Grand Rapids MI Family Law Blog

One of the reasons why our firm specializes in family law is because of the interesting issues that arise when dealing with people in real life situations. Some of the unusual situations almost defy imagination.

Most people who claim that they are victims of parental alienation are dismissed as being misguided, or are told that they just are imagining things. These assessments can be frustrating (to the alienating parent) because parental alienation syndrome (PAS) is very real, despite the fact that it is not formally recognized as a cognitive disorder.

Nevertheless, PAS is claimed in a number of child custody cases, but it can be very difficult to quantify. This post will identify a few signs of PAS and give some tips on how to handle it.

With such a large portion of U.S. marriages ending in divorce, the scourge of a break up is bound to affect children. Unfortunately, many couples don't consider how the divorce will change them, most of the time for the worst. Research suggests that divorce can increase the chance a child will have emotional and academic problems.

Indeed, some children are resilient and are bound to bounce back quickly, but there are certain steps divorcing parents can take protect kids from additional harm from divorce.

In the last 20 years, the blended family has become an integral part of American culture. At least one-third of American children will live in a household that includes a step-parent at one point in their lives. Because of that, more emphasis is being put on how blended families can co-exist.

While every family is different, a recent study conducted by researchers at Brigham Young University found that the relationship between step-parents and children can be strengthened by maintaining three principles. This post will describe them and how they contribute to a cohesive modern family.