Legal Question in Family Law in Michigan
I am in the middle of a child custody case. My ex has a PPO against me and has violated it. I requested a hearing to terminate the PPO and another hearing to file one against her. I want to write a letter to her parents stating that I will cancel the court hearings and not persue any future legal actions against her if she immediately drops the PPO against me.
My question is will I be in viloation of the PPO against her if I contact her parents via registered mail? Thank you.
1 Answer from Attorneys
It depends on the terms of your PPO - does it state you can't contact her family and friends? That is not a standard provision, but could have been added to yours. You are likely still free to contact others, just not her, unless the parents themselves have a PPO against you. But again, check the exact terms of your PPO and which boxes that were checked, and whether any additional terms were written into the PPO.
Do you have a lawyer for your divorce? You need one to protect your rights, especially at the PPO hearings. If you cannot afford one, there are free resources available to those that qualify. For example, Wayne State Law School has a family law legal clinic that can assist you. Keep in mind that her parents likely don't want to be in the middle of your divorce and domestic issues and that even if you contact them, they may not have any influence over her decisions. You should also look into either hiring an attorney to mediate the situation (resolve the issues between the two of you), and/or a similiar type action with a counselor or a free legal aid clinic.
You should limit any contact with any person wherein the topic is regarding her, to keep conflict down and to work towards a global resolution that is in the best interests of your children.
Again, I stongly suggest you immediately hire an attorney to assist with your custody battle and PPO issues.