Ending a marriage can often be one of the most stressful times in a person’s life, especially if there are kids involved. At Linehan Law, we understand these feelings. Our goal is to make the experience as painless as possible and to find a solution that is best for all members of the family.
Our team of experts will guide you through every aspect, including custody rights, property split, child support, spousal support, and more.
No two cases are alike, and there are different ways to end your marriage. We are experienced in divorce, dissolution, and legal separation.
A divorce is initiated by a spouse who wishes to terminate his or her marriage. Although Ohio still requires grounds for a divorce, one of the grounds is incompatibility, which means that it would be extremely unusual for a court not to grant a divorce to the requesting party. The court must determine appropriate orders for the distribution of marital assets and liabilities and, if the parties have children, orders such as the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities, companionship with each parent and the children, and child support.
A dissolution is a way of terminating a marriage where the parties are able to reach a written agreement involving all of the terms of ending the marriage before filing with the court. Thus, when the petition for dissolution is filed with the court, it includes a separation agreement signed by both of the parties agreeing to those terms. The court sets a hearing date between thirty and ninety days after the filing and if both parties appear and state under oath that this is their agreement, and the court finds it to be fair, the court grants the termination of the marriage by accepting the separation agreement as the order of the court. Even with a dissolution, each party should be represented by competent counsel in order to make certain that the agreement is fair and in your best interests.
A legal separation is similar to a divorce in that the court makes orders involving the allocation of marital assets and liabilities, and if the parties have children, parental rights and responsibilities. However, the parties remain married but subject to the court order. Legal separations are rare, but for some couples they are an appropriate way to address matters while determining if they should stay married.
Don’t let obtaining the proper legal representation add to the stress you are already facing. Contact Linehan Law today for empathetic, experienced assistance.