Treneff Cozza Law, LLC

Judge says White's ex can file for spousal support

On behalf of Treneff Cozza Law, LLC posted in Alimony on Wednesday, August 14, 2019.

What constitutes as a marriage ceremony varies by state, but there are certain elements that Ohio and all other states recognize as binding. Adherence to these rituals is important should the day come when the marriage dissolves and, specifically, should one ex pursue spousal support. Although the comedian denies he and his ex took part in a marriage ceremony, a judge has ruled that Ron White's marriage was valid and that his ex, Margo Rey, can request spousal support.

On Oct. 13, 2013, White and Rey sent invitations for at least 300 guests, vows were exchanged in front of a minister, they gave each other rings, they were pronounced man and wife, and the news was broadcast to media. When their union ended and Rey sought spousal support in 2017, White claimed the two were never married because Rey did not sign the prenuptial agreement he had presented prior to the day of their wedding. He maintains their union was a common-law marriage and therefore not subject to a determination of spousal support.

How your spouse may attempt to hide assets

On behalf of Treneff Cozza Law, LLC on Wednesday, August 14, 2019.

Do you know that both you and your spouse need to disclose all assets if you end your marriage? It's the only way for the court to help you split them up in accordance with state laws. You can't lie about what you own. You can't fudge the numbers. You can't try to hide assets.

However, people still do it. A few ways that your spouse may attempt it include:

Overpaying on taxes.
Making up fake expenses at work.
Putting money in another account.
Making cash withdrawals.
Giving money or assets to friends or family members.
Transferring assets to a business.
Putting off raises, commissions, payments and other types of income.
Buying expensive items and undervaluing them.
Undervaluing items you already own.
Underreporting income.

Settlement reached in divorce between "Bachelor" creator and ex

On behalf of Treneff Cozza Law, LLC posted in Divorce on Thursday, August 8, 2019.

When two Ohioans choose to end their marriage, some concessions might have to be made on both sides before it is final. Coming to a divorce agreement may take months or even years before the two can decide on a mutually acceptable agreement. Michael Fleiss, the creator of the famed "Bachelor" TV series, and his wife, Laura, have finally reached an agreement in their divorce proceedings.

One of the concessions made by Laura, a former Miss America, was to drop the temporary restraining order she had filed against him. Only a few weeks ago, she had filed a TRO claiming Fleiss had threatened her and then followed through on his threats of physical violence. Reportedly, Laura will receive $10 million. Fleiss denies the claims of physical abuse, although he was previously investigated by police over similar threats.

Money issues at the center of divorce

On behalf of Treneff Cozza Law, LLC posted in Divorce on Wednesday, July 31, 2019.

People have fought over money ever since it was invented. An Ohio divorce is often no different. Fighting over asset and debt division, spousal support and child support amounts can bring out the worst in two people who may have seemingly already reached the point of hostility. The wife of an elevator company CEO is said to be dragging out the divorce between the couple so that it is lasting longer than their 14-month marriage.

The two were married in November 2015 but decided to end things just over a year later. The wife has accused her husband of illegal drug use, physical abuse and cheating, not only in their marriage but with his business dealings as well. She says she wants the $2,425 monthly spousal support payments to continue as well as an increase in the child support amount of nearly $1,700 each month she receives for their 2-year-old daughter.

Child custody placement comes into question by grandparents

On behalf of Treneff Cozza Law, LLC posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

The reasons for taking a custody battle to an Ohio court are numerous. Parents get divorced and they fight over the child custody arrangements. The parents die and other relatives fight amongst themselves over who will gain guardianship. There may even be a child custody battle in a foster situation. One set of grandparents is questioning the placement of their 4-year-old grandson after his mother was murdered, allegedly by the boy's father.

The boy has been living with his father's parents since the man called them just after his wife died. The father has since been charged with first-degree murder following a thorough investigation by police. The maternal grandparents have a problem with the boy being placed according to the father's wishes after what police believe he did.

Father takes child custody case to appellate court

On behalf of Treneff Cozza Law, LLC posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, July 17, 2019.

Determining with which Ohio parent a child should live after a divorce is one of the most important decisions a court will make. The judge's decision in a child custody case must be based upon all evidence submitted and not just a few singled-out facts that may prove bias on behalf of one party. A father recently had an appellate court review an original judgment in his fight for child custody.

Three years ago the father, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, and his wife had been stationed at an Air Force base on the West Coast when she left him to go back to her home state because she believed he had cheated on her. She was pregnant when she left and had the child just weeks later. She claims her husband came to see them with the intent of kidnapping the child but she managed to prevent it. She has since allowed the father opportunities for visitation between him and the child.

Could you and your ex qualify for dissolution instead of divorce?

On behalf of Treneff Cozza Law, LLC on Tuesday, July 16, 2019.

There is a lot of confusion about how divorce works, and the fact that laws differ from state to state does not help people understand it any better. What works in one state will not in another, and the same terms can have different meanings under different legal codes.

In Ohio, married couples have the option of filing either for divorce or dissolution when they want to end their marriage. It can be hard to tell which would be a better fit for your family if you don't understand the definition of either term. This is particularly true if you don't understand what dissolution actually is.

Child custody of baby found in dumpster granted to father

On behalf of Treneff Cozza Law, LLC posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, July 10, 2019.

Some Ohio parents seeking custody of a child know what an uphill battle it can be. The child custody battle well worth fighting, however, sometimes ends happily for the parent who gives it his or her all. One father's quest for child custody has come to fruition after a harrowing beginning.

Only two months ago a woman gave birth to a little girl. Police say she then proceeded to put the baby in a trash bag and put the trash bag in a dumpster filled with garbage. Maintenance workers found the baby after hearing her cry and rescued her from her filthy surroundings. The mother was identified through a receipt in the dumpster.

Wife looking to have prenup thrown out in divorce

On behalf of Treneff Cozza Law, LLC posted in Divorce on Wednesday, July 3, 2019.

Money issues are said to be among the top reasons Ohio couples end their marriage. Many couples fight about money while they are married and they continue the fight after the divorce. Former NBA star Kevin Garnett and his wife, Brandi are fighting about prenuptial agreement details as they go through their divorce.

The couple married in 2004 but Brandi filed for divorce last year. They have two daughters, for which she is seeking physical custody. She claims Garnett has not kept to the provisions of the prenup and questions the legality of the document as a result. According to her, she would get no spousal support but an initial payment of $500,000 to $1 million and then half of an account that was supposed to total $12 million. As there is nothing in that account, she believes Garnett violated the agreement.

Lottery winnings can affect judgment of divorce

On behalf of Treneff Cozza Law, LLC posted in Divorce on Thursday, June 27, 2019.

While winning the Ohio lottery can be a source of extreme happiness to some, to others it can cause great frustration. Couples going through a divorce, for instance, may have a difficult time agreeing on a fair settlement when lottery winnings come into play. Those cases often end up in court, where a judge or panel decides who will get what. Two couples who each finalized their divorce last year took their respective cases to court for help in their settlements.

One woman's case went to an appellate court as she argued she should have a portion of her ex-husband's $80 million winnings, even though he bought the ticket after he had filed for divorce. However, the divorce was not final for another five years and she felt the money should have been included as part of their marital property. Furthermore, the husband did not use any of the money in the support of their three children. The appellate court agreed with her, ruling any losing tickets the ex had bought during their marriage were shared, so the winnings should also go to both. She was awarded $15 million.