Legal Question in Family Law in Michigan

Do step parents have the legal right to spank they're spouses child?

My daughter has had issues with her Father's new wife...They met, married and were expecting another baby with in 8 months....The child is jealous of the step mother and the step mother is jealous of the child...When her father isn't around she claims that the step mom is treating her badly...Spanking her, and threatening to poke her eyes out...When this was brought up to the father, he said he knew his wife and our child was lying...This has happened inthe past where he met and moved in a girl who had three children...The mother and one of her daughters were hitting my daughter....When our child compalined, her father didn't believe...Hi did later admit he was wrong...I feel that with the jealousy towards my child, I don't want this lady spanking my daughter...Punishing is fine but not spanking....What are the laws on step parents spanking someone elses child?


Asked on 10/17/05, 10:59 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
William Stern William Stern, P.C.

Re: Do step parents have the legal right to spank they're spouses child?

Tell your ex and his wife that they can assume that from now on, all conversations that take place with your child are recorded. Make sure that you tell them this while everyone is on tape so that they cannot claim that the conversations were recorded without their knowledge. Then, get your child a miniature recorder and tell her to press the "record" button when she thinks it is appropriate. If they try to take it from her, then tell them that visitation is off. Go to court to stop visitation or at a minimum, have it supervised. Make sure that your daughter is not using the situation to get back at the new wife. Also, make sure that you do not have alterior motives. Also, probably it is a bad idea for any of you to spank your child. That generally creates resentment and will have your child abuisng your grandkids in the future. William S. Stern

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Answered on 10/17/05, 7:17 pm


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