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On July 22, 2026, the Michigan Supreme Court released its decision in Frownfelter v Esurance, Docket Nos. 168356 and 168357, wherein the Court overturned its 2013 decision in Grange v Lawrence, and set forth a new standard for determining the domicile of children of divorced parents within the auto insurance context.  Under the new standard, domicile is determined by…

Watch SMDA associate Sean Serafini’s April 9, 2026 argument before the Michigan Supreme Court in Frownfelter v Esurance Property & Casualty Co., et. al. This case involves a minor child of divorced parents who was involved in an auto accident while she was a passenger in a car driven by her brother. Since her brother…

SMDA, PC is proud to announce that one of our founding partners, Phillip Serafini, has once again been selected as a Super Lawyer for Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Attorneys for 2022. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Their patented attorney selection process…

SMDA is proud to report that survivors of catastrophic crashes and their loved ones, including a number of my clients at Serafini, Michialowski, Derkacz & Associates, PC, won a major victory in the Michigan Court of Appeals today. The Court issued its long awaited decision in Andary v USAA and held that benefit reductions passed…

If your parents are at the age when illnesses and medical conditions are a concern, you will have worries about the costs of long-term care. One of the biggest problems confronting senior citizens today is the extraordinary cost of this care. Such costs can exceed one’s entire lifetime savings. When proceeds come to an end,…

You may be over at a friend’s house when, out of nowhere, an otherwise friendly dog bites you. Over 4.5 million Americans receive dog bites each year, shares the American Veterinary Medical Foundation. While a decent amount are superficial wounds that do not require any medical attention, plenty of people need to go to the…

We handle numerous probate and trust administration cases, where siblings do not get along. It is better to work through issues with your siblings, prior to your parents’ passing away, as there is less stress and emotion. There are several questions to ask your adult siblings, which may help repair and strengthen your relationships. 1.)…

There are three main options that you have, when deciding where you are going to live after your divorce: 1.) Stay in the home; 2.) Purchase a new home; or 3.) Rent a new property Some factors to consider when deciding which option is best for you, are as follows: 1.) Is the location convenient…

Getting divorced at any age creates profound stress and uncertainty. However, this is even more so for older individuals. There are several considerations to help prepare yourself from financial pitfalls. 1.) Create an inventory of all assets, before meeting with your attorney. You should know how each asset is titled (jointly or individually). 2.) Be…