Act No. 8

Public Acts of 2002

Approved by the Governor

February 14, 2002

Filed with the Secretary of State

February 14, 2002

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 14, 2002

STATE OF MICHIGAN

91ST LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2002

Introduced by Senator Hammerstrom

ENROLLED SENATE BILL No. 683

AN ACT to amend 1966 PA 138, entitled ''An act to confer jurisdiction upon the circuit courts to order and enforce the payment of money for the support, in certain cases, of parents having physical custody of minor children or children who have reached the age of majority and of minor children or children who have reached the age of majority by noncustodial parents; to provide for the termination of the effectiveness of the orders; and to provide for the payment of fees and assessment of costs in those cases,'' by amending sections 1, 1a, and 5 (MCL 552.451, 552.451a, and 552.455), sections 1 and 1a as amended by 1990 PA 237 and section 5 as amended by 1996 PA 5.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 1. A married parent who has a minor child or children living with him or her and who is living separate and away from his or her spouse who is the noncustodial parent of the child or children, and who is refused financial assistance by the noncustodial parent to provide necessary shelter, food, care, and clothing for the child or children, if the spouse is of sufficient financial ability to provide that assistance, may complain to the circuit court for the county where either parent resides for an order for support for himself or herself and the minor child or children. Subject to section 5b of the support and parenting time enforcement act, 1982 PA 295, MCL 552.605b, the parent may also complain to the circuit court for support for a child or children after they reach 18 years of age. The proceedings shall be commenced by the filing of a complaint verified by the petitioner and by issuance of a summons that shall be personally served upon the noncustodial parent of the children and spouse of the petitioner. A complaint shall not be filed nor shall any summons issue if divorce or separate maintenance proceedings are then pending between the petitioner and his or her spouse.

Sec. 1a. A custodial parent or guardian of a minor child or children or a child or children who have reached 18 years of age may proceed in the same manner, and under the same circumstances as provided in section 1, against the noncustodial parent for the support of the child or children. The order of support shall provide only for the support of the child or children, and the burden of proof shall be the same as provided in section 2. This section applies only to legitimate, legitimated, and lawfully adopted minor children and, subject to section 5b of the support and parenting time enforcement act, 1982 PA 295, MCL 552.605b, children after they reach 18 years of age.

Sec. 5. An order entered under section 2 may be modified by the court upon proper application to the court and due notice to the opposite party. If a judgment of divorce or of separate maintenance is entered by a court having personal jurisdiction over the parties, an order entered under this act is null and void upon the effective date of the judgment.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Secretary of the Senate.

Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Approved

Governor.