The Court must grant parenting time according to the best interests of the child.  Michigan law requires the Court to presume that a strong relationship with both parents is in the child’s best interests.  Accordingly, the Court will enter a parenting time order for parenting time unless it finds by clear and convincing evidence that parenting time would endanger the child’s physical, mental, or emotional health.  Parenting time will be granted in a frequency, duration and type reasonably calculated to promote a strong relationship between the child and the parents.   In addition to the best interest factors under the Child Custody Act, the court may consider the following factors when determining the frequency, duration, and type of parenting time to be granted:

(a) The existence of any special circumstances or needs of the child.

(b) Whether the child is a nursing child less than 6 months of age, or less than 1 year of age if the child receives substantial nutrition through nursing.

(c) The reasonable likelihood of abuse or neglect of the child during parenting time.

(d) The reasonable likelihood of abuse of a parent resulting from the exercise of parenting time.

(e) The inconvenience to, and burdensome impact or effect on, the child of traveling for purposes of parenting time.

(f) Whether a parent can reasonably be expected to exercise parenting time in accordance with the court order.

(g) Whether a parent has frequently failed to exercise reasonable parenting time.

(h) The threatened or actual detention of the child with the intent to retain or conceal the child from the other parent or from a third person who has legal custody. A custodial parent's temporary residence with the child in a domestic violence shelter shall not be construed as evidence of the custodial parent's intent to retain or conceal the child from the other parent.

(i) Any other relevant factors.

MCL 722.27a

 

Chippewa County Friend of the Court Parenting Time Policies:

 

• Standard Parenting Time Policy

• Holiday Parenting Time Policy

• Long Distance Parenting Time Policy

 

Parenting Time Forms:

 

Motion regarding parenting time

Response to motion regarding parenting time

Chippewa County Makeup Parenting Time Policy

Complaint Alleging Parenting Time Violation

Stipulation Regarding Parenting Time

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