Child Custody

Visitation

Ohio uses the term “parenting time” instead of visitation. Parenting time schedules will include a residential parent and a non-residential parent. The schedule will also include a holiday schedule and may include a different schedule for summer breaks. The schedule will need to take into consideration all of the factors involved in the case, including, but not limited to: the distance between the parent’s homes, the child’s school and vacation schedule, the parties’ work schedules and the health, safety and wellness of the child. The Court may take into consideration the child’s wishes but is not required the grant the child’s requests.

Child and Spousal Support

Child support– Child support is the financial contribution one parent makes to another for the support of their children. Child support may be ordered when parents are separated or when the parties divorce. Although there are exceptions, in general, the “non-residential” parent, or the parent with greater income, pays child support to the other parent (typically, the parent with whom the child lives most of the time).

Spousal support– When a married couple gets a divorce, the court may award “alimony” or spousal support to one of the former spouses, based either on an agreement between the parties or a decision be the Court. The Court takes into consideration several factors, including, but not limited to: disparity of income, length of marriage, and whether one parent stayed home with the children during the marriage.