that a marital asset? I brought it into the marriage but it is a family heirloom. It’s been in my family for years. Is that a marital asset?

What Are Marital Assets?

Simply put, marital property refers to the possessions a couple accumulates during the course of their marriage. Various assets, including a home, a car, certain shared bank accounts, heirlooms from the family, and more, may fall under this category. These assets can be shared between the two parties in a divorce while assets obtained prior to marriage are usually not.

Any asset or liability amassed throughout the marriage from the date of the wedding until the judgment of divorce is entered. The division of the marital estate is up to the parties.

In the course of a marriage, houses are frequently bought. The house would be divided in accordance with its status as marital property. Couples who are divorced occasionally decide to sell their house and divide the money. Or, to maintain an equitable property division, one spouse may keep the house while the other obtain other assets, such as money in joint bank accounts.

What Are Separate Assets in Marriage?

Any property possessed by either party previous to the marriage and certain property acquired during the marriage through gifts or inheritance is considered separate property. The party to whom the separate property originally belonged is typically awarded it. Property acquired separately may later be transferred to the marriage. 

For instance, you might have had a luxury automobile before you were married. In most cases, you would keep ownership of the car throughout the property division. However, if you buy a luxury automobile with your spouse, it may be regarded as marital property.

Even if your parents left you the luxury car during your marriage because they passed away, it would probably still be regarded as separate property and you would still be the owner. In Michigan divorces, the source of the property is crucial, and even if you didn’t get it until after you were married, this source would have existed before your union.

If the separate property is combined or blended with marital property, it can be treated as marital property when it comes time to divide the assets. 

Can Separate Assets Become Marital Assets?

From a legal standpoint, separate property may occasionally overlap with or change into the marital property over the course of a marriage. An illustration would be if the independent property was combined or “commingled” with the marital property or used for the family’s advantage.

A share of one spouse’s separate property may be awarded to the receiving spouse if they “contributed to the acquisition, improvement, or accumulation of the property.” 

This exemption may take the form of a vacation home one spouse inherited and greatly increased in value with the assistance of the other spouse. It could also take the form of one partner taking on childcare and housework responsibilities so the other spouse can devote their entire attention to expanding a business they started before getting married. 

 Here are a few more examples of commingling:

After purchasing their new marital house, the couple discovers that it needs a lot of upkeep. For many of the renovations, the pair is dependent on the funds from one spouse’s savings account, which she created before the marriage. The house’s worth rises as a result of the improvements.

One of the partners already had a savings account before they got married. When she marries, she wishes to purchase a home with her spouse. She pays the down payment on the marital home with money from her personal savings account.

The wife sells the stocks she had previously bought to fund a small business venture she and her husband want to launch jointly.

It’s possible for separate property to unintentionally mix with marital property. In Wolcott v. Wolcott, unpublished judgment, COA Number 351918, the woman was given 10% of a family business as a present soon before the pair got married. She was employed by the business as well.

The wife got payments from the corporation related to her stock ownership that was transferred into a bank account that was solely in her name. The pair maintained separate bank accounts throughout the marriage. Following the couple’s 16-year marriage, the trial court ruled that the stock and the bank account belonged to the woman separately.

On March 11, 2021, however, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that the stock and bank account had been commingled and were marital assets because of two circumstances:

[ 1 ]  The wife’s earnings from her job, which are normally considered a marital asset, were placed into the same account as her stock distributions; and

[ 2 ]  Throughout the marriage, the wife used distributions from the company stock in addition to her other sources of income to pay for joint costs and household bills.

It is not just everything you have. It’s possible that a person may have some things that are not part of the divorce discussions. They’re not marital assets.

Maybe they came to you before the marriage. Or maybe you brought them into the marriage. Maybe they are things actually accumulated during the marriage but are owned by a corporation or some other entity.

How to Keep Your Personal Assets Separate From Marital Assets

If you know you already have or will inherit sizeable assets you wish to keep out of a divorce, you might benefit from signing a prenuptial agreement before getting married.

Prenuptial agreements offer the opportunity for parties to define what will happen to their assets in the event of their demise or divorce, designating specific item to each spouse. They also outline guidelines for handling domestic business. Because Michigan courts have recently changed how they interpret prenuptial agreements, their ability to protect assets during a divorce is no longer as unquestionably true as it formerly was.

You must maintain the distinction between your own property and the rest of your family’s cash and things. This can call for:

[ a ]  Maintaining an inherited sum in a different bank account.

[ b ]  Keeping your home and car under your sole name.

[ c ]  Not using marital funds to make improvements or repairs to inherited property.

[ d ]  Refusing your spouse’s help in maintaining the inherited property or managing the family business.

[ e ]  Keep up-to-date property records to prove your personal asset qualifies as a distinct piece of property.

[ f ]  Do not add your spouse’s name to your separate property’s certificate of title.

[ g ]  Verify that the funds used to pay real estate taxes and the income from these properties are either credited to your personal account, drawn from sources in your name, or come from checking accounts in your name. To pay the income taxes on the earnings from these different assets, if at all possible, obtain the cash from the gifts or inherited property’s earnings.

If the wife had kept a second, separate account into which she had deposited her paychecks and from which she had paid the marital expenses and household bills, the Court of Appeals most likely would have determined that the stock and the bank account into which stock distributions were deposited were the wife’s separate assets in that particular case.

Even though the Wolcott decision was unpublished and hence not a precedent, it demonstrates that an asset must be maintained as fully different in order to sustain a party’s claim of independent ownership of an asset.

Just because you happen to have these things now or you happen to have control of it doesn’t necessarily mean they are marital assets for the purposes of divorce. It may be or it may not be.

It’s up to your lawyer to have this discussion with you. You and your lawyer can determine whether or not under the law that particular item or asset falls into the marital asset category.

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Goldman & Associates Law Firm is here to with information about Child Custody and Divorce in the State of Michigan.

You’re disenchanted with your lawyer. Should you change your lawyer in the middle of a family law case? Should I change my lawyer during my family law case?

Should you change your lawyer once you become disenchanted with the way your family law case is progressing? Is there a legitimate reason for you to continue to shop even though you already hired a lawyer?

These are questions that come up all the time.

Click here to watch the video Should I Change My Lawyer During My Family Law Case

Once people have gone through those ways they can go with that firm. Those are all legitimate ways of picking your lawyer. Once you have your lawyer, however, you need to understand one thing. Your case is like a baseball game.

Did you do the right thing when you chose your lawyer?

The attorney you hire must have your best interests in mind and be willing to fight for you and a just settlement, so this decision is crucial.

The most common ways that people look for lawyers are as follows:

[ a ]  They might converse with a lot of individuals.

[ b ]  They can consult with several attorneys and decide.

[ c ]  They might read reviews

[ d ]  Seek out a law firm that has a large number of five-star reviews.

Once you get to meet your closest candidate you need to ask very specific and important questions to help you decide:

[ a ]  What is the lawyer’s vision of how the case is going to be pursued?

[ b ]  How much it will cost you to pursue the case?

[ c ]  What kinds of expenses will be in your billing?

[ d ]  How will it likely take to achieve the outcome you desire?

[ e ]  What are the options if the outcome is otherwise?

Just like what we mentioned, your case is like a baseball game. There are nine innings and during that nine innings sometimes one team is up. One team is down. 

There’s a seesaw back and forth. One team is ahead. One team is behind and it flip-flops.

Is that a reason to change your lawyer? No!

Your lawyer can’t predict the future. Your lawyer cannot guarantee what the judge is going to do no matter how good that case is. No matter how prepared the lawyer is. If the judge decides he or she doesn’t believe you and believes the other person to be more credible, you’re probably going to lose that case

What did you expect after you hired your lawyer?

Divorce proceedings can be drawn out, especially when kids are involved. Despite your desire to do tasks quickly, the case must be allowed to proceed at its own pace and frequently cannot be accelerated.

When your spouse’s attorney attempts to take some action, your attorney is required to respond. While this type of labor cannot always be anticipated, it does require time and effort to do. As a result of your spouse’s efforts, be prepared for some expenses.

You have to set very realistic and pragmatic expectations when you are seeking and engaging your lawyer. Here are some expectations you can do right.

Expect steps will be taken on your case.

Every attempt will be made by your attorney to put you back on the correct path. You and your attorney are not in a sprint since a court case is more like a marathon.

A divorce lawyer’s initial consultation usually takes an hour or so. Throughout the discussion, the attorney will ask questions regarding the marriage and its conditions. The length of the partnership, your income and employment history, any assets or debts you both have, whether you have children together, and other factors can be included.

Working with a skilled divorce attorney may help you significantly reduce your anxieties and concerns. You can get legal counsel on what is best for you and your children. They can help you file papers, work with opposing counsel to reach the best settlement, represent you at several hearings and conferences, and make sure your rights are upheld before the divorce is finalized.

Expect a lot of shuttling back and forth to manage your case.

Experience is unrivaled when it comes to litigation. For a sizable portion of their careers, divorce cases have been litigated in court by family law practitioners. Due to their extensive experience, they have unmatched knowledge of the strategies used by opposing counsel and the responses of judges to particular arguments and pieces of evidence.

Your lawyer will make an effort to comprehend your circumstances and the legal background of the case. In most family law disputes, issues like divorce, child custody, support, parenting time, wills, trusts, and other related issues are at stake. Attorneys that specialize in family law can help you manage all the important decisions you need to make, protect your legal rights, and advance your interests in court proceedings and settlement negotiations.

Expect a lot of communication and advice from your lawyer.

You might receive advice from practically everyone if you’re considering seeking a divorce in Michigan. All of a sudden, employees, neighbors, and members of the family are voicing their opinions. Even if you don’t want to hear it, they open up to you about their concerns, horrific stories, and suggestions. The opinions and suggestions you get, though, are probably inaccurate or just partially true.

You win your family law case if you have sound legal counsel. Instead of only helping to resolve conflict, a knowledgeable family law attorney can frequently also help to diffuse it. If you try to resolve a disagreement on your own, it’s probable that the conflict may worsen and the expense of hiring a lawyer to handle it will rise as a result of increased emotional involvement on both sides.

Expect respect from your lawyer.

Expect a timely response from them after they receive your email or phone. The most effective ones even have the opportunity to teach you about family law through a variety of online materials they make available. They use technology to monitor your case so that the lawyers assigned to it are always informed of its progress.

You will receive a callback when you call. Staff will treat you with respect. A suitable timetable for the consultation or meeting will be set up. Most very successful and competent lawyers have excellent office procedures and staff. They use the most up-to-date technology to administer your case, but their greatest strength is their ability to treat their customers with dignity during some of the most trying times in their lives.

Your lawyer is a professional and deserves respect too.

Being a family lawyer is neither cheap nor simple. The Michigan Board of Law Examiners mandates that you complete two years of undergraduate education (60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours) before you may apply to law school. For the most part, law schools accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) require applicants to have a bachelor’s degree before they may even consider applying. After finishing the study, students will need to have a lot of litigation experience in order to put what they have learned in law school into practice.

The retainer you paid does not give you the right to treat others badly. Your lawyer is aware that the situation you are in right now is possibly terrible. If you’re worried, depressed, furious, or bewildered, they’ll understand. However, you must set boundaries because your lawyer is there to guide you through the legal procedure necessary to get rid of your problems. If you are emotionally unable to understand your circumstance and what is necessary to move forward, your attorney simply cannot assist you.

Should you change your lawyer now?

Clients can feel stuck working with the lawyer they first selected while feeling like their case isn’t getting the required attention. Even throughout the course of your case, Michigan allows you to switch divorce attorneys. There are several specific measures you should take if you wish to switch family law attorneys. 

Before you do decide to switch, try to check or look at what you have with your present attorney.

Promptness to action. Bias for action.

There are numerous deadlines in divorce disputes, and failing to meet them could seriously hurt your case. Your entire case is in peril when attorneys fail to meet these deadlines, so you should think about finding a new divorce attorney if your attorney is failing in this part of the job.

Your outcomes and the schedules the court have agreed on is relying on deadlines being met.

Communicating and listening.

You are entitled to regular updates from your attorney about your case. Furthermore, you are entitled to prompt responses to your inquiries. You might wish to switch divorce attorneys if these things don’t happen.

Corollary to communicating to you what’s happening to your case is the lawyer’s ability and willingness to listen. Your lawyer must be sensitive and must listen to the outcome you desire. Your lawyer must appreciate the outcomes most comfortable for you.

When it comes to issues like property division and even child custody, attorneys may put clientele under undue pressure to accept arrangements that are not in their best interests. Divorce attorneys should advise you and walk you through the process, but they should never put pressure on you to accept terms you don’t feel comfortable with.

Organization and professionalism.

The most successful outcomes are delivered consistently by a system that works. Try to understand the process behind your lawyer’s action. Generally, the internal process of a law firm is built around complying with court processes, rules, and procedures. If their internal processes are in sync with court systems, you have a law firm professionally managed and built to win cases.

Just the fact that things may not be going your way is not in itself a reason to show the court you have that level of instability. You’re switching lawyers all of a sudden. You’re not supposed to do that. It doesn’t create a good impression on the court. 

You should switch lawyers if your lawyer becomes disbarred. You should if your lawyer becomes mentally incompetent. If you find out your lawyer has a profound conflict of interest. If you find that your lawyer stole something of course you should switch lawyers.

If your attorney is missing a combination or all of the above, you do need to think about getting another family law attorney.

What are the consequences of changing my lawyer now?

Idealistically, you should discuss any issues that are upsetting you with your attorney so they can attempt to resolve them. You have the right to appoint a new attorney if you and your current one are unable to reach an agreement.

However, there are some repercussions associated with dismissing your attorney and recruiting a replacement.

First off, the attorney you fire is probably entitled to compensation for work already completed. This might not be a problem if your payments are on time. If not, you must decide what is owed to the attorney under your retainer agreement and make those payments.

The lawyer’s hourly rate for time already spent on your case, along with any costs and expenditures incurred thus far, may be demanded from you if your attorney had been compensated on a contingency or percentage basis.

Hiring a new lawyer might occasionally result in increased charges. If you employ a new attorney in the middle of a case, that attorney will need to become familiar with the case, which will probably take extra time and/or money.

Depending on how far along your case is, you might not always be able to switch attorneys. If a case is too far along in the court process for a new individual to be able to take over, judges have the choice to keep the current attorney on the case.

Should you fire your lawyer under limited extenuating circumstances? Yes. 

You are entitled to the legal counsel of your choice. You must also understand the more you exercise that right, the more instability you demonstrate to the court. It creates a scenario where you’re dealing with children and the court realizes you have a certain instability. The court might think this person goes through lawyers like crazy, this person will probably go through girlfriends like crazy

Is that good for the child to be rolling around in instability for the next several years?

Always keep the big picture in mind.

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Goldman & Associates Law Firm is here to with information about Child Custody and Divorce in the State of Michigan.

One of the most classic family law issues has to deal with abuse in the home. Abuse that sometimes relates to domestic violence charges. If you’re charged with domestic violence how are you going to defend yourself?

How do I get a domestic violence case dismissed?

Click here to watch the video on How Do I Get A Domestic Violence Case Dismissed In Michigan?

Regardless of the individuals involved—spouses or ex-spouses, domestic partners who live together or apart, dating or separated couple, parents, and kids—domestic violence is a crime that can happen to anyone, regardless of their age, color, gender, or social class. Domestic violence is a broad category that includes a variety of crimes. 

A few examples of these are physical or sexual assault, battery, false imprisonment, emotional abuse, stalking, intimidation, possessiveness, controlling conduct, forced isolation, and economic abuse.

If you’re charged with domestic violence how are you going to defend yourself? How are you going to get that charge dismissed?

Here’s some advice you can consider.

Number one. Determine if the party is willing to move forward with the domestic violence complaint.

Look at the state of your current relationship. Is the relationship you are involved in sustainable? If the domestic relationship is between husband and wife, then the question becomes, are they getting divorced? Are they staying married? How’s that gonna work?

The couple has decided they want to work on their marriage. The odds are that domestic violence looming in the background probably is not the most healthy thing for the relationship.

In a lot of cases, the wife decides to save the marriage. She doesn’t want to prosecute her husband. She decides she doesn’t want to appear in court. She’s not testifying against him. She does not want to participate in court proceedings against her husband.

Domestic conflict victims occasionally decide to retract their statements. They can get in touch with the prosecutor’s office and ask for the charges of domestic abuse to be dropped. The prosecution is likely to press the case even if the victim asks to have the domestic abuse charges dropped.

What you need to understand, is even with your spouse dropping the charges, the prosecutor might decide to pursue the case regardless. In a criminal case, the victim is not going to be you accuser in the process. The victim is a witness for the state or the people represented by the prosecutor.

If the accuser is your spouse or wife, as a witness they can be compelled to testify against you in a domestic violence case. 

Someone might be charged with making a false police complaint if the purported victim admits that they lied to the police. For numerous reasons, such as not wanting a significant other to lose their job, get fired, be deported, go to jail, or have a divorce, prosecutors are trained to persuade jurors that victims lie about fabricating charges.

In rare cases, the victim will appear in court and attempt to alter their testimony. The prosecution may now object to the testimony given in court, claiming it is an effort to “rescue” the defendant by distorting the facts or changing the tale.

The victim’s original statement will then be presented to the jury or court as the truth because it was made in an “excited condition,” making it credible because there was no time for them to make up what transpired. Even charges of making a false police report, obstructing the course of justice, or perjury may be brought against the victim in domestic abuse situations.

Number two. Refute witnesses.

The majority of domestic violence accusations are made solely on the basis of the victim’s allegations of assault. Domestic violence is rarely committed in front of witnesses, and the majority of victims do not sustain injuries. This is referred to as “he-said-she-said.” According to Michigan law, a victim’s testimony alone qualifies as evidence and is sufficient for a conviction provided the jury has no reasonable doubts about it.

Your attorney will be focusing on refuting the statement of witnesses if dismissal is the objective. Your attorney will drill down on the motives of the accuser or witnesses. Attacking the false accusations made by the accuser, such as pointing out that the accusations were manufactured to obtain an advantage in a divorce or child custody dispute.

Another way to get a domestic violence case dismissed is for someone to have appropriate witnesses who will basically refute the testimony of the witnesses testifying against you.

So what does that mean?

Maybe there are video cameras or security cameras that caught the event. Or there were neighbors who saw it. Maybe you want to cross-examine the person. Your lawyer can throw questions at witnesses. How come you did not call the police immediately? Why are there no photos?

Every case is different but there are ways to attack the case itself. The best way is to have a no-show, having no witness to testify against you.

Even if the alleged victim decides not to pursue a case and this was just a simple misunderstanding or argument that got out of hand, you could still be charged with a misdemeanor or felony and sentenced to jail or prison if found guilty.

Number three. Attack the evidence.

If there isn’t a no-show possibility then your lawyer can attack the evidence.

In criminal proceedings for domestic abuse crimes, it is essential to preserve all available evidence before it is lost. This can include eyewitness accounts, 911 tapes, and police dispatch tapes. One minor piece of information that undermines the accuser or highlights an irregularity may be all that separates the accused from acquittal or conviction.

You will work closely with your lawyer to record all important information and make sure all required and relevant evidence is preserved and made available for the trial. A competent attorney is familiar with the legal system, has connections with judges and prosecutors, and has a thorough understanding of what it takes to preserve important evidence, build a strong case, and uphold your rights.

Your lawyer is gonna analyze evidence and determine a strategy to approach it, pierce it, and render it useless against you.

Any conviction in a domestic violence case in Michigan might result in severe punishment and could be followed by a two- to a five-year probationary period. While all judges have the authority to impose a range of sanctions, including community work, alcohol or drug testing, and attendance at AA, certain judges may order anger management therapy. 

A person charged with domestic abuse may receive a less sentence by working with a lawyer who is knowledgeable about the Michigan courts and judges.

In Michigan, convictions for domestic abuse are expungable, however, there are more requirements than usual. The prosecution will also make an effort to get in touch with the victim in order to get their feedback on the defendant’s expungement request. Even if the victim opposes, the judge may nonetheless allow the expungement if they are of the opinion that the criminal has been given a second chance and that doing so is best for the community.

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Goldman & Associates Law Firm is here to with information about Child Custody and Divorce in the State of Michigan.

A misdemeanor can start off with fines and followed by a graduated level of penalties. Domestic violence can start you off with a trip to jail. Your first offense, true or not, will get you into serious trouble the second time. So, what do I do if I’m charged with domestic violence for a second time?

Click here to watch the video What Do I Do if I’m Charged With Domestic Violence for a Second Time in Michigan?

The problem with most misdemeanors is that there’s the enhancement of the sanction. Enhancement happens when a person has many violations.  A good example is speeding.

You’re caught going 55 in a 40, once, twice, three times.

You can get caught many times doing the same thing and collect a series of citations. While it may result in a lousy record, it isn’t going to change the fact driving 55 in a 40 means X amount of points. The X amount of points are then multiplied by X amount of dollars in fines. And that’s it.

In criminal violations, many violations of the same thing could result in a bigger sentence.

What is domestic violence?

Domestic assault and aggravated domestic assault are the two types of charges. They fall under the umbrella of domestic abuse. Depending on the crime and the number of times committed, each one has a different set of punishments. A domestic assault charge considered a misdemeanor may, in some cases, can upgrade to a felony.

Domestic assault.

In Michigan, committing a domestic assault is either a crime or a misdemeanor. Even if the victim not harmed, the prosecutor will still go for domestic violence. Your third offense is a felony, but the first two offenses are misdemeanors:

[ a ]  For your first domestic assault offense, you will be charged with a misdemeanor. This carries a penalty of up to $500 in fines and/or 93 days in jail.

[ b ]  A second domestic assault charge is still a misdemeanor, which carries a $1,000 fine and/or a year in jail as possible penalties.

[ c ]  If you are accused of a third offense, you face a felony charge, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or a fine of $2,500.

If you’re found guilty of a criminal domestic assault, your sentence may also include community service, anger management classes, two years of court-ordered probation, or five years if it was a felony. 

Domestic violence misdemeanor charges are still exclusively heard in district court. If the accusations are upgraded to felonies, your case will be handled in district court first before moving on to circuit court. The county where the attack occurred will hear your case, whether it is in the district or circuit court.

Aggravated domestic assault.

“Aggravated domestic assault” denotes an incident in which the victim had critical injuries. These injuries require medical treatment right away. You can still be charged with a misdemeanor for an aggravated domestic assault if it’s your first time. Not all aggravated domestic assault charges will result in a felony.

[ a ]  A misdemeanor aggravated domestic assault, gets up to a year in jail, pays a $1,000 fine, or both.

[ b ]  A second conviction for aggravated domestic assault is a felony. It carries a maximum five-year prison sentence.

Prosecutors may also request felony prosecution for a first offense in the following circumstances:

[ a ]  assault with a deadly weapon can expect up to four years in prison.

[ b ]  Assault with the goal of hurting someone seriously can expect up to 10 years in prison.

[ c ]  Assault through asphyxia or strangulation can expect up to 10 years in prison.

A domestic assault and an aggravated domestic assault are cases in a district court. Circuit court handles felony crimes. Felony crimes are under the county where the assault incident took place.

Why you should have your first offense domestic violence case dismissed?

Why is dismissing the first offense in domestic violence important? 

How you handle the first domestic violence case determines the outcome of the next. 

It is possible that a person charged with an offense didn’t do it.

Maybe they were having an argument with their spouse. The neighbor calls the police. The spouse gets charged with domestic violence. First offense.

It’s your first offense. No big deal. You’ve never done anything wrong in your life before. You’re thinking of pleading guilty. Get it over with. Get a slap on the wrist. You’re thinking, bring it on. Take the charge. You can still move on with your life and not risk going to jail. Do that. You’re saying to yourself, you don’t need to worry about this.

Maybe you’re right.

The problem is the second time.

One fateful night, you come home. You got too much to drink. You hit your child. You hit your husband or you hit your wife. Now this time, you’re actually guilty of domestic violence.

Now, you’re looking like a recidivist. You’re now seen as somebody who’s committed domestic violence before. You plead guilty the first time, remember?

Now the court has to take very close attention and put you in jail

Why will a judge do that?

Not that these offenses are worse. It’s not the first time you’ve done it. It seems you didn’t learn your lesson the first time around. This is the way the court views it. A few years down the road you may have a second offense or third offense. 

It becomes important to deal with this. It all underscores how important that you dismiss a domestic violence charge. Even a first offense.

You have to make sure your domestic violence charge is not characterized as the second. Taking up the first one and having the first one dismissed.

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Goldman & Associates Law Firm is here to with information about Child Custody and Divorce in the State of Michigan.