Michigan House Bill 5578 expands grounds for modifying child custody when a parent is convicted of sexual offenses against a minor

Michigan House Bill 5578 would allow courts to change an established child custody environment if a parent was convicted of criminal sexual conduct against a minor or committed nonconsensual sexual penetration, even if the nonoffending parent previously entered into a custody agreement knowing of the conviction. The bill also protects deploying military parents by prohibiting courts from considering deployment absences in best-interest determinations and requires the reinstatement of prior custody orders upon a parent's return. Additionally, the measure applies retroactively to final custody orders and judgments issued on or after January 1, 2022.

Families involved in custody disputes face new legal standards regarding how prior knowledge of criminal sexual conduct affects custody agreements, and deploying military service members receive explicit protections preventing custody modifications based on their absence.

• ›Michigan 1970 PA 91 is the foundational state statute governing child custody disputes, known as the Child Custody Act of 1970. context
• ›The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act provides federal protections for military personnel, including temporary stays of civil court proceedings during active deployment. context