Columbus Divorce Law Blog

When an Ohio marriage ends both parties have final decisions to make as a couple, especially if children are involved. When they cannot agree on those decisions as they head to divorce court, the judge often gives emphatic direction that will settle the matters at hand. A doctor who has continually defied a ruling made by the judge in his divorce case has been ordered to spend 30 days of jail time.

The doctor was instructed two years ago to purchase a life insurance policy that would pay $500,000 to his ex-wife and their children in the event of his death. Not only did he refuse to obtain a policy in that amount, he let a $300,000 policy that he did have lapse because he did not feel he needed to keep it, as it was not of the amount the judge ordered. He also told the court because of his age and the condition of his health, he was not able to get a policy in the amount of the order. However, he could not produce proof of his attempts and subsequent refusals. It was suggested he might have been able to get an additional $200,000 had he kept his original policy but there seemed to be no effort on his part to do even that much.

There are a few reasons an Ohio parent can lose custody of a child, with child abuse being the number one. Substance abuse is also among the top reasons child custody is revoked. With the recent arrest of June Shannon, also known as Mama June to Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson, for drug possession, some wonder if it could affect the court's position on the 13-year-old girl's child custody status.

An attorney from Shannon's home state says the arrest could definitely influence how the court determines the best interest of the girl, the main priority in a child custody case. Other factors do come into play, however, such as the relationship of the girl and her siblings in the home, how a custody change would emotionally affect the girl and how involved the mother is in the life of the girl. As far as legally known, this is just an isolated incident, and Alana may be receiving the best care possible in staying with her mother.

As you compare divorce mediation to traditional litigation, it's critical to make a list of the pros and cons associated with each process. With these details in front of you, it's easier to understand what you're up against and how to best proceed with your divorce in Ohio.

Many divorcing couples immediately write off mediation, as they aren't comfortable with the idea of personally working through their issues. While this is a common concern, you should still take the time to learn more about the many advantages of divorce mediation. These include but are not limited to:

• More power over the process: When you square off in court, you lose a lot of your power. Your voice doesn't mean nearly as much. Instead, the judge has the right to make decisions as they relate to your divorce. With mediation, both you and the other individual work together to negotiate and compromise.
• Less expensive: This isn't always the case, but divorce mediation is typically less expensive than litigation.
• More time-efficient: Again, this doesn't always hold true, but most divorcing couples find that mediation is more time-efficient than litigation. When both individuals are willing to negotiate and compromise, it's much easier to move through the process in a timely manner.
• Minimize hostility: The last thing you want is to increase tension, as this can take a toll on your mental and physical health and well-being. Also, if you have children together, increased hostility is never a good thing. When you reduce hostility during the divorce process, it's easier to carry this over into the future (such as when co-parenting).
• The help of a mediator: Unlike a judge, a divorce mediator does not have the power to make final decisions. However, this person is trained in keeping the peace and helping move the process forward from start to finish.

Bringing a child into the world means taking responsibility for someone who cannot care for him or herself, and it is usually a lifelong commitment. Unfortunately, the focus for some parents remains on themselves, leaving others to do what they choose to forgo, which is to raise the child to be a productive member of society. More and more grandparents are now seeking child custody for grandchildren the parents cannot or will not raise themselves. Ohio parents may be interested in the case of a grandmother in her fearless child custody fight for her granddaughter.

The woman had never seen her granddaughter until her son called, requesting her help after being arrested for a fight he had with the child's mother. Just looking at the child, the grandmother could tell she had been physically abused. When she took the child to a doctor, x-rays revealed past injuries, some that had not properly healed, and the child's weight was far below what it should have been for her age of eight months. The grandmother sent reports of the child's condition to police and the Division of Family and Children Services, seeking help for the child.