Ohioans who seek resolution of child custody matters may find that their personal circumstances play a role in how the law applies to them. For example, parents who have completely separated or divorced one another and live in different residences are usually regarded equally in terms of their responsibilities to their children and their custodial rights. On the other hand, parents who have formally been found guilty of criminal offenses involving child abuse or neglect may lose the rights they were previously allocated by shared parenting decrees.
State law also permits courts to mandate specific time frames for the enactment of custodial agreements and visitation plans. While both parents generally have the right to modify agreements later on, courts may demand that parents attend parenting classes, participate in counseling or settle on terms prior to granting divorces, annulments or separations.
Ohio family law doesn’t only apply to parents who might be considering a split; in cases where a spouse dies or a child is born to an unmarried woman, the parents of the deceased party or relatives of the mother can often petition for visitation and other rights. The same statute also covers the basic rules that mediators must abide by when negotiating divorces, and it additionally establishes the extent of a parent’s liability for certain illegal acts committed by their children.
Child custody cases are governed by complex legislation that often crosses over into other subjects. Families can’t necessarily rely on simple resolutions to their cases or disputes, and there’s always a possibility that actions such as divorce proceedings will prompt related legal issues. In the end, parents may wish to learn more about how Ohio laws affect their specific situations prior to initiating formal proceedings.
Source: codes.ohio.gov, “Chapter 3109: Children “, October 11, 2014
