Michigan Compiled Laws
Act 294 of 1982 - Friend of the Court Act (552.501 - 552.535)
Section 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 the court; to ensure that procedures adopted by the friend of the court will protect the best interests of children in domestic relations matters; to encourage and assist parties voluntarily to resolve contested domestic relations matters by agreement; to compel the enforcement of parenting time and custody orders; and to compel the enforcement of support orders, ensuring that persons legally responsible for the care and support of children assume their legal obligations and reducing the financial cost to this state of providing public assistance funds for the care of children. This act shall be construed to promote the enumerated purposes and to facilitate the resolution of domestic relations matters.
History: 1982, Act 294, Eff. July 1, 1983 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 144, Imd. Eff. Mar. 25, 1996 Popular Name: Friend of the Court

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Structure Michigan Compiled Laws

Michigan Compiled Laws

Chapter 552 - Divorce

Act 294 of 1982 - Friend of the Court Act (552.501 - 552.535)

Section 552.501 - Short Title; Purposes and Construction of Act.

Section 552.502 - Definitions; a to I.

Section 552.502a - Definitions; M to T.

Section 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;...

Section 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.

Section 552.504a - Citizen Advisory Committee; Scope; Duties; Subcommittees; Meetings Open to the Public; Exception.

Section 552.504b - Information and Records to Be Provided to Citizen Advisory Committee.

Section 552.504c - Information and Records as Confidential; Disclosure; Penalty; Grounds for Dismissal.

Section 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.

Section 552.505a - Open Friend of the Court Case; Closure.

Section 552.507 - Referee; Designation by Chief Judge; Powers; Transcript of Hearing; Cost; De Novo Court Hearing; Request; Interim Order; Review.

Section 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.

Section 552.508 - Expediting Relief; Methods.

Section 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 E...

Section 552.509a - Centralized Receipt and Disbursement of Support and Fees.

Section 552.511 - Initiating Enforcement of Support Order and Custody or Parenting Time Order; Procedure; Arrearage; Amnesty.

Section 552.511a - Payment of Health Care Expense; Complaint; Sending Copy of Complaint and Notice to Parent; Objection; Hearing.

Section 552.511b - Custody or Parenting Time Order Violations; Complaint; Sending Copy of Complaint to Individual Accused of Interfering; Action.

Section 552.512 - Reporting Information to Consumer Reporting Agency.

Section 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...

Section 552.515 - Certain Actions by Employee Providing Domestic Relations Mediation; Prohibition.

Section 552.517 - Review of Child Support Order After Final Judgment; Modification Order; Calculations; Petition for Modification; Scheduling of Hearing; Petition to Require Dependent Health Care Coverage; Use of Guidelines; Costs.

Section 552.517a - Repealed. 2002, Act 571, Imd. Eff. Oct. 3, 2002.

Section 552.517b - Review of Order; Notice of Right to Request; Notice of Review; Calculation of Support Amount; Objection; Joint Meeting Expediting Resolution of Support Issues; Provisions; Modification; Frequency of Review.

Section 552.517c - Review of Support Order in Another State; Procedures.

Section 552.517d - Motion for Modification of Parenting Time Order.

Section 552.517e - Arrearage Payment Schedules; Administrative Adjustment.

Section 552.517f - Abatement of Child Support Order Upon Incarceration of 180 Days or More; Notice; Objection and Administrative Review; Modification of Order.

Section 552.518 - Information From Employer or Former Employer Relative to Parent.

Section 552.519 - State Friend of the Court Bureau; Creation; Supervision and Direction; Main Office; Duties; State Advisory Committee; Report or Recommendation; Reimbursement for Expenses; Meetings; Assistance.

Section 552.520 - Information Requested by Department of Human Services.

Section 552.521 - Person Appointed as Friend of the Court Under Former Act; Continuation; Transfer of Files, Records, Funds, and Pending Cases of Office Under Former Act; Employees of Friend of the Court Appointed Under Former Act to Become Employees...

Section 552.522 - Appointment of Attorney to Assist Friend of the Court; Compensation.

Section 552.523 - Vacancy; Appointment of Person to Position of Friend of the Court or Interim Friend of the Court; Experience or Education.

Section 552.524 - Annual Review of Performance Record of Friend of the Court; Public Notice and Comments; Written Evaluation; Written Response; Copies.

Section 552.525 - Removal of Friend of the Court; Approval.

Section 552.526 - Grievance Procedure; Record; Powers and Duties of Citizen Advisory Committee.

Section 552.527 - Compensation and Expenses of Friend of the Court and Employees.

Section 552.528 - Compilation of Data.

Section 552.531 - Repealed. 1996, Act 366, Eff. Jan. 1, 1997.

Section 552.533 - Repeal of MCL 552.251 to 552.255.

Section 552.534 - Conditional Effective Date.

Section 552.535 - Effective Date.