Biography
Your Family Law and Litigation Attorney
Colline Cheltenham: Colline Cheltenham is the Managing Attorney at Cheltenham Law, PLLC, where she not only oversees the operations of the firm but also balances her role as a dedicated mother of two and wife. Specializing in family law throughout Mid-Michigan, Ms. Cheltenham brings her extensive experience to a variety of legal areas, including estate planning, driver’s license restoration, and personal injury cases.
A graduate of Northwood University with a degree in Business Administration, Ms. Cheltenham also holds a Juris Doctor degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Her diverse legal knowledge and strong business acumen position her as a trusted advisor and advocate for her clients.
EXPERIENCE MATTERS:
Ms. Cheltenham’s journey in family law began years ago as a paralegal, where she gained invaluable insight into the intricacies of family law. Through hands-on experience and relentless dedication, she developed a deep understanding of the demands of private practice, particularly in the field of family law.
Today, Ms. Cheltenham is recognized as a highly respected family law litigation attorney, known for her commitment to continuing education. She actively participates in in-person and online training programs through the Institute for Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), staying up-to-date on the latest developments in family law, civil litigation, estate planning, and personal injury law.
Complex Issues Are Her Specialty: Ms. Cheltenham has earned a reputation for handling particularly challenging family law cases, many of which other attorneys may shy away from. Her focus over the last decade has been on complex divorce cases, intricate custody disputes—often involving sensitive issues such as parental alienation and emotional abuse.
Additionally, Ms. Cheltenham has achieved notable success in Estate Plan drafting, driver’s license restoration cases and personal injury.
Her client base primarily spans Ingham, Kent, Eaton, Clinton, Shiawassee, and Isabella counties, though she represents clients across the entire state of Michigan.
Straight Forward and Honest: Known for her no-nonsense approach, Ms. Cheltenham is a skilled litigator who communicates clearly and directly with her clients. She is unwavering in her determination to fight for the best possible outcomes in difficult legal battles. Her compassion for her clients is evident in her work with fathers seeking to regain their parental rights, as well as women who have endured domestic violence, financial, and emotional abuse.
Active Community Involvement: Outside of her legal practice, Ms. Cheltenham is actively engaged in the legal community as a member of the Ingham County Bar Family Law Section, the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section, and the American Bar Association Family Law Division. In addition, Ms. Cheltenham enjoys the simple pleasure of life like horseback riding, skiing, boating, golf and reading.
LEGAL EXPERTISE
Ms. Cheltenham is admitted to practice in Michigan’s Circuit Courts, as well as federal courts, including the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan and the United States Supreme Court.
Throughout her years of practice, Ms. Cheltenham has become particularly skilled in the following areas:
- Complex Divorce Cases with Significant Assets: Ms. Cheltenham is adept at navigating financially complex divorce cases, having handled numerous high-net-worth divorces. She skillfully advocates for fair settlements and creatively works to reduce her clients' financial obligations while securing an equitable distribution of the marital estate.
- Complex Custody Cases: Custody cases often involve challenging issues, particularly when emotional abuse or parental alienation is at play. Ms. Cheltenham works closely with experts who can testify on these matters, providing critical evidence that can change the course of a case.
- Estate Planning: Estate planning can be a complex process, but Ms. Cheltenham simplifies it for her clients. She tailors estate plans to meet each client’s needs, whether drafting a simple will or a more complex trust, ensuring that her clients’ wishes are honored and their assets are safeguarded.
- Personal Injury: In personal injury cases, Ms. Cheltenham is known for her legal tenacity and advocacy in the courtroom. She is committed to securing the best possible outcomes for her clients, ensuring they receive fair compensation for their injuries.
Education
- Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Lansing, Michigan
- Northwood University
- B.A. - 2004
- Major: Business Administration
Classes & Seminars
- ICLE Family Law Annual Training (2018-2024)
- ICLE Probate and Estate Plan Training (2020-2024)
- ICLE No-Fault (2023-2024)
Pro-Bono Activities
- League of Women Voters
- Capital City Humane Society, Volunteer
- Second Saturday, Volunteer, 2013 to Present
- Red Cross, Volunteer
- Volunteer time the second Saturday of each month to speak at a workshop and educate women about the divorce process, 2017
Representative Cases
- Preserved hundreds of thousands of dollars in Client/Wife/Breadwinner’s assets through insisting on opposing party provide proper documentation and financial information. 2024
- Obtained settlement of joint legal custody and substantive (nearly equal) parenting time for a Client/Father who was falsely accused of being verbally abusive and a drunk husband/father. Also secured a substantive financial award for Client when the soon-to-be ex-wife unreasonably sought to have Client pay her instead. 2024
- Client accused – and convicted of domestic violence case – received an award of parenting time that includes week on/week off rotating schedule after a number of hearings which proved the client was not a danger to the children; rather the parties had a toxic relationship, and after the relationship ended there were no issues which presented a danger for the children. 2024.
- Divorce action with a $2MM estate. Client had an attorney prior to hiring Cheltenham Law, but was still not being provided with all documentation which would allow her to receive her ½ portion of the marital estate. After Colline was retained, she filed motions with the Court to obtain the missing documents, demanding every financial document missing. After receiving the documents Client was awarded her half of the estate, attorney fees, and spousal support. 2024
- Divorce action with multi-million-dollar estate, Client was required to pay a substantial amount to the opposing party. Colline was able to negotiate a settlement that limited the financial impact of the divestment of the Client’s investment and the Client’s pension was preserved. 2024
- After a 3-day trial, 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, and taking the case to trial, Ms. Cheltenham obtained an order for sole legal and physical custody for a father falsely accused of sexually abusing his 3-year-old son. 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
Professional Associations
- Michigan Family Law Section
- Ingham County Bar Family Law Section
- Women’s Lawyer’s Association of Michigan
- National Association of Career Women
- Tri-County Family Law Association
Practice Areas
- Family Law 80%
- Administrative Law 10%
- Estate Planning & Probate 10%
Bar Admissions
- Michigan, 2013
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
Honors
- John D. Voelker Award, Western Michigan University – Thomas M. Cooley Law School
- “Top 5 Under 35” award by the Ingham County Bar Association