Do you need a Divorce Lawyer Clarkston?

Our Divorce Lawyer Clarkston knows divorces are emotional and challenging which can lead to potential poor judgment calls. Not only are you not in the right frame of mind for a healthy, stable relationship, but it can also affect your legal standing in the divorce.

If you are considering a divorce, don’t deal with the matter alone. Seeking the advice of an experienced divorce lawyer is always the best course of action.

Call us today at 248-650-0055 to find out how our Clarkston lawyers can help you.

Scott J. Sumner, J.D. was born in Macomb County, Michigan and attended Utica Community Schools before graduating from Michigan State University (1986) and Michigan State College of Law (1989), previously Detroit College of Law (DCL).

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Based on 72 reviews

Jason Kim

January 2, 2023.

Wife and I went to get our will and trust made. The staff was very polite. Scott was very thorough and informative with everything. Made the process smooth and easy!

Dave Ankersen

December 21, 2022.

Very knowledgeable, friendly and expedient. A job well done.

Beth McGrath

December 6, 2022.

Great experience from beginning to end. Scott was thorough and professional and the follow up with Sarah and Rori was prompt and clear. The complexity of estate planning was made understandable. Thank you to the team.

jade nguyen

November 16, 2022.

The company I work for have a list of lawyers that they referred employees to. After researching and reading reviews we decided to go with Scott from Sumner and Associate. After working with Scott, I now understand why he has so many good reviews. Scott was knowledgeable and was so great at explaining all the law nuances that are very hard to understand for the general public. He guided my husband and I throughout the whole estate planning process and gave us the peace of mind that we needed. I cannot recommend him enough to my friends and family.

Jeanne Burns

August 28, 2022.

Outstanding!

Rick Buckley

June 23, 2022.

Mr. Sumner and staff are professional, proficient, and courteous. Our legal matters were handled without issue and we were provided the necessary guidance from initial contact thru to completion.

Jim Morrocco

June 23, 2022.

I recently used Sumner and Associates to create a living trust. The process was very organized and logical. The accompanying the trust documents in explaining (or reminding) me how to put my assets into the trust. It is very comforting now that I have completed my tasks that I have taken care of this for my children. Thanks again Scott for a pleasant and rewarding experience.

Tom Weng

June 22, 2022.

This office provides a comprehensive "system" for Estate Planning (the service we use). Not just prepare us with basic knowledge about the topic before we meet personally but also allow us to think through key components/element requrred prior to the meet, Scott really looking into what our need are (not just provide us a can package) and guided us to reach our goal with minimum effort on our side. We walk out thier office not just feel confidently we have a good plan in hands but also additional things/tips worth to consider (provided by Scott) beyond Estate Planning. Thank you, Scott and Sarah!!! Great service you provided to us!!!

Renee Ramirez

June 7, 2022.

I had a great experience at Sumner Law, everyone was friendly, professional, on-time, and made the process very smooth for me. Highly recommended!!

Frequently Asked Questions for Divorce Lawyer Clarkston

Can I force my spouse to move out once the divorce is filed?
What can I do to prevent my spouse from taking, removing or destroying my possessions or our property?
Can I date during divorce?
My spouse is the primary earner in the family. Will he/she still need to pay the bills?
What about joint credit cards and joint bank accounts?

Can I force my spouse to move out once the divorce is filed?

No. Both of you have the right to continue to live in the marital home until the divorce is final. Although most divorcing couples don’t have sexual relations during the divorce, you continue to cohabitate and pay bills like you were prior to filing divorce. However, the most common cause of a party moving out of the marital home is due to domestic violence during or just prior to filing of divorce. Typically, the offender is arrested and removed from the house by police (at or near the time of assault). Once the offending spouse is charged with domestic violence they will be barred from returning to the marital home. This is the case even if the victim spouse wants the offending spouse to return home.

What can I do to prevent my spouse from taking, removing or destroying my possessions or our property?

Divorce can sometimes get ugly and these situations should be discussed with your attorney, preferably before you file for divorce. If a party has a fear that their spouse may take, remove or destroy property, money or accounts, your attorney can seek cooperation from your spouse’s attorney or seek a protective order from the court. I typically advise clients to put away or remove valuable items for plain sight. Things of personal value, that your spiteful spouse may cause to disappear or damage.

Can I date during divorce?

Yes. You can date during divorce, but I don’t recommend it. There are several reasons and the most obvious is that you are “pouring gas on a fire”. You are still married and should focus on finalizing the details of your marital dissolution agreement. If your dating inflames your spouse in any way, you will have a much harder time negotiating the final settlement terms, in your favor. Further, if minor children are involved in your case, dating will interject itself into the custody and parenting time issues of the case.

My spouse is the primary earner in the family. Will he/she still need to pay the bills?

The court wants the parties to maintain a financial status quo. Status quo means to continue to pay the bills the same way they were paid before the divorce was filed. This means all household bills and expenses including maintaining any direct deposit of paychecks. Otherwise, the parties are at risk for causing more harm by not making necessary payments and meeting timely obligations.

What about joint credit cards and joint bank accounts?

In some cases, a spouse may withdraw more than their share of the bank account or run up the credit card debt, beyond normal limits. The best way to attempt to avoid this behavior is to discuss in advance about how to separate your income and bills. If you are fearful of such behavior or experience the same after the filing, you should discuss the same with your attorney. Your attorney could reach out to the other side to get an agreeable solution or file for a protective order with the court. There are other things you can do with credit cards to build credit or transfer joint debt to individual credit cards. Your strategy will best be worked out between you, your spouse and the attorneys.

Divorce Lawyer Clarkston