Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.717b (2026)

Provisions for custody and parenting time; temporary order in case of dispute; referral to friend of the court; attorneys not required to represent parties in dispute.

✓ current as of July 2026

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THE PATERNITY ACT

Act 205 of 1956

722.717b Provisions for custody and parenting time; temporary order in case of dispute; referral to friend of the court; attorneys not required to represent parties in dispute.

Sec. 7b.

If the court makes a determination of paternity and there is no dispute regarding custody, the court shall include in the order of filiation specific provisions for the custody and parenting time of the child as provided in the child custody act of 1970, Act No. 91 of the Public Acts of 1970, being sections 722.21 to 722.29 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. If there is a dispute between the parties concerning custody or parenting time, the court shall immediately enter an order that establishes support and temporarily establishes custody of and parenting time with the child. Pending a hearing on or other resolution of the dispute, the court may also refer the matter to the friend of the court for a report and recommendation as provided in section 5 of the friend of the court act, Act No. 294 of the Public Acts of 1982, being section 552.505 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. In a dispute regarding custody or parenting time, the prosecuting attorney, an attorney appointed by the county, or an attorney appointed by the court under section 4 shall not be required to represent either party regarding that dispute.

History: Add. 1994, Act 388, Eff. Oct. 1, 1995 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 18, Eff. June 1, 1996 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 308, Eff. June 1, 1997

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 4 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1995–2025 · leading case: Frame v. Nehls, 550 N.W.2d 739 (Mich. 1996).

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Frame v. Nehls, 550 N.W.2d 739 (Mich. 1996). · cites it 4× “§ 722.717b; M.S.A. § 25.497(2), and provides: If the court makes a determination of paternity and there is no dispute regarding custody, the court shall include in the order of filiation specific provisions for the custody and visitation of the child as provided in the child…”

Afshar v. Zamarron, 530 N.W.2d 490 (Mich. Ct. App. 1995). · cites it 2× “See § 7b of the Paternity Act, MCL 722.717b; MSA 25.497(2), as added by 1994 PA 388 .”

Roderick D Black v. Lisa Cook (Mich. Ct. App. 2023). “Under MCL 722.717b, after the circuit court determines paternity, it must address and decide the issues of child custody and parenting time.”

20250225_C370622_39_370622.Opn.Pdf (Mich. Ct. App. 2025). “After entering an order of filiation under MCL 722.717b, the circuit court retains continuing jurisdiction to “[p]rovide for, change, and enforce [its] provisions .”

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.