Michigan Compiled Laws
Act 91 of 1970 - Child Custody Act of 1970 (722.21 - 722.31)
Section 722.22 - Definitions.

Sec. 2.
As used in this act:
(a) "Active duty" means that term as defined in section 101 of the servicemembers civil relief act, 50 USC 511, except that "active duty" includes full-time national guard duty.
(b) "Agency" means a legally authorized public or private organization, or governmental unit or official, whether of this state or of another state or country, concerned in the welfare of minor children, including a licensed child placement agency.
(c) "Attorney" means, if appointed to represent a child under this act, an attorney serving as the child's legal advocate in a traditional attorney-client relationship with the child, as governed by the Michigan rules of professional conduct. An attorney defined under this subdivision owes the same duties of undivided loyalty, confidentiality, and zealous representation of the child's expressed wishes as the attorney would to an adult client.
(d) "Child" means minor child and children. Subject to section 5b of the support and parenting time enforcement act, 1982 PA 295, MCL 552.605b, for purposes of providing support, child includes a child and children who have reached 18 years of age.
(e) "Deployment" means the movement or mobilization of a servicemember to a location for a period of longer than 60 days and not longer than 540 days under temporary or permanent official orders as follows:
(i) That are designated as unaccompanied.
(ii) For which dependent travel is not authorized.
(iii) That otherwise do not permit the movement of family members to that location.
(iv) The servicemember is restricted from travel.
(f) "Grandparent" means a natural or adoptive parent of a child's natural or adoptive parent.
(g) "Guardian ad litem" means an individual whom the court appoints to assist the court in determining the child's best interests. A guardian ad litem does not need to be an attorney.
(h) "Lawyer-guardian ad litem" means an attorney appointed under section 4. A lawyer-guardian ad litem represents the child, and has the powers and duties, as set forth in section 4.
(i) "Parent" means the natural or adoptive parent of a child.
(j) "State disbursement unit" or "SDU" means the entity established in section 6 of the office of child support act, 1971 PA 174, MCL 400.236.
(k) "Third person" means an individual other than a parent.
History: 1970, Act 91, Eff. Apr. 1, 1971 ;-- Am. 1990, Act 245, Imd. Eff. Oct. 10, 1990 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 482, Eff. Mar. 1, 1999 ;-- Am. 1999, Act 156, Imd. Eff. Nov. 3, 1999 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 9, Imd. Eff. Feb. 14, 2002 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 542, Imd. Eff. Jan. 3, 2005 ;-- Am. 2005, Act 327, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 2005 ;-- Am. 2015, Act 51, Eff. Sept. 7, 2015

Structure Michigan Compiled Laws

Michigan Compiled Laws

Chapter 722 - Children

Act 91 of 1970 - Child Custody Act of 1970 (722.21 - 722.31)

Section 722.21 - Child Custody Act; Short Title.

Section 722.22 - Definitions.

Section 722.23 - "Best Interests of the Child" Defined.

Section 722.24 - Child Custody Disputes; Powers of Court; Appointment of Lawyer-Guardian Ad Litem.

Section 722.24a - Repealed. 2001, Act 108, Eff. Sept. 30, 2001.

Section 722.25 - Child Custody Dispute; Controlling Interests, Presumption; Award of Custody to Parent Convicted of Criminal Sexual Conduct or Acts of Nonconsensual Sexual Penetration; Prohibition; Support or Maintenance Obligation; Defense; "Offendi...

Section 722.26 - Liberal Construction and Application of Act; Purpose; Provisions Applicable to Child Custody Disputes and Actions; Precedence of Other Actions; Submission of Action; Habeas Corpus or Warrant.

Section 722.26a - Joint Custody.

Section 722.26b - Standing of Guardian or Limited Guardian of Child to Bring Action for Custody of Child; Filing of Action; Stay of Proceedings; Continuation of Order in Force; Copy of Judgment or Order of Disposition; Assignment of Judge.

Section 722.26c - Custody Action by Third Person; Conditions.

Section 722.26d - Custody Action by Third Person; Jurisdiction.

Section 722.26e - Custody Action by Third Person; Notice; Powers of Court.

Section 722.27 - Child Custody Disputes; Powers of Court; Support Order; Enforcement of Judgment or Order; Child Custody While Parent on Deployment.

Section 722.27a - Parenting Time.

Section 722.27b - Order for Grandparenting Time; Circumstances; Acknowledgment of Parentage; Commencement of Action; Procedures; Affidavit; Basis for Entry of Order; Best Interests of Child; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Frequency of Filing Complai...

Section 722.27c - Parenting Coordinator.

Section 722.28 - Child Custody Disputes; Appeal, Grounds.

Section 722.29 - Transition to Centralized Receipt and Disbursement of Support and Fees.

Section 722.30 - Access to Records or Information by Noncustodial Parent.

Section 722.31 - Legal Residence Change of Child Whose Parental Custody Governed by Court Order.