Section 722.22 - Definitions.
CHILD CUSTODY ACT OF 1970 (EXCERPT)
Act 91 of 1970
722.22 Definitions.
Sec. 2.
As used in this act:
(a) "Active military duty" means when a reserve unit member or national guard unit member is called into active military duty.
(b) "Agency" means a legally authorized public or private organization, or governmental unit or official, whether of this state or of another state or country, concerned in the welfare of minor children, including a licensed child placement agency.
(c) "Attorney" means, if appointed to represent a child under this act, an attorney serving as the child's legal advocate in a traditional attorney-client relationship with the child, as governed by the Michigan rules of professional conduct. An attorney defined under this subdivision owes the same duties of undivided loyalty, confidentiality, and zealous representation of the child's expressed wishes as the attorney would to an adult client.
(d) "Child" means minor child and children. Subject to section 5b of the support and parenting time enforcement act, 1982 PA 295, MCL 552.605b, for purposes of providing support, child includes a child and children who have reached 18 years of age.
(e) "Grandparent" means a natural or adoptive parent of a child's natural or adoptive parent.
(f) "Guardian ad litem" means an individual whom the court appoints to assist the court in determining the child's best interests. A guardian ad litem does not need to be an attorney.
(g) "Lawyer-guardian ad litem" means an attorney appointed under section 4. A lawyer-guardian ad litem represents the child, and has the powers and duties, as set forth in section 4.
(h) "Parent" means the natural or adoptive parent of a child.
(i) "State disbursement unit" or "SDU" means the entity established in section 6 of the office of child support act, 1971 PA 174, MCL 400.236.
(j) "Third person" means an individual other than a parent.
History: 1970, Act 91, Eff. Apr. 1, 1971 ;-- Am. 1990, Act 245, Imd. Eff. Oct. 10, 1990 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 482, Eff. Mar. 1, 1999 ;-- Am. 1999, Act 156, Imd. Eff. Nov. 3, 1999 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 9, Imd. Eff. Feb. 14, 2002 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 542, Imd. Eff. Jan. 3, 2005 ;-- Am. 2005, Act 327, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 2005