A divorce, child custody case or other family law case does not always have to be a traumatic, combative experience. Even when the issues are complex, your future is at stake and emotions are running high, I am an experienced and dedicated Detroit Family Law Attorney who will protect your legal rights while avoiding unnecessary conflict and stress as much as possible.

A Parent's Advocate:
I guide my clients through the most difficult and emotional legal problems that a parent can experience. Parental rights are important and sacred, and I have the know-how and experience to defend them.

Contact the Law Offices of Colombo & Trager, P.C. when you need help with:   

• Divorce
• Family Law 
• Child Custody
• Child Support
• Parenting Time
• Alimony

Parents Need to Protect Their Rights in Custody Cases:
No area of family law brings to the courtroom the tension, anxiety and raw emotion as child custody and visitation litigation. Many factors influence an award of custody, and the way a case is presented in court can have a large impact on the result for you and your children.

My clients always receive the benefits of my best efforts. I have been a Detroit Family Law Attorney for 32 years in Wayne County, Michigan.  I'm more experienced than many of the attorneys that I oppose and I don't get pushed around.  I know what I can do and what I can't do.  I am honest with my clients and I tell them where they are strong and where they may be vulnerable.

If you or a loved one is involved in a divorce or child custody case and you need the help of an experienced Detroit Family Law Attorney, call Colombo & Trager, P.C. today at 866-435-3769, or complete the contact form provided on this site to arrange for your free consultation.

Practice Areas and Legal Definitions

Divorce:
A court of law is the only way one can obtain a divorce decree, dissolution, legal separation, nullity or other form of terminating a marriage.  Other than the termination of the marital estate, the court also has jurisdiction to resolve other issues that are intertwined in the existing marriage which include, but are not limited to: custody and visitation rights, division of property of the marital estate, spousal support, child support, restraining orders, etc. 

Child Custody:
Custody is the charge and control of a child, including the right to make all major decisions such as education, religious upbringing, training, health and welfare.  Custody usually refers to a combination of physical custody and legal custody.  Many factors influence an award of custody and the way a case is presented in court can have a large impact on the result for you and your children.  If you are awarded the children as a primary custodial parent, it has far reaching consequences both to you and to their well-being and development. 

Child Support:
Child support is a periodic payment made to a custodial parent from a non-custodial parent to help compensate a child's living expenses, i.e. food, clothes, etc., and any other related debts.  When one parent is awarded sole custody, as in the event of a divorce, the non-custodial parent is required to fulfill his or her child support obligation by making set payments, whereas the custodial parent meets his or her support obligation through the custody itself.  When parents are awarded joint custody in a divorce, however, the support obligation is shared and is based on a ratio of each parent's income and the amount of time the child spends with each parent. 

The obligation to support minor children cannot be waived by either parent and is a right enjoyed by the child, not the parent.  Each state has guidelines that factor the amount of child support, such as the amount of time spent with the child, the income of both parents and the standard of living the child is accustomed to.  The court may allow deductions for items such as catastrophic medical expenses and travel expenses for visitation. 

Spousal Support (Alimony):
Alimony is temporary or permanent financial support paid from one separated spouse to the other, either in one lump sum or in installments.  Alimony is designed to provide the lower-income spouse with money for living expenses over and above the money provided by child support.  Alimony differs from child support because it is at the discretion of the judge.  Child support is usually determined by state-sanctioned guidelines. 

There are several factors a judge considers when deciding whether to grant alimony. These differ from state to state, of course, but they usually involve things like the parties' relative ability to earn money, both now and in the future; their respective age and health; the length of the marriage; the kind of property involved, and the conduct of the parties. In general, about the only time a judge will award alimony in most states is where one spouse has been economically dependent on the other spouse for most of a lengthy marriage.

If you or a loved one is involved in a divorce or child custody case and you need the help of an experienced Detroit Family Law Attorney, call Colombo & Trager, P.C. today at 866-435-3769, or complete the contact form provided on this site to arrange for your free consultation.

Professional Profile

If you or a loved one is involved in a divorce or child custody case and you need the help of an experienced Detroit Family Law Attorney, call Colombo & Trager, P.C. today at 866-435-3769, or complete the contact form provided on this site to arrange for your free consultation.

FIRM ADDRESS:
Colombo & Trager, P.C.
2846 Biddle St.
Wyandotte, MI 48192
Phone: 866-435-3769
Hours: M-F, 8:00AM-5:00PM

MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:

• Michael J. Trager

EDUCATION:

• Michigan State University 1967
• Detroit College of Law 1974

COURTS ADMITTED:

• Michigan, Federal District Court of Michigan, 1974

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

• State Bar of Michigan-Family Law Section

LENGTH OF TIME FIRM HAS BEEN TOGETHER:

• 26 Years