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PRACTICE AREAS

 

Concentrating on only a few, specific areas of law allows me to focus on providing my clients with highly specialized, creative and effective solutions.
Divorce/Dissolution

 

A marriage can end by either divorce or dissolution. A dissolution occurs when the spouses reach a voluntary agreement to end the marriage. A divorce is a lawsuit which occurs when one spouse files a complaint with the Court asking it to end the marriage.

 

In both cases, the spouses or the Court will divide assets, determine a visitation schedule for any minor children and determine the amount of support (spouse/child) paid by one party to the other.

Custody

 

Issues of child custody can occur during divorce proceedings or after. In Ohio, the Court is required to make decisions which are "in the child's best interest."  Of course, parents' opinions of "best interest" can vary greatly. Whether it is disagreements over the parenting time schedule, extra-curricular activities or the decisions of the other parent, it is important to discuss your situation with an attorney to determine whether the Court needs to get involved. 

 

Grandparent Rights

 

In Ohio, the right of visitation can extend to “any person” related to a child by consanguinity or affinity.  So, stepparents and other interested family members may petition the Court for visitation with a child in cases where a divorce is filed or the biological parents are unmarried.  These rights are for visitation and not custody rights.  Legal custody of children can be obtained in some circumstances under Ohio law, however, there must be a finding that both parents are unfit or unsuitable to act as parents for the child. 

Prenuptial Agreements

 

 

A Prenuptial Areement is a written document that protects the property each spouse brings to the marriage, and also spells out how property acquired during the marriage will be divided if the marriage ends by divorce or dissolution.  These agreements can cover a variety of issues and are generally enforceable in the same manner as any other contract.  Most importantly, Ohio law does not recognize post-nuptial agreements (agreements signed after the marriage), so do not wait until after the honeymoon to have this discussion.

 

 Civil Protection Orders

A protection order is granted by the Domestic Relations Court to victims of domestic violence. It is intended to prevent future violence. A civil protection order can be obtained against a person related by blood or marriage, with whom you have a child in common, or have lived together as a spouse, including same-sex couples. 

Support Modification

Support modification reviews or an administrative adjustment review is the act of re-examining a support order to bring the order into compliance with the Ohio child support guideline worksheet. The monthly obligation recommended by the CSEA may increase, decrease, or remain the same compared to the current order. Both parties may object to the new amount  if they disagree with the recalculated order. Child support modifications can also affect your spousal support obligations depending upon the terms of your divorce decree.

Real Estate Tax Appeal

 If you believe your real estate taxes are too high, you can file a Complaint with the County Board of Revision to have your appraised value reviewed.  This review can be done on commercial or residential real estate. The Board of Revision in your County reviews complaints about property values. While Ohio law requires the Auditor to conduct a reappraisal of real estate every six years, sometimes, the appraised amount on your home is still too high and can be re-evaluated, but only if you file a complaint.

Real Estate

 

  • Foreclosure Prosecution & Defense

  • Landlord/Tenant Matters

  • Purchase Agreements for commercial and residential real estate

  • Lease Agreements

  • Land Contracts

  • Land Use Planning and Zoning

  • Easements

  • Deeds

 

Probate/Estate Planning

 

A probate proceeding is one which ensures that a recently-deceased person's property is distributed according to his or her will or according to Ohio law. A probate proceeding takes place in the probate court of the county where the deceased property owner lived.  If the deceased also owned real estate in another state, additional proceedings may be necessary in that state.

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