Family Law

 1. What is the difference between shared parenting and custody? Ohio originally called shared parenting “joint custody.” Now, shared parenting is a specific type of custody arrangement where both parents have equal authority to make major decisions about their children. The parent with whom the children are with at any given moment has the power

For a parent involved in a child custody case, GAL may become the three most important letters in the world. Who is a Guardian ad Litem? A Guardian ad Litem (GAL for short) is a person appointed to represent the interests of a child. The GAL does not represent either parent, or any other party

Under Ohio law, unmarried fathers are treated very differently than married fathers. Married fathers are protected by the law. Ohio Revised Code (ORC) §3109.03 provides that after a divorce the husband and wife “shall stand upon an equality as to the parental rights and responsibilities for the care of their children and the place of

In theory/according to Ohio statute, mothers and fathers have equal standing before a juvenile court or domestic relations court when seeking custody of their children (assuming that the father can prove paternity and has provided financial support for the child prior to the custody case). In reality, the presumptions that determine child custody decisions have

Ohio child support laws ensure that every child receives at least minimal financial contributions from both parents in the event that the child’s parents divorce (or were never together for the long term) and cannot agree on how to provide for the child’s basic needs. These Ohio laws not only benefit children but also society