
However, you should be thoughtful about the information you provide. Ignoring a request from the FOC is never a good strategy if you do this, you will not only look disorganized and irresponsible, but the information the other parent provides may be what the FOC relies upon in making recommendations. The investigation includes information you and the other parent provide through filling out forms and in-person interviews.

When someone files a case in their county circuit court that affects a child, like a divorce involving minor children, they will be assigned to an individual FOC employee and will work with that person throughout their case.Īmong other things, the FOC will investigate the facts of your case and make recommendations about custody, parenting time, and support, including medical support. The Friend of the Court (FOC) is an agency of the court that gathers information for the court regarding child support, child custody, and parenting time matters. Let’s talk about what you need to know when dealing with the Michigan Friend of the Court. If you are involved in a Michigan family law matter involving minor children, you are already familiar with the Friend of the Court, but you might not fully understand their role, or how they affect your case. To help make sure the courts get the information they need to make important decisions regarding families, the Michigan Friend of the Court offers assistance. The court dockets are crowded, and judges simply don’t have the ability to listen to everything a litigant might want to present.

Unfortunately, the reality is a bit different. When people enter into a family law matter in Michigan, they often imagine that they will have the opportunity to give the judge all the information that they feel is important. The family division of the Michigan circuit court system is responsible for hearing family law and domestic cases, including divorce, child support and child custody.
