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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Excellent

Based on 80 reviews

Carol Zachrich

July 25, 2023.

Great experience! This team has the estate planning process down to a science. Very efficient, timely and responsive. Appreciate their expertise and demeanor. Highly recommend!

Christopher Lee

June 23, 2023.

This is where you want to go for wills, trusts, or family estate planning. It was quick, thorough, organized, and pleasant. I only wish I could give them a 6th star.

Tony Parrish

June 19, 2023.

In August of 2022, Sumner & Associates helped us with Estate Planning for my husband and I. We were impressed that they didn't blink an eye when asked by an LGBTQ couple. Important that I mention this for others looking for good representation. The team was thorough and provided good tips based on the law. Thank you Scott, Sarah, and Rori!

eric bentley

June 17, 2023.

Highly recommended! They were very easy to work with and very informative about all our questions. The entire process went smoothly.

Nitin Shah

May 10, 2023.

This office is awesome and I really the way their process and they explained me the step by step process to go for will documentation. When we visited the office to sign final document it was very transparent and clear process and was done quickly. Thanks to Sarah for coordinating and communicating each and every steps clearly and timely.

Edward Sezniak

March 13, 2023.

Will and Trust. Service was very well organized and guided us through the writing of a will and establishment of a trust. We also established durable power of attorney and advanced health care directives. The purpose and function of each device was clearly explained along with the roles and responsibilities of the different participants. Competitively and fairly priced.

Marilyn Sezniak

March 12, 2023.

Their reference materials did a good job of explaining the difference between a Will and a Trust. The process had steps that demonstrated progression toward completion of the documents and status was communicated along the way. Sara and Scott were thorough, friendly and answered all of our questions. The final documents are organized in a binder that has a very professional appearance. I highly recommend Sumner & Associates.

Dave Kishimoto

January 5, 2023.

Always detailed & accurate and takes the time to explain. Updates were quick and easy.

Linda Toussaint

January 3, 2023.

We were very impressed with the attention to details while preparing our trust. I would highly recommend Mr. Sumner and his staff are professional and curious.

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!

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