Haque Legal · Bloomfield Hills · Oakland County Family Law
Divorce decides where your children live, who keeps the house, and what your finances look like for years after judgment. Haque Legal represents Oakland County clients who are filing first and clients who have just been served, in negotiated settlements and contested hearings alike.
We start with the decisions that need attention now: where the children will stay, how household bills will be paid, what financial records are available, and whether a court deadline is approaching. Then we build the property, parenting, and support terms together, so the final judgment works in real life and not only on paper.
Free consultation · Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. · Spanish-language support from our team
Reviewed by Fahd S. Haque, Esq., Founder & Principal Attorney · Updated November 3, 2026
Just served with divorce papers?
In Michigan you generally have 21 days to file an answer after personal service, or 28 days if you were served by mail or outside the state (MCR 2.108). If you miss that deadline, the other side can ask the court for a default. If an ex parte order was served with the complaint, it may already control parenting time, the home, or the finances.
Tell us the date you were served and bring the complaint, summons, and any order. If a default has already been entered, contact us right away; the time to ask the court to set it aside is short.
Our attorneys handle negotiated and contested divorces in Oakland County Circuit Court. Settlement terms are measured against what a judge is likely to order, so you know when an offer is fair and when to push back.
The home, retirement accounts, business interests, debts, and the monthly budget are reviewed together. A proposal that looks equal on paper can leave two very different households, and we show you the difference before you agree.
If a divorce affects a conditional green card, a pending petition, VAWA, or a U visa, both matters are reviewed together by one firm. Family law and immigration
The firm has handled Islamic marriage and divorce matters discreetly for years, including mahr, wedding gold, and property held overseas or titled to family members. Islamic marriage and divorce
Senior Attorney
The firm’s lead family law attorney, licensed in Michigan since 1993. Divorce, custody, parenting time, and support in the Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb County circuit courts.
Associate Attorney
J.D., Wayne State University Law School. Custody, child support formula calculations, post-judgment modifications, and contested parenting time.
Principal Attorney & Founder
Michigan trial lawyer since 2014. Super Lawyers® Rising Stars 2022–2026. Contested custody, divorce, and property division, prepared as though the case will be tried.
Custody
“I was pulled back into court due to a high-conflict situation with my ex, and working with Theresa Rizer made all the difference. She fought hard for me, explained everything clearly, and helped me stay focused. I truly felt like she was in my corner.”Sara Kuhnie, Google review
Litigation
“Attorney Theresa Rizer demonstrated a high level of professionalism, preparation, and clear legal judgment. Her courtroom advocacy was calm, focused, and effective. I felt confident knowing my case was being handled thoughtfully and with attention to detail.”Arvind Sharma, Google review
Divorce
“[Hunter] was my lawyer for my divorce. She was absolutely amazing throughout the entire process. Nothing but good things to say about this law firm.”Angela Paladuk, Google review
One spouse must have lived in Michigan for 180 days and in the filing county for 10 days before the complaint is filed (MCL 552.9). Oakland County divorces are filed in the Oakland County Circuit Court, Family Division, in Pontiac.
You do not have to prove wrongdoing. The only ground is a breakdown of the marriage with no reasonable likelihood it can be preserved (MCL 552.6). Conduct during the marriage can still matter for property and spousal support.
A judgment cannot enter until 60 days after filing without minor children, or six months with minor children. The six-month period can be shortened for unusual hardship or compelling necessity, but not below 60 days (MCL 552.9f).
When spouses agree on every term, the case can often close soon after the waiting period. When property, support, or the children are disputed, the case moves through disclosure, temporary orders, mediation, and possibly trial, which adds time and cost.
A divorce can involve urgent household decisions long before a final agreement is ready. Tell us whether anyone has moved out, whether there is access to money for ordinary expenses, and whether an existing order controls parenting or finances. We can then identify which questions need attention first and which depend on further information.
For the final settlement, organize the home, debts, retirement, other assets, and ongoing expenses as a complete picture. A proposal that looks equal on paper can leave very different monthly budgets. If you want to keep a particular asset, explain why and bring the records showing its value, financing, and carrying costs.
Housing, essential bills, access to records, and any current parenting schedule.
Statements showing ownership, balances, debts, and significant transactions.
Who completes each transfer, how it is funded, and what remains to be done after judgment.
Property, support, and parenting terms affect each other. Agreeing to one term without understanding the others can create a judgment that is difficult to carry out.
Michigan divides the marital estate equitably, which is not always 50/50. Property owned before the marriage or inherited may be separate, but tracing and commingling disputes are common. Property division
One spouse may keep the home and refinance, buy out the other spouse, or the home may be sold. Who stays in the house while the case is pending is often the first dispute. Going back to the house during a divorce
401(k)s and pensions earned during the marriage are usually divided by court order or offset. Businesses, stock compensation, and real estate portfolios need valuation. High-asset divorce
Michigan has no fixed formula. The court weighs the length of the marriage, earnings, ability to work, needs, and contributions. Spousal support · Estimator
Decided under the MCL 722.23 best-interest factors and the children’s established custodial environment. Child custody · Overnight calculator
Calculated under the Michigan Child Support Formula using both incomes, overnights, childcare, and health insurance costs. Child support
Also see: Divorce without children · Gray divorce · Business valuation and separate property · Emergency custody orders · Personal protection orders · Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements · Fathers’ rights · Abandonment and divorce · Property overseas
For court locations, Friend of the Court contacts, and local procedures, see our Oakland County Family Court guide.
These summaries describe the firm’s existing published accounts. The facts, procedure, and outcome of another matter may differ. Browse the case study archive or see recent Oakland County results.
Michigan generally requires a 60-day waiting period without minor children and six months with minor children. A court may shorten the six-month period for unusual hardship or compelling necessity, but not below 60 days. These are minimum periods, not a promised completion date. Disputed issues and the court schedule affect the actual timeline.
No. Michigan is a no-fault divorce state. The complaint states only that there has been a breakdown of the marriage relationship and no reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved (MCL 552.6). Conduct during the marriage can still be relevant to property division and spousal support.
One spouse must have lived in Michigan for 180 days before the complaint is filed, and one spouse must have lived in the county where it is filed for 10 days (MCL 552.9). A narrow exception to the county requirement applies in some cases involving minor children at risk of being taken out of the United States.
You generally have 21 days to file an answer after being personally served, or 28 days if you were served by mail or outside Michigan (MCR 2.108). If you do not respond, the other side can ask for a default. Contact us with the date you were served and bring the complaint, summons, and any ex parte order.
There is no automatic rule. One spouse may keep the home and refinance or buy out the other spouse, the home may be sold and the proceeds divided, or the parties may agree to another arrangement. Down payments or premarital funds may be traceable as separate property. Who lives in the home while the case is pending can be addressed by agreement or temporary order.
The portion of a retirement account or pension earned during the marriage is generally part of the marital estate. It may be divided with a qualified domestic relations order or offset against other assets. Amounts earned before the marriage may be treated as separate property if they can be traced.
Michigan does not use a fixed spousal support formula. Courts weigh factors such as the length of the marriage, each spouse's earnings and ability to work, needs, health, and contributions to the marriage (MCL 552.23 and Michigan case law). Spousal support can be temporary, long term, or waived by agreement.
Child support is calculated under the Michigan Child Support Formula. The calculation uses both parents' incomes, the number of overnights each parent has, and costs such as childcare and health insurance. The Friend of the Court administers support orders.
Talk to us before moving. Once an order governs custody, a parent generally cannot move a child's legal residence more than 100 miles from where the child lived when the case began without the other parent's consent or court approval, subject to exceptions (MCL 722.31). A move can also affect custody and parenting time decisions.
The court may refer contested issues to mediation (MCR 3.216), and many Oakland County divorces resolve through negotiation or mediation before trial. Mediation is not appropriate in every case, including some cases involving domestic violence.
SMILE (Start Making It Livable for Everyone) is a required Oakland County Friend of the Court education program for divorcing parents with children under 18. It is a single session held on Zoom and lasts about 1.5 hours.
Michigan does not require a lawyer, but an agreement still has to be written into a judgment that can be carried out. Review matters most for retirement division orders, refinancing deadlines, deeds, support terms, and parenting schedules, which are difficult to fix after judgment.
Bring any filed papers, current orders, a short timeline, and a basic list of assets, debts, and income sources. You do not need to assemble every financial record before speaking with us.
Yes. The initial consultation is free. We explain fees and the retainer for your situation at that meeting, before you decide whether to hire the firm.
Official references: MCL 552.6, grounds · MCL 552.9, residency · MCL 552.9f, waiting periods · MCL 552.23, support and property · MCL 722.23, best-interest factors · MCL 722.31, 100-mile rule · Oakland County Family Division · Oakland County Friend of the Court programs
Bring the current order or filed papers, a brief timeline, and your most pressing questions. If a court date or parenting exchange is approaching, tell us when you contact the firm. Our consultation preparation guide lists what to gather.
We serve families in Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, West Bloomfield, Troy, Rochester, and Royal Oak.
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