Ottawa County buildings are closed on Thursday, December 5, due to inclement weather. Please visit miOttawa.org/servicecenter to see if your need can be fulfilled online. If you have an appointment scheduled on this date, please contact the office, department, or court to reschedule.

Ottawa County Legal Self-Help Center

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G

GARNISHMENT
A court order to take part of a person's paycheck or other money owed to him or her (like a tax refund) before he or she gets the money because the person owes someone money that he or she hasn't paid back or hasn't paid a judgment.
GENETIC TESTING
A medical test to find whether a man is the father of a child.
GRANDPARENTING TIME
The time a child spends with a grandparent. A grandparent may seek a court order for grandparenting time under MCL 722.27b.
GROUP HOME
A licensed home where children live temporarily when they have been abused by a parent or are "delinquent."
GUARANTOR
A person who is liable to pay another person's financial obligation if the other person fails to pay it. The other person is known as the "principal." See also PRINCIPAL, SURETY.
GUARDIAN
someone who must legally take care of a child who is under age 18 or a "legally incapacitated person" or a developmentally disabled person.
GUARDIAN AD LITEM (GAL)
Someone assigned by the court during a lawsuit to work for a minor child or legally incompetent person. The protects the interests of the person affected by the litigation. See NEXT FRIEND.
GUILTY
Responsible for a crime.