Child Custody Lawyer in Columbus, OH
Are you struggling to establish custody of your child? Child custody can be a long and complicated struggle. In case of separation or divorce, child custody battles are often the most burning issue that needs to be resolved immediately. If you find yourself amidst a never-ending issue of child custody, seek the legal assistance of a reliable child custody lawyer in Columbus, OH to ensure you and your spouse will arrive at the best decision possible for your child.
The problem is that it’s not easy for parents (and especially for mothers) to gain sole custody over their children. Child custody often requires negotiation or a fight in court. And that’s why many single moms and dads just won’t bother fighting for custody or would give up on their rights without a fight.
Make sure that your family is protected after a separation or divorce. A Reliable Columbus child custody attorney can be your best partner during custody dispute proceedings. They are well informed about the laws of Ohio and will always work hard to help you get an outcome favorable for you and your children’s future.
Contact us today and ready yourself for the next step towards living peacefully – free from the past! Call Sheppard Law Offices now so we can help you find the best solutions for your child’s care.
Why Do I Need a Child Custody Lawyer in Columbus, OH?
If you are going through a child custody battle, you must know that you have rights and need legal representation. Child custody can be very difficult emotionally, and the stakes are pretty high. You need someone with experience who is on your side to help you navigate this process.
You should hire a Columbus Child Custody Lawyer for several reasons:
Reliable Child Custody Lawyers understand Ohio law
The legal system can be intimidating and confusing. You might feel overwhelmed in the middle of a child custody battle. But there are Columbus, OH, child custody lawyers who can help. Sheppard Law Offices has many years of experience in a wide range of family law matters. We can help you create a strategy to protect your rights and the rights of your children.
Possesses knowledge and experience as a Child Custody Lawyer
While many lawyers practice family law in Columbus, OH, hiring someone with experience with your particular issues is essential. The Sheppard Law Office is a respected law office that has handled hundreds of legal custody cases and other family law matters since its founding. We can assist you with the most effective ways to plan for your future, whether you need to file for divorce or seek an order of protection from abuse.
Through our legal services, we can ensure that you have a solid strategy to protect your rights and that your children will receive the care and support they need as they grow up.
Help you create a better parenting plan
When you hire a Columbus child custody attorney from Sheppard Law Offices, we will help you create a parenting plan that ensures that your children will be well taken care of while with each parent. We will help you create a parenting plan that considers your work schedule and the time it takes you to get to work. We can also set up a schedule so that each of you knows where your children are at all times. We can also come up with a plan that will ensure that your children will be able to see their grandparents as often as possible.
Will fight for you in court when necessary
You need representation on your side when you must go to court for child custody. You need a Columbus, OH, child custody lawyer who will fight for you in court and in everyday life. When a judge is ruling on your case, they must hear your side of the story and know who is the best parent for the children involved. The Sheppard Law Offices has a long history of helping those with child custody cases and can represent you in court.
What is Child Custody?
The legal and physical relationship between a parent and his or her child is referred to as “child custody.” The parent with custody of the child is entitled to raise, look after, and decide on the child.
The child’s biological parents should always make decisions about the child’s residency, healthcare, education, and religious upbringing. But all of these problems might become difficult if couples divorce. Child custody laws and the courts become involved when a child’s custody and parenting are in question.
Call Sheppard Law Offices today for more information on child custody
What are The Different Types of Child Custody in Ohio?
The most prevalent child custody arrangement in Ohio is joint custody, in which legal and physical custody is shared 50/50 by both parents. Although there are numerous types of child custody arrangements that can be established.
- Sole Custody: As implied by its name, sole custody is a legal arrangement in which one parent has sole custody of a child. This parent makes choices and takes action concerning the child’s care and welfare. A parent with sole custody is the primary custodial parent
- Join Custody: The Ohio courts will attempt to give a child time with both parents whenever possible. This is the most common legal arrangement for divorced or unmarried parents in Ohio.
- Grandparent Visitation Right and Custody: According to Ohio law, “a court may grant a grandparent companionship or visitation rights during or following domestic relations proceeding if the grandparent is interested in the child’s welfare and companionship or visitation is in the child’s best interest.” Legal custody and physical custody are the two primary types of child custody. One parent can have sole physical custody and joint legal custody of a child, or vice versa.
- Physical Custody: When establishing physical custody, the Ohio courts will consider the relative locations of both parents. For instance, if both parents reside in different states, sole physical custody will likely be awarded to the parent closest to the child’s school. Physical custody can be shared if both parents are close.
- Legal custody: Legal custody makes the parent liable for the child’s critical life decisions. There are two types of legal custody: sole legal and joint legal.
Co-Parenting Plans
When parents share joint custody, they typically devise a parenting plan or schedule that accommodates the children’s requirements and work and living routines. If the parents cannot agree on their own, judges will frequently require them to participate in child custody mediation. Several states mandate mediation in every case involving a custody dispute. If mediation fails, a judge will be required to impose an agreement.
In addition to specifying when children spend time at each parent’s residence, parenting plans frequently include the following:
- how to coordinate parent-child exchanges (drop-offs and pick-ups)
- how the parents will connect and handle requests for temporary scheduling changes, and
- paying for transportation if the parents live far apart
Some state statutes and court procedures specify what must be included in parenting plans.
How Do Ohio Courts Determine Child Custody?
When determining child custody arrangements, the “best interests of the child” approach is applied by almost all courts. What a judge determines to be in the child’s best interests relies on several criteria, including
- age, gender, and physical and mental health of the child
- the physical and mental health of each parent
- culture and other social influences of each parent,
- the emotional link between each parent and child, as well as the capacity of each parent to guide the youngster.
- Each parent’s ability to provide food, housing, clothing, and medical care for their child.
- the established living pattern of the child (school, home, community, religious institution)
- the current state of the efficiency of the child’s education
- the effects of altering the status quo on the child, and
- if the child is grown enough to offer an opinion, the child’s preference.
Considering none of these factors supports one parent over the other, courts typically consider which parent is more likely to provide a stable environment for the child and promote the child’s connection with the other parent. This may entail granting custody to the parent who was the child’s primary caregiver when the youngster was small. With an older child, the court may prefer the parent who can ensure continuity in education, community life, religious practice, and peer interactions.
Child Custody Evaluation
In complex child custody issues, such as when one parent asserts that the other is “unfit,” judges may require a child custody evaluation. Parents can request one even if a judge does not order a custody evaluation. A child custody evaluator can provide data and suggestions to assist the judge in determining what is in the best interests of the kid.
Ohio Visitation Rights
Both parents are entitled to visitation even when one parent has sole parenting rights.
Minimum Visitation Rights Granted to Each Parent
According to Ohio visitation rules, each parent is entitled to at least minimum visitation unless the child’s safety or well-being is jeopardized. And even if a parent has committed domestic violence, a judge will likely not prohibit all visitation.
Monitored Visitations
Parents struggling with substance addiction, domestic violence, or other issues may be granted visits that an agency or a third party oversees.
The normal visitation schedule for a noncustodial parent is one weekday per week and visits every other weekend. A court may grant additional visits to either parent, but not less than the minimum guideline amount.
Contempt Charges on Parents Preventing Visitation Rights
Neither parent should prevent the child from visiting the other parent. When one parent attempts to prevent visits, the parent who is preventing visits may face contempt of court charges. In the most extreme circumstances, the parent obstructing visits may have their own custodial rights reduced or removed. When deciding custody, a judge considers each parent’s desire to arrange visits between the child and the other parent.
Ohio Custody Statutes
The term “custody” has been abolished by the Ohio Legislature; thus, rather than awarding custody, Ohio courts would “allocate parental rights and duties for the care of children.” In Ohio, each parent will be granted a parenting time schedule and visitation rights as part of the custody agreement.
Decision-making right over the child may be granted to one or both parents. A parent having decision-making powers over a child (referred to as “sole legal custody” in other countries) can choose the child’s school and make crucial medical, religious, and legal decisions on the child’s behalf.
Diving Parenting Time
Parents can divide parenting time equally, or one parent may have primary custody and the majority of the child’s time. Most of the time, the parent who resides with the child is known as the “residential parent.” The term “noncustodial parent” refers to the other parent.
Call our Child Custody Lawyer in Columbus, OH Now!
At Sheppard Law Offices, we understand that family is everything. If you find yourself in a custody battle, it is essential to choose your attorney carefully. You need to find an attorney with experience with child custody battles who will fight tenaciously on your behalf and have your child’s best interests at heart.
At Sheppard Law Offices, we focus on Family law, including divorce, legal separation, custody, property division, and alimony. But if you need immediate help with a child custody-related matter, call our offices today or fill out the contact form to schedule your free consultation.
