MC 416: Where the Child Actually Lived
MC 416 is Michigan's UCCJEA affidavit lane. It is not where you prove the other parent is toxic. It is where you show residence history, other cases, and enough facts for a court to know it is in the right state before it spends time on parenting time. Parents blow this by rounding dates, skipping a summer with grandma, or forgetting a case filed in another county.
Michigan forms hub · FOC 87 motion lane
If you are past jurisdiction facts and need to ask for changed custody or parenting time, the motion lane and Michigan overviews on the hub are the next step. This page stays focused on getting MC 416 right, not rewriting modification doctrine.
Build the residence spine
- 1List addresses in order with month/year anchors.
- 2Note who the child lived with during each stretch.
- 3Attach or cite proof where you have it: lease, school enrollment, mail.
Common screw-ups
- Treating "mostly here" as a legal address
- Omitting a prior filing because it felt informal
- Letting the other parent's version of history silently contradict school records
| Fact bucket | Why it belongs on MC 416 |
|---|---|
| Other states in the last several years | Home-state and continuing jurisdiction questions |
| Other custody or DV cases | Courts hate surprise parallel files |
| Current competing emergencies | Urgency without jurisdiction facts does not help |
After jurisdiction is clean, change requests in the same case family often move through FOC 87; use the forms hub if you are unsure which packet fits.
Related guides
More Michigan forms
General support (not Michigan-specific)
MC 416 FAQs
Why do clerks care about MC 416 before the story about the other parent?
Because courts need to know which state or court already has a claim on the child. If that chain is missing or fuzzy, your motion can stall before anyone reads your narrative.
What counts as a jurisdiction landmine?
Recent moves, temporary stays with relatives, cases opened elsewhere, or a child who lived in two states within the lookback window. Guesswork on dates is how parents get surprised by transfer or delay.
Can I leave out an old case if it was dismissed?
If the form or court instructions ask for prior proceedings, hiding them is worse than listing them with a one-line outcome. Verify what your county expects signed.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-03
MyCustodyCoach is not a law firm. Court rules, fees, and form versions change by county; confirm what applies to your case with official court resources or counsel you hire.