Do you need a Clinton Township Divorce Lawyer?

Our divorce lawyer Clinton Township 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 586-573-7200 to find out how our Clinton Township lawyers can help you.

divorce lawyer clinton township michigan

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
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
Dave Ankersen
December 21, 2022.
Very knowledgeable, friendly and expedient. A job well done.
Beth McGrath
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
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
Jeanne Burns
August 28, 2022.
Outstanding!
Rick Buckley
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
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
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
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!!
clinton township divorce lawyer

Will my spouse or I have to be served with Divorce papers?

Yes. A Divorce is a Civil lawsuit. The spouse initiating or filing the case is the Plaintiff and the responding party is the Defendant. Once the Divorce has been filed with the court, the Defendant must be served with notice of the lawsuit. Typically, this is done by a Process Server who will be hired by the law firm, to hand deliver the notice and legal documents to the Defendant. There are other ways the defendant can be served notice, such as Certified Restricted Mail or the Defendant signing an acknowledgement of service. 

Should I tell my spouse I am planning to file for divorce?

Maybe. Sometimes it is a good idea to be open and upfront about the situation. This is typically when both parties understand there will be a divorce and mutually agreeable to dissolving their marriage. It is good to discuss the issues in your divorce openly and build on that trust, as your work to resolve all the issues in your divorce. With that said, don’t discuss details of any settlement with our spouse, without first speaking with your attorney. 

However, sometimes it is not good to disclose to your spouse that you are planning to file for divorce. This is often a circumstance where a person may be fearful of their spouse or their spouse’s reaction to the filing of the divorce. In this case, it is best to delay communicating your intentions, until after your attorney files the case with the court and secures protective orders. 

Can I move out of the house, during my divorce?

Yes. Either party can move out of the house during a divorce. However, I don’t typically recommend it.  

First, it will cause your divorce to cost more. When a person moves out of the house during a divorce, they will face having to pay for their new home or rental and still have to provide funds to support the marital home. 

Second, it can delay the divorce. If one party moves out, the other part that remains in the house is not motivated to settle the case. They tend to be more relaxed and now have the entire house to themselves, while the other spouse contributes money each month to support that lifestyle. 

Third, it can cause your divorce to cost more. If one party moves out of the house during the divorce, you can expect to spend more money on legal fees. The additional fees would be to pay for the additional time it takes to communicate and negotiate the terms of the move out. 

Fourth, if there are minor children involved, it may jeopardize your child custody or parenting time claim. If a party moves out during divorce, they cannot take the children. The children remain in the marital home. You must have a court order and/or spousal consent, to remove the children from the home. Again, this will cause additional legal fees to discuss and negotiate parenting times and child support. Finally, you could be at risk of allowing the other parent to establish a “custodial environment” during the interim which could have additional legal issues. 

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.