A family support action is not an action for legal separation (such as a divorce or separate maintenance suit). It results in a court order compelling a parent to provide support.
Generally, family support actions are started by the Prosecuting Attorney's Office after a referral by the Michigan Family Independence Agency. Payments begin on the date the Judgment of Support is entered. Do not wait for notice from the Friend of the Court that your account is open. Start setting aside the support money and keep contacting the Friend of the Court until you learn your account is open. Then, send in all due support.
Either party may begin a divorce suit even though the court has previously ordered payments in a Judgment of Support. The family support case ends when the Judgment of Divorce has been entered.
If you reconcile, have the proper order entered.
An Order of Dismissal must be filed if the parties wish to have enforcement of the family support order terminated. This order can be prepared by the Friend of the Court or your own attorney. If you were on FIP (formerly ADC), be sure and inform the Friend of the Court and your Family Independence Agency Caseworker of a reconciliation. Simply notifying your Family Independence Agency caseworker of a reconciliation is not enough.
The Friend of the Court enforces the support provision of the family support order upon request or during the normal course of review. No parenting time is ordered in family support cases, and the Friend of the Court can only counsel the parties.
