Bloomfield Hills LGBTQ Divorce Lawyer
LGBTQ Divorce Lawyer Bloomfield Hills, MI
If you are navigating an LGBTQ divorce in Bloomfield Hills, then you may already feel like the process is not very simple. While the legal landscape for same-sex couples has changed significantly over the years, that doesn’t mean every court, family law judge, or opposing attorney approaches these cases without bias or gaps in understanding. Our Bloomfield Hills, MI LGBTQ divorce attorney is here to protect your rights, finances, and family. At Merel Family Law, we have been handling family law matters across Illinois and Michigan for over two decades. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
Why Choose Merel Family Law for LGBTQ Divorce in Bloomfield Hills, MI?
Deep Experience With LGBTQ Family Law
Our firm handles LGBTQ divorce and LGBTQ family law matters as a dedicated practice area. We understand the specific issues that arise in same-sex divorces that aren’t a factor in other divorce cases. We know the laws when it comes to parental rights for a non-biological parent, property division for couples who were together for years before legal marriage was even available, and civil unions or domestic partnerships that may or may not convert cleanly into divorce proceedings under Michigan law.
Jonathan Merel founded Merel Family Law and is admitted to practice in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Our family lawyer in Bloomfield Hills, MI has helped clients recover millions of dollars in divorce settlements, including cases with significant property, retirement accounts, and business interests at risk.
At Merel Family Law, our attorneys hold memberships with the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Jonathan Merel earned his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
A Firm That Understands What’s Actually at Stake
LGBTQ divorces often involve complex property division questions, particularly for couples whose legal marriage date doesn’t reflect how long they actually built their lives together. Assets accumulated during a years-long partnership before marriage can be treated very differently under the law than what most clients expect. We’ve worked through those arguments, as we know how to document a couple’s financial history, trace contributions to marital and non-marital property, and present it in a way Michigan courts can evaluate clearly.
No Assumptions. No Judgment.
LGBTQ clients have often dealt with attorneys who didn’t fully understand their situation, or worse, who made assumptions that affected the quality of their representation. That doesn’t happen here, as we approach every same-sex divorce case with the same equality and attention we bring to all our cases.
What Our Clients Say
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“I cannot begin with this Firm.. Headline- FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE. Divorced and happy. my experience started when I had a phone call with the founder, Jonathan Merel. I cried during that conversation, and despite all the clients he’s had over the years, he received my tears with understanding and empathy. I decided to trust him and become a client.” — Keri Lindsay
Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.
Types of LGBTQ Divorce Cases We Handle in Bloomfield Hills
LGBTQ divorces in Michigan can involve a wide range of issues, and no two cases should be handled the same. Some divorce cases involve children, businesses,or couples whose lives were intertwined for 20 years before Michigan legally recognized their marriage. Here is what our Bloomfield Hills same-sex divorce attorneys handle:
- LGBTQ divorce. We handle the full dissolution of same-sex marriages in Michigan, including property division, spousal support, and all related filings. For couples who were in civil unions or domestic partnerships before marriage, we address how those prior legal statuses are treated under current law.
- Property division. Dividing assets in a same-sex divorce often requires tracing property back to before the marriage was legally recognized. We handle marital vs. non-marital property disputes, including real estate, retirement accounts, investments, and business interests.
- Child custody. Custody matters in same-sex divorces carry unique legal questions, particularly when one parent is not biologically related to the child or when second-parent adoption was not completed. Michigan courts apply a best-interests standard, but how parental rights are established matters enormously.
- Alimony and spousal support. Spousal maintenance is determined based on several factors, and in same-sex divorces, courts may have to account for income disparity that developed over a long period of cohabitation before legal marriage. We handle both the negotiation and litigation of spousal support.
- High asset divorce. Same-sex divorces with significant assets require forensic analysis, careful division of retirement accounts, and strategies to protect what you’ve built. We handle these cases with the detail they require.
- Domestic violence. LGBTQ individuals face domestic violence at rates comparable to or higher than the general population, but they often encounter additional barriers to getting help. Our Bloomfield Hills domestic violence attorney handles emergency protective orders and related family law matters.
Michigan Legal Requirements for LGBTQ Divorce
Michigan law governs same-sex divorce the same way it governs any divorce, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). But there are several legal requirements and nuances that matter specifically to LGBTQ clients.
To file for divorce in Michigan, at least one spouse must have been a resident of the state for 180 days prior to filing. Additionally, the filing must be made in the county where at least one spouse has resided for a minimum of 10 days. Michigan’s residency requirements are governed by MCL 552.9.
Michigan imposes a mandatory waiting period of 60 days after filing before a divorce can be finalized. If the couple has minor children, that waiting period extends to 180 days. There are limited circumstances under which a judge may waive the longer period.
Michigan is a no-fault divorce state. The only grounds required are that there has been a breakdown of the marriage with no reasonable likelihood of reconciliation. Under MCL 552.6, neither party has to prove wrongdoing in order to obtain a divorce.
Parental rights for non-biological parents is one of the most significant legal concerns for LGBTQ divorcing couples. If a child was born or adopted during the marriage, Michigan courts generally recognize both spouses as legal parents. However, if a child was born via assisted reproduction before the legal marriage, or if second-parent adoption was never completed, establishing parental rights may require separate legal action.
Important Aspects of a Bloomfield Hills LGBTQ Divorce Case
Pre-Marriage Cohabitation and Asset Tracing
Many same-sex couples lived together and built financial lives for years, sometimes decades, before legal marriage was available to them. Michigan law generally considers the marriage date as the starting point for marital property. Assets accumulated before that date may be treated as separate property, even if both partners contributed to them over a long partnership. This can feel deeply unfair without strategic legal advocacy. Our attorneys know how to make these arguments effectively and how to document what was actually built together.
Parental Rights and Second-Parent Adoption
Not every LGBTQ family completed second-parent adoption before a divorce was initiated. If one parent lacks an official legal connection to the child, the divorce proceeding may become the forum where that issue is addressed. Courts apply Michigan’s best-interest factors under MCL 722.23, but having legal standing as a parent matters before you can even invoke those factors. This is something to address before filing, not afterwards. For answers regarding parental rights or other concerns, reach out to us as soon as possible.
Civil Unions, Domestic Partnerships, and Conversion
Some couples formalized their relationship as a civil union or domestic partnership in another state before same-sex marriage was legal nationwide. Whether that prior legal status has any continuing effect in a Michigan divorce depends on specific facts. An attorney who handles these cases regularly understands how to evaluate.
Spousal Support Calculations
Michigan courts consider the length of the marriage, the parties’ financial situations, the contributions each made to the other’s career, and other factors when awarding spousal support. For LGBTQ couples, the question of how long the relationship actually lasted versus how long the legal marriage lasted frequently becomes a contested issue. The Michigan Courts spousal support calculation concludes baseline factors, but the litigation of these claims requires preparation and legal strategy.
Social Media and Digital Evidence
Evidence gathered from social media, text messages, and digital communications increasingly appears in contested divorce cases. This affects LGBTQ clients the same way it affects anyone. What you post, send, or share during a pending divorce can be used against you in proceedings related to custody, asset dissipation, and support.
Contact Merel Family Law
If you are facing a same-sex divorce in Bloomfield Hills, the decisions you make early in this process affect everything that comes after. Property rights, custody, and financial support are all concerns we can assist you with. Our Bloomfield Hills LGBTQ divorce attorney can take the time to understand your situation before offering any guidance. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
