Family Law

• Divorce
• Child Support
  When parents separate, both parties remain financially responsible for their children. In the State of Michigan, child support is calculated based on several factors, including the income of each of the parties and the number of overnights each party has with the children each year.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  The Michigan Child Custody Act explicitly states the standard for modifying custody: “The court shall not modify or amend its previous judgments or orders or issue a new order so as to change the established custodial environment of a child unless there is presented by clear and convincing evidence that it is in the best interests of the child.
• Adoption
  One of the most common types of adoption we see is stepparent adoption. This is used by many families to legally establish a relationship which already exists between a child and a stepparent. We make sure that our clients are aware of the legal implications of these adoptions, giving them the information they need to decide if this is the right choice for their family. If it is, our knowledgeable attorneys will represent them throughout the process, helping to make their family complete.
• Guardianship
  Michigan law provides for the establishment of temporary or permanent guardians for minor children. Both limited and full guardianships require the approval and supervision of the Michigan probate courts. A guardian has the legal authority to govern decisions that affect a child’s medical care, living arrangements, schooling and routine activities. In a limited guardianship, the child’s custodial parents must agree to the appointment of a guardian, as well as agree to give up their parental rights for a specific period of time. Otherwise, the judge must determine that the guardianship is in the best interest of the minor child. The attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. will assist you in filing all of the necessary documents with the court and help you prepare for the required court hearings.
• Spousal Support
  The length of time for a divorce can vary depending on whether there are minor children involved or not. A divorce without minor children is a minimum of 60 days (2 months) before it can be final. If it’s a divorce involving minor children, the minimum amount of time is 180 days (6 months). Divorces can take a lot longer depending on whether the parties agree or disagree about the terms of the divorce, custody, parenting time, spousal support (alimony), child support, pensions, retirement accounts, real property and personal property.
• Legal Separation
  There are 2 main ways to end a marriage: divorce and legal separation. It is not necessary for both spouses to agree to end the marriage. Either spouse can decide to end the marriage, and the other spouse, even if he or she does not want to get a divorce, cannot stop the process by refusing to participate in the divorce. If a spouse does not participate in the divorce case, the other spouse will still be able to get a “default” judgment and the divorce will go through. If you are considering filing for divorce, or have been served with divorce papers, the attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. will assist you through your case.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  We have experience helping clients successfully resolve criminal matters ranging from minor misdemeanor offenses to capital felonies. When you hire a criminal law attorney, you want an experienced lawyer defending your rights. We believe our clients want a criminal defense attorney they can trust to vigorously stand up for their interests, not someone who will take the first plea bargain offered. That is why we aren’t afraid to take your case to trial and we will never look for solutions that are simply convenient for us. We will thoroughly examine every aspect of your case. We will review police reports and documentation, conduct in-depth cross examinations of witnesses, and question all of the evidence against you.
• DUI/DWI
  When you hire us to protect your rights and driving privileges in a DUI or OWI proceeding, we will conduct a thorough investigation of all the facts and evidence related to your arrest. First, we will examine the details of the traffic stop to determine whether the law enforcement officer had probable cause to pull you over. Next, we will verify that you were properly notified of your rights before you made any statements. We will review the police records and talk with all witnesses to confirm that field sobriety and blood alcohol tests were correctly administered.
• Wrongful Death
  Generally speaking, probate is only necessary when a person dies leaving property in his or her own name (such as a house titled only in the name of the decedent or a bank account that is only in the name of the decedent) or having rights to receive property (such as a wrongful death claim or a debt owed to the decedent). If you have recently lost a loved one and there is property that needs to be disbursed, the attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. can help you navigate through the probate process to administer the estate. The process that you will need to follow will depend on whether or not the deceased person had a will.
• Traffic Violations
  Why should you fight your ticket? Every traffic violation adds points to your record. These points can accrue over time and impact your ability to drive. If you receive 8 points within 2 years, you will receive a warning letter. 12 points within 2 years results in an assessment of your record by Driver Reexamination agents. In addition, if the court convicts you, it is likely that your insurance rates will increase.
• Misdemeanors
  One of the most unsettling moments in your life can be when your freedom is on the line. Our attorneys will build a strong argument in your favor – your best defense is having us represent you. From misdemeanors to felonies, our attorneys have the necessary experience to give you the aggressive defense you deserve.
• Drug Crimes
  Illegal drug possession is the unauthorized possession of a drug that the government has determined to be dangerous, habit forming, or otherwise not appropriate. These drugs include, but are not limited to marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and may other street and prescription drugs. Violations can have serious consequences, including criminal fines and incarceration. The severity of the penalty in any given case is determined primarily by the quantity of the controlled substances and whether the offender has previous convictions for similar crimes.
• Assault
  Individuals who are accused of domestic assault deserve fair treatment in the criminal justice system. To avoid being treated as a stereotypical abuser, you need a lawyer who knows how to fight for your rights.
• Murder
  Assault charges in Michigan range in severity, from simple assault and battery, with punishments of up to 93 days in jail along with potential fines, to assault with intent to commit murder, which can result in a life sentence. No matter what charges of assault and battery you face, it is important to hire a skilled defense attorney right away. If you have been charged with Assault and Battery, the attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. will provide you with the defense you need.
• Shoplifting
  Retail Fraud, commonly known as shoplifting, is a serious charge that could land you in jail. If you have been charged with retail fraud, our attorneys will vigorously defend you and attempt to dismiss or reduce your charges.
• Restraining Order
  Domestic violence has serious consequences, from restraining orders that keep parents from seeing their children, to jail or prison and a criminal record that can ruin reputations and careers. If you have been charged with Domestic Assault, the attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. will provide the aggressive defense you need.

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law

Employment Law

• Wrongful Termination
  In the State of Michigan, most employment is “at will.” This means that the employee can leave the employer at any time, or the employer can terminate the employee at any time. However, there are certain situations that termination of employment is considered to be a Wrongful Discharge under the law. If you have questions regarding the circumstances of the termination of your employment, the attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. can help you examine the facts and determine if you have any legal recourse.
• Employment Contract
  If an employee is given a contract of employment and is terminated in violation of that contract he or she may be able to bring a claim for wrongful discharge and breach of employment contract. If an employer terminates an employee, even one who is “at-will,” in violation of federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws, it can face serious legal troubles.
• Employment Litigation
  The attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. are able to address a variety of legal issues that affect business owners. From starting your business, including choosing the appropriate business entity, to ongoing operations, providing advice on business structure, contracts and leases, employment issues and regulatory compliance, to sale of the business and its dissolution. Our attorneys have the ability to handle all of your business’ legal needs.
• Severance Agreement
  If you think you were fired illegally, consult with one of the attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. Our attorneys can help you sort through the facts and assess the strength of any claims you may have against your former employer. We can explain your options and help you protect your rights, whether you decide to try to get your job back, negotiate a severance package, or take your former employer to court.
• Sexual Harassment
  You were fired for in retaliation for filing a claim against your employer for sexual harassment, discrimination, wage and hour law violation or another employer violation

Property Law

• Premises Liability
• Landlord-Tenant Disputes
  If the tenant has already left the property, we can assist you with attempting to collect damages. The court rules for landlord-tenant matters contain very strict deadlines. Upon moving out, the tenant must notify with landlord of their new address within 4 days of vacancy. A landlord must notify the tenant of damages and the estimated costs to fix said damages within 30 days of vacancy. The tenant must then respond to the list of damages claim within 7 days. Typically the security deposit covers damage, but occasionally a landlord may sue for damages to the rented property. A Court hearing is held and the Judge decides if in fact the tenant must pay for additional damaged property.
• Property Damage
  There are several reasons a landlord may choose to evict a tenant: The landlord may choose not to renew a lease with a tenant once the lease date is expired and no new lease has been signed; a tenant may be evicted for non-payment of rent; tenants can also be evicted for violations such as having a pet after signing a non-pet clause, noise violations, property damage, or illegal activity. Depending on the reason for eviction, the tenant will sometimes be allowed a set time to correct the violation, but not always.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  If you have suffered serious personal injuries due to the careless or negligent acts of another, the attorneys at Davison legal Associates, P.C. will aggressively fight to recover the full and fair compensation you are owed for lost wages, medical bills, property damage, and pain and suffering.We handle a variety of personal injury cases, including...
• Medical Malpractice
  Our attorneys can assist you with a wide variety of personal injury cases, from automobile accidents, work accidents, and medical malpractice to drug litigation and defective products. If you’ve been injured, our attorneys will review your case and help you get the compensation you deserve for your physical and financial suffering.
• Auto Accidents
• Dog Bites

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  A trust is a legal instrument commonly used in the estate planning process. In the State of Michigan, trusts allow the creator to transfer property to a trustee, so that the trustee can manage the property, for the benefit of a beneficiary or beneficiaries, designated by the trust creator.
• Wills
  With a brief consultation, the attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. can help you determine if a Will is the appropriate estate planning tool for your situation. We can help you prepare and file a Last Will and Testament that legally designates your heirs and represents your intent in the probate process to provide for your spouse, children, friends, or charitable gifts.
• Power of Attorney
  Powers of attorney are advance directives. They allow you to designate someone to make decisions for you in advance of when you need them. The attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. can assist you with both a durable power of attorney for financial decisions and a health care power of attorney for medical decisions.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  Chapter 7 is a liquidation style bankruptcy and is designed to give the debtor a “fresh start”. It is the most common form of filing. Chapter 7 bankruptcy helps eliminate most kinds of unsecured debt, such as: credit cards, medical bills, most personal loans, judgments, and deficiencies on repossessed vehicles. In addition to getting rid of your debt, Chapter 7 allows you to typically keep all of your property. As long as your car and mortgage payments are current, and there is no significant equity in your property, we should have no problem making the arrangements for you to reaffirm the debt. Keep your home, keep your car, keep your personal belongings, but eliminate your debt; that is our goal with Chapter 7.
• Foreclosure
  Let us use our experience and legal knowledge to negotiate debt with your creditors, remove negative comments from your credit report. We can stop the collection calls and in some cases remove the negative comments on your credit report from late payments, charge offs, judgments, liens, repossession, foreclosure, and garnishments. Let us contact your previous creditors and dispute any inaccurate account information while ultimately improving your FICO score. When we are done, you will be closer to getting the interest rate that you deserve.
• Debt Collection
  If creditors are frequently calling you and/or threatening to sue you, you may need a debt collection attorney. The attorneys at Davison Legal Associates, P.C. can contact your creditors on your behalf and negotiate a settlement to avoid further legal action.