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James W. Kraayeveld

James W. Kraayeveld

Passionately Pursuing Excellence
  • Family Law, Divorce, Domestic Violence ...
  • Michigan
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Biography

I have been practicing family law for 28 years. It is my goal to provide each client with individual attention because each client and each case is different, and I enjoy the personal interaction with a client and working towards successful completion of each case to the benefit of each family.

I have seen a need to specialize in parental alienation cases which has led to an overall greater experience in child custody cases.

Secondly, I have specialized in complex divorce matters involving significant assets, business assets, determining complex income issues of executives, self employed, or those in the military for child and spousal support purposes.

Practice Areas
    Family Law
    Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Father's Rights, Guardianship & Conservatorship, Paternity, Prenups & Marital Agreements, Restraining Orders, Same Sex Family Law
    Divorce
    Collaborative Law, Contested Divorce, Military Divorce, Property Division, Same Sex Divorce, Spousal Support & Alimony, Uncontested Divorce
    Domestic Violence
    Domestic Violence Restraining Orders, Victims Rights , Victims Rights
    Appeals & Appellate
    Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals
Additional Practice Area
  • Child Custody Disputes
Fees
  • Free Consultation
    Up to first hour of consultation is free.
  • Credit Cards Accepted
    VISA, Mastercard, Discover, American Express
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Michigan
State Bar of Michigan
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Languages
  • Dutch: Spoken, Written
  • English: Spoken, Written
Professional Experience
Attorney
Kraayeveld Law Offices, P.C.
- Current
Leadman
LDC Construction, Inc.
-
Education
Valparaiso University School of Law
J.D. (1993)
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Calvin College
B.A. (1990) | Political Science; Dutch
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Awards
Distinquished Award
Martindale Hubbell
Distinquished Award
Martindale Hubbell
BV Rated
Martindale-Hubbell
BV Rated (2011, 2012)
Professional Associations
Grand Rapids Bar Association, Family Law Section
Member
- Current
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Grand Rapids Bar Association
- Current
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State Bar of Michigan  # P48875
Member
- Current
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Kent County Friend of the Court Advisory Committee
Board Member; Vice Chair
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Publications
Articles & Publications
Low Costs Paternity Tests
MLive
Nota Bene
Issues in Law and Medicine
Speaking Engagements
Family Law, Grand Rapids
Legal Aid Clinic
Family Law, Grand Rapids
Legal Aid Clinic
Child Support, Grand Rapids
Legal Aid Clinic
Frequently Asked Questions, Grand Rapids
Ask the Lawyer
Websites & Blogs
Website
Blog
Legal Answers
2 Questions Answered
Q. Arbitration and modification of child support
A: Have you had a local attorney do a case review for you? Your notes do not provide sufficient information for me to assess why you are still stuck dealing with the arbitrator? On the one hand, it seems that you received a final custody order, and that often ends the order to arbitrate; on the other hand, if you still don't have a final custody order, a competent child custody attorney can assess whether it's wise to push this matter to a final custody order with the the arbitrator and get this wrapped up - hopefully with a beneficial custody order that provides you with more parenting time. If you are in the West Michigan area, give me a call and we can see what we can do for you! Best of luck! ... Read More
Q. Should I wait to file motion for full custody?
A: Let's explore this in a most cost effective way first: have you checked with your ex if he is willing to agree to an alternate custody order? Keep in mind that your latest court order likely requires him to seek court permission before moving out of state. That may give you some bargaining power to get an amended custody order. Although you should hire an attorney to have the amended custody order drafted, an agreed upon order will save you a lot of money compared to filing a motion for change of custody. Good luck!
View More Answers
Contact & Map
Kraayeveld Law Offices, P.C.
300 State St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Telephone: (616) 345-5569
Fax: (616) 285-0909