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Act 294 of 1982
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FRIEND OF THE COURT ACT

Act 294 of 1982

AN ACT to revise and consolidate the laws relating to the friend of the court; to provide for the appointment or removal of the friend of the court; to create the office of the friend of the court; to establish the rights, powers, and duties of the friend of the court and the office of the friend of the court; to establish a state friend of the court bureau and to provide the powers and duties of the bureau; to prescribe powers and duties of the circuit court and of certain state and local agencies and officers; to establish friend of the court citizen advisory committees; to prescribe certain duties of certain employers and former employers; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.


History: 1982, Act 294, Eff. July 1, 1983 ;-- Am. 1985, Act 208, Eff. Mar. 1, 1986 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 366, Eff. Jan. 1, 1997
Popular Name: Friend of the Court




The People of the State of Michigan enact:

DocumentTypeDescription
Section 552.501SectionShort title; purposes and construction of act.
Section 552.502SectionDefinitions; A to I.
Section 552.502aSectionDefinitions; M to T.
Section 552.503SectionOffice of the friend of the court; creation in judicial circuit; exception; separate office in county; vacancy; merger; head of office as friend of the court; friend of the court as employee of circuit court; performance of duties; office procedures; availability of services to public.
Section 552.504SectionCitizen friend of the court advisory committee; establishment; composition; appointment; vacancy; terms; election of chairperson and vice-chairperson; court administrative office guidelines; term limitation.
Section 552.504aSectionCitizen advisory committee; scope; duties; subcommittees; meetings open to the public; exception.
Section 552.504bSectionInformation and records to be provided to citizen advisory committee.
Section 552.504cSectionInformation and records as confidential; disclosure; penalty; grounds for dismissal.
Section 552.505SectionDuties of friend of the court; failure of party to attend scheduled meeting; charging parties for investigation, report and recommendations; waiver or suspension of fees; disposition of money collected.
Section 552.505aSectionOpen friend of the court case; closure.
Section 552.507SectionReferee; designation by chief judge; powers; transcript of hearing; cost; de novo court hearing; request; interim order; review.
Section 552.507aSectionMaking report, recommendation, and supporting documents available to attorneys and parties; informing parties in child custody dispute or guardian concerning preference expressed by child; availability of information.
Section 552.508SectionExpediting relief; methods.
Section 552.509SectionDuties of office regarding support payments providing statement of account to parties; initiating and carrying out proceedings to enforce order regarding custody, parenting time, health care coverage or support; enforcement orders entered in other state.
Section 552.509aSectionCentralized receipt and disbursement of support and fees.
Section 552.511SectionInitiating enforcement of support order and custody or parenting time order; procedure; arrearage; amnesty.
Section 552.511aSectionPayment of health care expense; complaint; sending copy of complaint and notice to parent; objection; hearing.
Section 552.511bSectionCustody or parenting time order violations; complaint; sending copy of complaint to individual accused of interfering; action.
Section 552.512SectionReporting information to consumer reporting agency.
Section 552.513SectionAlternative dispute resolution; approval of plan; "protection order" defined; agreement; consent order; confidentiality of communication; qualifications of person providing domestic relations mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
Section 552.515SectionCertain actions by employee providing domestic relations mediation; prohibition.
Section 552.517SectionReview of child support order after final judgment; modification order; calculations; petition for modification; scheduling of hearing; petition to require dependent health care coverage; use of guidelines; costs.
Section 552.517aSectionRepealed. 2002, Act 571, Imd. Eff. Oct. 3, 2002.
Section 552.517bSectionReview of order; notice of right to request; notice of review; calculation of support amount; objection; joint meeting expediting resolution of support issues; provisions; modification; frequency of review.
Section 552.517cSectionReview of support order in another state; procedures.
Section 552.517dSectionMotion for modification of parenting time order.
Section 552.517eSectionArrearage payment schedules; administrative adjustment.
Section 552.517fSectionAbatement of child support order upon incarceration of 180 days or more; notice; objection and administrative review; modification of order.
Section 552.518SectionInformation from employer or former employer relative to parent.
Section 552.519SectionState friend of the court bureau; creation; supervision and direction; main office; duties; state advisory committee; report or recommendation; reimbursement for expenses; meetings; assistance.
Section 552.520SectionInformation requested by department of human services.
Section 552.521SectionPerson appointed as friend of the court under former act; continuation; transfer of files, records, funds, and pending cases of office under former act; employees of friend of the court appointed under former act to become employees of corresponding office; employees of state judicial council serving in third judicial circuit to continue in present positions.
Section 552.522SectionAppointment of attorney to assist friend of the court; compensation.
Section 552.523SectionVacancy; appointment of person to position of friend of the court or interim friend of the court; experience or education.
Section 552.524SectionAnnual review of performance record of friend of the court; public notice and comments; written evaluation; written response; copies.
Section 552.525SectionRemoval of friend of the court; approval.
Section 552.526SectionGrievance procedure; record; powers and duties of citizen advisory committee.
Section 552.527SectionCompensation and expenses of friend of the court and employees.
Section 552.528SectionCompilation of data.
Section 552.531SectionRepealed. 1996, Act 366, Eff. Jan. 1, 1997.
Section 552.533SectionRepeal of MCL 552.251 to 552.255.
Section 552.534SectionConditional effective date.
Section 552.535SectionEffective date.
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