Donald C. Wheaton, Jr.

Donald C. Wheaton, Jr. is a litigator in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Don represents clients throughout the metropolitan Detroit area, handling matters in family law (divorce, custody, parenting time, support, guardianships, and conservatorships), criminal law, DUI/DWI, bankruptcy, driver’s license restoration, and probate. 

Don has more than 30 years' experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in both civil and criminal law. He is trained in collaborative divorce practice and is a trained domestic relations and civil litigation mediator. An established attorney within his region, he has received awards and acknowledgments from the Macomb County Bar Association, Avvo.com, the Lawyers of Distinction, Marquis Who’s Who, and Pinnacle Who's Who, in addition to his selection to SuperLawyers.

Outside his law practice, Don stays involved in his legal community and is committed to professional development. He is a Council Member of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section, and he presented at the Section's Midsummer Conferences in 2020 and 2021. Don also is ending his term as the Chair of the LGBTQA Section of the State Bar of Michigan in October 2021. He was a practicing contributor to Black’s Law Dictionary (9th Ed.), and has contributed articles to the Michigan Family Law Journal, the Macomb County Bar Association's Bar Briefs, and the Michigan Defense Trial Council.

Active in his community, Don volunteers with the St. Clair Shores Goodfellows ("No kiddie without a Christmas") and has served on the Lakeview Public Schools Board of Education for 28 years. Over the years, he has volunteered and held various leadership positions with the Boy Scouts of America and has received the Silver Beaver Award, the Bronze Pelican Award, and the Vigil Honor Order of the Arrow. An active Scout trainer, he also has served on five Wood Badge Staffs, including as a Course Director in 2018.

Don earned his bachelor’s degree in religious studies and sociology from Alma College, graduating with honors in both majors, and Phi Beta Kappa. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School and holds a license to practice law before all state and federal courts in Michigan.

Don has established a reputation as pragmatic and resolution-oriented, but who is also a lawyer not afraid to try a case when required. He works with real people, with real problems -- and helps to solve them.