Mark Papazian is a longtime Troy, Michigan attorney who engages as litigation partner with Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, P.C., a firm that includes 60 legal professionals and covers three dozen law practice areas. Known for his tenaciousness and ability to get results in commercial litigation and family law, Mark Papazian recently earned a feature in the Michigan edition of Leading Lawyers.With an entrepreneurial background in the restaurant business, Mr. Papazian has a client list that includes several Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies. Approximately 75 percent of his cases deal with family law, and he has extensive experience in contentious divorce and custody battles. With those he counsels including the “rich and famous,” Mr. Papazian also represents many clients who do not have millions of dollars at their disposal and are involved in a legal action for the very first time. He describes these people as “scared, confused, and often angry.” A fellow attorney who has known him for more than 25 years describes the value of Mr. Papazian’s ability to create emotional connections with clients and their family members. The trust he generates ensures that clients listen to his advice and enables him to get down to the serious business of making reasoned legal decisions that can have lifelong repercussions.
Mark Papazian is a family law professional in Troy, Michigan. As an attorney with Giarmarco, Mullins and Horton, Mark Papazian practices in various areas of family law, including divorce and child custody.The Michigan Custody Act of 1970 is the primary document used by state judges to settle custody disputes between parents, family members, and other guardians. The comprehensive document outlines a number of important aspects of custody law, including how a judge should determine a child’s best interests.Above all else, custody should ideally be given to a parent capable of providing a child with love and affection. Assuming both parties meet the basic requirements of this standard, the judge may be forced to determine which parent the child has established the stronger emotional bond with. Equally important is the parent’s ability to reciprocate and demonstrate their love, specifically in areas of food, clothing, medical care, and other important material needs.Judges will also take into account the child’s living circumstances at the time of the dispute, per the act. If the child has lived his or her entire life in the same stable home, for example, a parent remaining in this home will have preference over a parent moving to or already living in another location. Other important factors used to determine a child’s best interests include the newness or permanence of the parent's in question, the ethical fortitude of both parties, and their physical wellness as well.
