To fill out a Michigan parenting time complaint form, use SCAO form FOC 44, enter your case number and both parents’ information exactly as they appear on your custody order, describe the specific violation with dates and the paragraph of the order that was broken, state what you want the Friend of the Court to do about it, sign and date the form, and file it with the FOC office in the county that issued your order within 56 days of the incident.
Before You Start
You need a signed, written court order that spells out a custody or parenting time schedule. Informal arrangements and verbal agreements between parents cannot be enforced through the FOC. The violation you describe has to be a specific mismatch with the order’s language, such as a missed weekend exchange, a refused holiday visit, or a pattern of late drop-offs that contradicts what the order says.
File quickly. Under MCL 552.641(2)(b), the FOC can decline to act on a complaint about a violation that happened more than 56 days before you file. The FOC can also decline the complaint if your order lacks an enforceable provision covering what you’re alleging, or if you have two or more prior complaints that were found unwarranted and you haven’t paid the costs assessed against you.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 552.641 – Complaint Alleging Custody or Parenting Time Order Violation
Where to Get the Form
The State Court Administrative Office publishes the official form as FOC 44 in the Friend of the Court forms index on the Michigan Courts website.2Michigan Courts. Index of Friend of the Court Forms Download and print it, or pick up a paper copy at your county’s FOC counter in the courthouse. Some counties publish their own version with slightly different formatting but the same required fields. Either the SCAO form or your county’s version is acceptable.
Case and Party Information
At the top of the form, enter the court case number from your original custody or divorce judgment and the judicial circuit where it was filed. Fill in your name, address, phone number, email, and attorney information. Write “N/A” if you don’t have an attorney. A separate section asks for the same details about the other parent.
Match the names exactly as they appear on the court order. Inconsistencies — a middle initial on one document and not the other, a maiden name on the order and a married name on the complaint — can slow processing or trigger a request for clarification.
Describing the Violation
This is the section the FOC relies on most, so give it the most care.
Start with the specific date and time the parenting time was supposed to begin and end according to your order. Name the children involved. Then describe, in plain factual terms, what actually happened: the other parent wasn’t home for the exchange, refused to let the children leave, arrived hours late, or cancelled without cause. State the usual exchange location and confirm whether you went there to attempt the pickup.
Reference the specific paragraph, section, or page of your court order that was violated. This gives the FOC a direct line between the order’s language and the incident. The form also asks whether there is an active personal protection order or Child Protective Services case between the parties. Answer honestly, because those details affect how the FOC handles the complaint.3Ottawa County Michigan. FOC Parenting Time/Custody Complaint
Keep the narrative factual. Don’t editorialize about the other parent’s character or rehash old disputes. FOC staff reading your complaint are looking for a clear gap between what the order required and what happened. A complaint that reads like a timeline is far more useful than one that reads like a grievance letter.
Stating What You Want
Most versions of the form ask what outcome you’re seeking. Common choices include requesting makeup parenting time, asking the FOC to take enforcement action, or simply noting the violation in the file without requesting action. Pick the option that fits your situation. For a first-time incident where you mainly want the lost time back, makeup parenting time is usually the fastest resolution.
Sign and date the form. An unsigned or incomplete form can be rejected and returned, which cuts into your 56-day window.3Ottawa County Michigan. FOC Parenting Time/Custody Complaint
Backup the Form Doesn’t Ask For
A complaint backed by a detailed record is harder to dismiss. If you aren’t already keeping a parenting time log, start one now and keep it current for future exchanges. For each exchange, note the date, the scheduled pickup and drop-off times, the actual times, the location, and whether the exchange went as planned. If the other parent was late, didn’t show, or refused to release the children, write down what happened and who was present.
Save text messages, emails, and voicemails about scheduling. Screenshot messages before they can be deleted. A timestamped photo of an empty exchange location when the other parent didn’t show adds credibility. Track missed phone or video calls too, noting the scheduled time, whether the call connected, and how long it lasted.
The log doesn’t need to be elaborate. A notebook or spreadsheet is enough. What matters is consistency: record events the same way every time, use the same names for people and places, and write entries while details are fresh. If the complaint turns into a joint meeting or a hearing, this record is your evidence.
Where to File It
File the completed form with the FOC office in the county that has jurisdiction over your case, which is the same county where your custody order was entered. Most offices accept complaints by mail, through a secure drop box at the courthouse, or in person at the FOC counter. Some counties also take electronic submissions by email or an online portal, but availability varies. Call your county’s FOC office to confirm the preferred method before you file.
When the FOC receives your complaint, the office date-stamps it. Ask for a stamped copy for your records. That stamp is your proof that you filed within 56 days if the other parent later disputes the timeline.
The FOC generally handles notifying the other parent. In many counties, the office sends a copy of the complaint to the other party within 14 days of receiving it.4Washtenaw County, MI – Official Website. Parenting Time Enforcement A few counties require you to serve the other parent yourself, so confirm your county’s procedure when you file. Filing the complaint itself typically carries no separate fee, though costs can arise later if the case goes to a court motion.
What Happens After You File
Once the FOC determines your complaint describes a valid violation, the office has several options under MCL 552.641 and picks the one that fits the circumstances.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 552.641 – Complaint Alleging Custody or Parenting Time Order Violation The office may apply the county’s makeup parenting time policy, schedule a joint meeting between the parents and FOC staff, refer the case to mediation, initiate contempt proceedings in court, or ask the court to modify the parenting time schedule.
The other parent typically has 21 days after receiving notice to submit a written response.4Washtenaw County, MI – Official Website. Parenting Time Enforcement That response may acknowledge the missed time and offer to make it up, or dispute your account entirely. The FOC weighs both sides before deciding how to proceed. If the other parent ignores the notice, the FOC can move forward based on your complaint alone.
If a joint meeting produces agreement, the FOC drafts the agreement and sends it to the judge for signature. If it doesn’t, the FOC can still submit a recommendation to the court. Either parent then has 21 days to file a written objection. With no objection, the recommendation becomes a court order; with one, a judge or referee holds a hearing.5Michigan Courts. Michigan Parenting Time Guideline