Online Divorce in Michigan: What Are Your Options? (2026)
Last updated April 12, 2026
Can you get a divorce online in Michigan?
Not entirely. Michigan requires at least one in-person court appearance (the pro confesso hearing for uncontested cases, or hearings and trial for contested cases). Some counties allow remote appearances for certain proceedings, but the Judgment of Divorce must be signed by a judge.
What "online divorce" actually means is online document preparation: using a website or service to generate the paperwork you need to file for divorce, rather than hiring an attorney or filling out forms yourself. The documents still get filed with your local circuit court, and you still attend your hearing.
The question is which service gets it right.
Types of online divorce services
DIY court forms
Michigan's State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) publishes approved divorce forms that anyone can download for free from the Michigan courts website. These include the Complaint for Divorce, Summons, Verified Financial Information Form (CC 320), and Friend of the Court forms for cases with children.
Cost: Free (plus filing fees of $175-$255)
Pros: No cost beyond filing fees. Official forms.
Cons: No guidance on how to fill them out. No help with child support calculations, property division language, or parenting time provisions. Errors are common and can delay your case by weeks or months. You are responsible for knowing which forms apply to your situation.
Template-based document services
Services like DivorceWriter, 3StepDivorce, and CompleteCase offer questionnaire-driven document preparation. You answer questions online, and the service generates completed forms.
Cost: $150-$350
Pros: Cheaper than an attorney. Step-by-step questionnaires are easier than blank forms.
Cons: These services use generic templates that may not account for Michigan-specific requirements. Most cannot accurately calculate child support using the Michigan Child Support Formula, which is one of the most complex state formulas in the country. Property division language is often boilerplate and may not reflect Michigan's equitable distribution rules. If your situation involves children, retirement accounts, or any complexity beyond a bare-bones divorce, template services frequently produce documents that the court or Friend of the Court will reject.
HelloDivorce and similar guided platforms
HelloDivorce and similar platforms offer a more guided experience with access to legal professionals for specific questions. They position themselves between pure template services and full attorney representation.
Cost: $300-$1,000+
Pros: Better guidance than template services. Some offer limited attorney consultations.
Cons: Not Michigan-specific. The platform serves all 50 states, which means the guidance and templates are generalized. Michigan's child support formula, Friend of the Court system, and equitable distribution rules have state-specific requirements that a national platform may not fully address.
Autonomy
Autonomy (autonomy.legal) is an AI-powered divorce document preparation platform built by a Michigan family law attorney. Instead of filling out forms, you have a conversation with Paige, an AI assistant trained on Michigan family law. Paige interviews you about your situation, calculates child support using the actual Michigan Child Support Formula, helps you divide property using Michigan's equitable distribution framework, and generates a complete, court-ready document package.
Cost: Starting at $499 (Standard), $699 (Premium with financial document analysis), $1,499 (Full Service with attorney review)
Pros: Built specifically for Michigan by a practicing Michigan family law attorney. Uses the exact same child support formula that courts and Friend of the Court offices use. Generates all required documents including FOC forms. AI-powered interview is faster and more thorough than questionnaire-based services. Premium tier extracts financial data from uploaded documents (pay stubs, W-2s, tax returns) automatically.
Cons: More expensive than the cheapest template services. Not a substitute for an attorney in contested cases.
What most online services get wrong
Child support
This is the biggest gap. The Michigan Child Support Formula is one of the most complex in the country. It considers both parents' net incomes (after specific deductions), the number of overnights per child per parent, health insurance premiums attributable to the children, work-related childcare costs, and prior support obligations. Most online services either skip child support entirely, use a simplified estimate, or use a formula from a different state.
If your child support calculation does not match what the Friend of the Court produces, your paperwork gets sent back. This is the single most common reason pro se divorce filings are delayed. Read our detailed guide to the Michigan Child Support Formula to understand what goes into the calculation.
Property division
Michigan is an equitable distribution state, not a community property state. The court divides marital property fairly, not necessarily 50/50. Template services typically include generic property division language that does not address Michigan-specific considerations like the treatment of retirement accounts under MCL 552.18, the distinction between marital and separate property under MCL 552.401, or the need for a QDRO to divide certain retirement accounts.
Friend of the Court forms
Cases with minor children require specific FOC forms (FOC 23, FOC 10/52, IV-D application). Many online services either do not generate these forms or generate them incorrectly. Missing FOC forms means your case cannot proceed. The Advice of Rights (FOC 101) is not required by default. You only prepare it if you and the other party both agree to decline Friend of the Court services.
Spousal support
Most template services include a checkbox for whether spousal support is requested but provide no guidance on amount, duration, or the factors courts consider. Our spousal support guide explains the factors, but a document preparation service should help you build appropriate language into your settlement agreement.
Comparison table
| Feature | DIY Forms | Template Services | HelloDivorce | Autonomy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0 + filing | $150-$350 + filing | $300-$1,000+ | $499-$1,499 |
| Michigan-specific | Yes (SCAO forms) | Partially | Partially | Yes |
| Child support calculation | No | Simplified | Simplified | Full MCSF |
| FOC forms included | Manual | Some | Some | All |
| Property division guidance | No | Boilerplate | General | Michigan-specific |
| AI-powered interview | No | No | No | Yes |
| Attorney-built | No | No | Attorney-reviewed | Attorney-built |
| Document upload/extraction | No | No | No | Yes (Premium) |
Who should use an online service vs. an attorney?
Online document preparation works well for uncontested divorces where both spouses agree on the major terms. If you and your spouse can communicate, agree on custody and parenting time, and have a reasonable understanding of your financial situation, preparing your own documents is a viable option that saves thousands in attorney fees.
You should consider hiring an attorney if:
- Your spouse has an attorney and you do not
- You disagree on custody or parenting time
- There are significant assets (business interests, multiple real estate properties, complex retirement accounts)
- There is a history of domestic violence
- Your spouse is hiding assets or income
- You do not trust your spouse to negotiate in good faith
For attorneys handling complex cases, Verity (verity.law) provides professional-grade analytics for child support, property division, and case evaluation.
How Autonomy can help
Autonomy (autonomy.legal) exists because the founder, a Michigan family law attorney, saw thousands of pro se litigants struggle with forms, get child support calculations wrong, and have their paperwork rejected. Every other online service treats Michigan the same as every other state. Autonomy does not.
- Paige interviews you conversationally, not through a rigid questionnaire
- Child support matches the Friend of the Court's calculation because it uses the same formula
- Every required document is generated, including the FOC forms that other services miss
- Premium users can upload pay stubs, W-2s, and tax returns, and Paige extracts the data automatically
- Documents are court-ready and formatted for your specific county
If you are considering an online divorce in Michigan, start with a realistic understanding of what you are getting. Then choose the service that actually gets Michigan right.
Visit autonomy.legal to get started.
Ready to get started?
Autonomy handles all of this for you. AI-guided document preparation, accurate child support calculations, and court-ready forms for your county.
For contested cases or complex situations, Verity provides professional-grade analytics for attorneys.
Michael Haskell, Esq., MBA
Family law attorney licensed in Michigan (P73617), California, and Louisiana. MBA from Franciscan University (top of class). Federal judicial clerkship with Judge Dee Drell. Practices in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Related Articles
How to File for Divorce in Michigan Without a Lawyer (2026 Guide)
Step-by-step guide to filing for divorce in Michigan without a lawyer. Covers residency requirements, required forms, child support calculation, property division, and the complete filing process.
Michigan Divorce Costs: Complete Breakdown by County (2026 Guide)
How much does a divorce cost in Michigan? Complete breakdown of filing fees, attorney fees, mediation costs, and hidden expenses by county.
Uncontested vs Contested Divorce in Michigan: What's the Difference? (2026 Guide)
Understand the difference between contested and uncontested divorce in Michigan. Compare costs, timelines, and processes to find the right path for your situation.