Practice areas: Family Law, Estate Planning & Probate, Personal Injury; view more
Licensed in Michigan since: 2013
Education: The Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Selected to Rising Stars: 2019 - 2023 Call today:
517-588-6286
Free Consultation Cheltenham Law, PLLC
1140 Abbot RdSuite 4153
East Lansing, MI 48823 Visit website
Colline Cheltenham is tenacious litigator whose primary focus is in family law. She is the managing attorney, and CEO of Cheltenham Law, PLLC, in East Lansing, Michigan. Ms. Cheltenham is a recognized and well-respected family law litigation attorney in her region. She handles financially complex divorce cases, complicated custody battles, guardianships, conservatorships, and estate plan drafting. She also manages drivers license restoration cases where she has had great success. Her client base encompasses mainly, Ingham, Kent, Eaton, Clinton, Shiawassee, and Isabella counties; however, she handles cases all over the State of Michigan.
Ms. Cheltenham is known for her no nonsense approach to litigation, for her unwillingness to back away from a difficult legal battle and her compassion for her clients. She is most passionate about protecting fathers who have lost (or never had) their parental rights properly weighed, women who have suffered domestic violence, and financial and emotional abuse.
Outside of her law practice, Ms. Cheltenham is active in the legal community. She is a member of the Ingham County Bar Family Law Section, the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section, the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and the American Bar Association Family Law Division.
Ms. Cheltenham is also admitted to practice in the federal courts including the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan and the United States Supreme Court.
Practice areas
Family Law, Estate Planning & Probate, Personal Injury - General: PlaintiffFocus areas
Alimony & Spousal Support, Animal Bites, Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Dissolution, Divorce, Estate Planning, Father's Rights, Living Wills, Marital Property, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Name Change, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Power of Attorney, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Prenuptial Agreements, Same Sex Family Law, Trusts, Wills
- 80% Family Law
- 10% Estate Planning & Probate
- 10% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2013, Michigan
Professional Webpage: https://cheltenhamlaw.com/experience
Bar / Professional Activity
- Federal District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- United States Supreme Court
- Ingham County Bar Association, Probate Section, 2019
- Tri-County Family Law Association
- National Association of Career Women
- Women Lawyers Association of Michigan – Mid-Michigan
- Ingham County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2017
- State Bar of Michigan, 2013
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Client/wife came to Colline Cheltenham distraught due to being at the end of her case and knowing something was not right with the financial settlement. We performed significant discovery including sending subpoenas to the opposing party/husband's pension fund, retirement accounts and bank accounts and found nearly $400,000 in cash not disclosed. We were able to settle the matter without trial and with an appropriate result. , 2024
- Client/father was charged and convicted of domestic violence. He was in a terrible situation and a toxic relationship, but truly was an excellent father. We took the case to trial, however, ended up negotiating an appropriate settlement of extended weekends, rotating holidays and week on/week off summer parenting time. , 2024
- Client/father only had very limited supervised parenting time when we took his case over. We filed a comprehensive motion, prepared for an evidentiary hearing, and ended the matter with settlement obtaining Client an award of substantive unsupervised alternating parenting time. , 2024
- After a 3 day trial, our client was awarded joint custody of the minor children and 60% of the multi-million dollar marital estate, after evidence proved that Defendant had perjured herself regarding multiple affairs she had, and false allegations of abuse by our client., 2023
- After false allegations of alcoholism and emotional abuse, our client was awarded joint custody and equalized parenting time., 2023
- After 3 days of trial and proving that Defendant/Father's wife had a 5 year affair (after she denied the affair in trial), obtained an award for Defendant/Father of joint custody and equalized parenting time, with Defendant/Father receiving 60% of the multi-million dollar marital estate and Plaintiff/Mother responsible for paying my client's attorney fees. , 2022
- After a 4 day evidentiary hearing with Friend of the Court, and taking the case to trial, obtained an order for a father accused of sexually abusing his 3 year old son gain sole physical and sole legal custody with the mother having limited parenting time. I continue to represent this client in review hearings and protect his rights. , 2021
- Obtained appropriate parenting time award for father who was falsely accused of sexually abusing his daughter and getting her pregnant. After DNA testing was performed father was cleared of allegations and possible criminal charges., 2020
- Obtained sole custody for mother who was emotionally and physically abused by her husband., 2020
- Saved a husband approximately $45,000 in a divorce action by proving these assets were separate property, 2019
- Obtained order after referee hearing that changed custody from equalized custody and parenting time to my client/father receiving sole physical custody and the majority of the parenting time, 2019
- Obtained favorable equitable settlement of marital estate and spousal support for client when emotionally abusive husband told her she would "get nothing!", 2019
- Received a nearly equalized parenting time award for a father that could only exercise parenting time every other weekend. Also obtained an order in the same case allowing him to cover the child's health insurance, be placed on the birth certificate, and receive copies of the child's social security card when these things were wrongfully denied to him, 2017
Pro bono / Community Service
- Capital City Humane Society, Volunteer
- Second Saturday, Volunteer, 2013 – Present
- Red Cross, Volunteer
- Many hours committed to working with father's rights groups, and coordination of efforts in State Representatives and Legislators, to change Michigan law, and advocate for equal parenting time and custody for fathers, 2018
- Volunteer time the second Saturday of each month to speak at a workshop and educate women about the divorce process, 2017
Honors
- On Thursday, March 6, 2019, Ms. Cheltenham (formerly DeVries-Burd) was honored with a “Top 5 Under 35” award by the Ingham County Bar Association. This award recognizes attorneys who are under 35 years old or have been practicing for 5 years or less, who are nominated by their peers and have demonstrated skills, ability, and dedication. Ms. Cheltenham grew up in rural Gladwin, Michigan. She made her way through her undergrad with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Northwood University. She accomplished her undergrad degree while holding down a full-time job and raising her oldest child. Ms. Cheltenham raised her oldest daughter and then had a son over a decade later. She finalized her law degree as a single mother, and then went on to be a successful family law litigation attorney. Ms. Cheltenham says that practicing family law is a unique opportunity: “I like having the opportunity to get a good result for the underdog. I try to dedicate myself to father’s rights and helping good dads obtain equal parenting time. The current version of the Child Custody Act has tipped the playing field for years in a way that has made it tough for dads to have equal physical custody. I have worked hard to change that.” Ms. Cheltenham lives and works in East Lansing with her husband, Mike, and their 3 children. She can be reached at 517 588 6286., Top 5 Under 35, Ingham County Bar Association, 2019
- John D. Voelker Award, Western Michigan University – Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Educational Background
- Northwood University, B.A. in Business Administration, 2004
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Senior Editor, Law Review, Western Michigan University – Thomas M. Cooley Law School
- National Association for Career Women: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace – 2016
Office location for Colline Cheltenham
1140 Abbot Rd
Suite 4153
East Lansing, MI 48823
Phone: 517-588-6286
Selections
- Rising Stars: 2019 - 2023
Additional sources of information about Colline Cheltenham
"Ask a Lawyer" answers provided by Colline Cheltenham
- Q: is cheating husband who left the home, but makes all $, req'd to pay mortgage and bills?
A: Not necessarily. The cheating will likely not be a big factor in determining whether the husband is required to pay marital bills. However, the funds … - Q: How will family business be affected by divorce. He is listed as sole proprietor, business was started after 20+ years
A: It depends on many factors such as whether he owned the business prior to marriage or if it was strictly accumulated during the marriage. It should … - Q: Is there equal division of marital assets and custody between spouses in Michigan?
A: There is no automatic rule for equalization for custody and/or division of assets. There is an initial presumption of an equalized access to …
