Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 552 / Act 294 of 1982

Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.501

Short title; purposes and construction of act.

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FRIEND OF THE COURT ACT


Act 294 of 1982


552.501 Short title; purposes and construction of act.

Sec. 1.

    (1) This act shall be known and may be cited as the "friend of the court act".

    (2) The purposes of this act are to enumerate and describe the powers and duties of the friend of the court and the office of the friend of the court; to ensure that procedures adopted by the friend of the court will protect the best interests of children in domestic relations matters; to encourage and assist parties voluntarily to resolve contested domestic relations matters by agreement; to compel the enforcement of parenting time and custody orders; and to compel the enforcement of support orders, ensuring that persons legally responsible for the care and support of children assume their legal obligations and reducing the financial cost to this state of providing public assistance funds for the care of children. This act shall be construed to promote the enumerated purposes and to facilitate the resolution of domestic relations matters.

History: 1982, Act 294, Eff. July 1, 1983 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 144, Imd. Eff. Mar. 25, 1996

PopularName Notes:

Friend of the Court
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 24 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1984–2025 · leading case: Porter v. Porter
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Porter v. Porter (2009) michctapp · cites it 2× “, friends of the court are vested with the authority to initiate proceedings to enforce circuit court parenting time orders. MCL 552.644 authorizes a friend of the court to initiate civil contempt proceedings if administrative action to compel compliance with a parenting time…”
Denhof v. Challa (2015) michctapp · cites it 2× “, the Legislature expressed the multiple purposes of the FCA, stating as follows: The purposes of this act are to enumerate and describe the powers and duties of the friend of the court and the office of the friend of the court; to ensure that procedures adopted by the friend of…”
Jahn v. Regan (1984) mied · cites it 2× “The Act governing the operation and duties of the "friend of the court” in 1981, Mich.Comp. Laws Ann. § 552.251 et seq., was repealed in July of 1983 and replaced with Mich.”
Landry v. Roebuck (1992) michctapp · cites it 2× “MCL 552.501 et seq.; MSA 25.176(1) et seq.”
Marshall v. Beal (1986) michctapp “The intent of the Legislature in enacting the Friend of the Court Act, MCL 552.501 et seq.; MSA 25.176(1) et seq.”
Koron v. Melendy (1994) michctapp “Implicit in the court’s acceptance of the parties’ agreement is its determination that the arrangement is in the *193 child’s best interest.”
D'ALLESSANDRO v. Ely (1988) michctapp “The intent of the Legislature in enacting the Friend of the Court Act, MCL 552.501 et seq.; MSA 25.176(1) et seq.”
Trantham v. State Disbursement Unit (2015) michctapp · cites it 2× “*164 The Friend of the Court Act, MCL 552.501 et seq., “describe [s] the powers and duties of the [FOC] .”
Wagner v. GENESEE COUNTY BD. OF COM'RS (1985) mied “§ 552.501 et seq. At the time of the events which gave rise to this law suit, the Friend of the Court was appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Circuit Judges of the County.”
Visser v. Visser (2012) michctapp · cites it 2× “507 is part of the Friend of the Court Act (FCA), MCL 552.501 et seq. MCL 552.507(2)(a) allows a referee to “[h]ear all motions in a domestic relations matter, except motions pertaining to an increase or *17 decrease in spouse support, referred to the referee by the court.”
Ropoleski v. Rairigh (1995) miwd “In this regard, defendants contend they are immune from liability in damages, because their complained-of actions were taken in discharge of their statutory duties.”
Tindall v. Wayne County Friend of the Court ex rel. Schewe (2001) ca6 “He has been the subject of at least eight enforcement proceedings to collect delinquent support payments, instituted under Michigan’s Friend of Court Act, Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 552.501 et seq., and its Support and Visitation Enforcement Act, Mich.”
Show all 24 citing cases →
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.501(2) — 3 cases
Denhof v. Challa (2015) michctapp “, the Legislature expressed the multiple purposes of the FCA, stating as follows: The purposes of this act are to enumerate and describe the powers and duties of the friend of the court and the office of the friend of the court; to ensure that procedures adopted by the friend of…”
Trantham v. State Disbursement Unit (2015) michctapp “*164 The Friend of the Court Act, MCL 552.501 et seq., “describe [s] the powers and duties of the [FOC] .”
Ashley Rose v. Jonathan May (2025) michctapp
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