Columbus Ohio Family Law Attorneys

Law Offices of Virginia C. Cornwell

(614) 225-9316
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What is Ohio Family Law? Do I need a lawyer for my case?

October 22, 2011

Columbus Ohio Family Law Lawyer AttorneyFamily law is a term that is often misunderstood.  People sometimes think that a family law attorney is a lawyer that you hire when you want to sue your family.  In a way, that’s true, but family law does not cover every area that might involve litigation between you and your family.  Traditionally, family law includes areas of law that are covered when you marry someone or have a child with them.  Modern family law also includes non traditional families, same sex parents, relative and grandparent custody and more.

Columbus Ohio Family Law Attorney divorce custody lawyer

Family law is, for the most part, a matter of state law.  That is not to say there is no federal law regarding family law, but it is first, and foremost a matter for the states to decide.  Ohio Family Law is the sum of all the Ohio laws which deal with issues such as:

  • Abuse
  • Alimony (See Spousal Support)
  • Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities
  • Annulment
  • Antenuptial agreements (see also prenuptial agreements) aka Prenup
  • Appeals
  • Child Support
  • Civil Protection Orders
  • Contempt
  • Change of Custody
  • Custody (see allocation of parental rights and responsibilities)
  • Dissolution
  • Divorce
  • Divorce in Ohio Series
  • Divorce and Business Owners
  • Divorce and Professional Practice Owners (Medical Practice, Legal, CPA, Artchitect, etc.)
  • Domestic Violence
  • Enforcement
  • Father’s Rights
  • Guardian ad Litem
  • Grandparent Rights
  • Hague Convention Cases
  • International Child Abduction (Kidnapping)
  • Interstate Child Support
  • Interstate Child Custody
  • Interstate Divorce
  • Interstate Jurisdiction (UCCJA, PKPA, UIFSA)
  • Jurisdiction
  • Juvenile Court
  • Legal Separation
  • Mother’s Rights
  • Military Divorce
  • Modify custody, visitation or shared parenting
  • Moving and relocation
  • Never Married Parents
  • Parentage
  • Parental Alienation
  • Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act (PKPA)
  • Parenting Time
  • Paternity
  • Post-decree proceedings
  • Prenuptial Agreements Aka Prenup
  • Relocation
  • Residential Parent
  • Restraining Orders
  • School Placement Parent
  • Separation Agreements
  • Separate Property
  • Shared Parenting (similar to joint custody)
  • Spousal Support
  • Stalking Protection Orders
  • Temporary Orders Affidavits
  • Temporary Order
  • Venue
  • Visitation
  • Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA)
  • Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)
  • Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA)
  • Unmarried Parents

Ohio family law statutes are contained in the Ohio Revised Code.  The provisions of the Ohio Revised Code which are most relevant to family law are:

  • Title [31] XXXI DOMESTIC RELATIONS – CHILDREN
  • Title [21] XXI COURTS – PROBATE – JUVENILE, Chapter 2151: JUVENILE COURT

Sometimes federal laws are enacted to provide enforcement of family law matters, such as the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA).   When competing laws of different states are causing conflicts throughout the country, sometimes federal legislation is enacted to provide some predictability among state laws, such as matters of  Interstate Jurisdiction (UCCJA, PKPA, UIFSA), but federal regulation of family law matters is the exception, not the rule.  If you want to know what family law is in your state, start with state law.

If you have been served with papers in an Ohio family law, custody or divorce case, your first thought is probably “What does this mean?  What do I have to do?  Do I need a lawyer?”  There are very few situations where you are absolutely required to have a lawyer.  Most family law cases do not require you to have a lawyer in order to appear and defend your case.  Everyone has the right to defend themselves in court.  However, the question of “Do I need an attorney?”  is a very different question from “Can I afford not to have an attorney?”   Most of the time the law is complicated, and people without an attorney have a hard time presenting their evidence.  But if you know you cannot afford an attorney, then you should show up and let the court know you want to defend yourself.  If your case is one of the few situations where you are absolutely REQUIRED to have an attorney, the court will tell you.

You may also be interested in some of our divorce articles:

  • Part 1: Conciliation or Legal Separation
  • Part 2: Dissolution or Uncontested Divorce
  • Part 3: Reasons to Choose Divorce
  • Part 4: Restraining Orders
  • Part 5: Where will you live?
  • Part 6:Paper Work
  • Part 7: Health Insurance
  • Part 8: Attorney Fees
  • Part 9: 5 Dirty Divorce Tricks
  • Part 10: 5 More Dirty Divorce Tricks
  • Part 11: Columbus Ohio Divorce Jurisdiction
  • Part 12: Columbus Ohio Professional Practice Divorce
  • Part 13: Military Divorce Jurisdiction – What State to File In
  • Series on Divorce Part 14: Interstate Divorce
  • Series on Divorce Part 15: Interstate Divorce and Child Custody
  • Series on Divorce Part 16: Psychological Evaluations in Ohio Divorce and Custody Cases
  • Series on Divorce Part 17: Divorce and Medical Practice Owners
  • Series on Divorce Part 18: Can you get a divorce or dissolution in Ohio while pregnant?
  • Series on Divorce Part 19: Separate Property
  • Series on Divorce Part 20: Average Cost of a divorce in Ohio

DISCLAIMER – Read it, it’s important!

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AREAS OF PRACTICE

  • Annulment of Marriage
  • Appeals
  • CERTIFIED SPECIALIST – OSBA Certified Family Relations Specialist
  • Child Support
  • Columbus Ohio Collaborative Family Law
  • Contempt of Court
  • Custody
  • Dissolution of Marriage
  • Divorce
  • Divorce & Alimony
  • Divorce & Assets
  • Divorce & Business Owners
  • Divorce & Child Support
  • Divorce & Custody
  • Divorce & Professional or Medical Practice Owners
  • Family Law
  • Father's Rights
  • Franklin County & 88 Ohio Counties
  • Grandparents Rights
  • Legal Separation
  • LGBT Family Law, Divorce, Custody
  • Military Divorce
  • Mother's Rights
  • Moving & Relocation
  • Ohio Collaborative Divorce
  • Parental Alienation
  • Paternity
  • Post-Decree Modifications
  • Prenuptial & Antenuptial Agreements (Prenup)
  • Shared Parenting
  • Temporary Orders in Ohio
  • Uncontested Divorce
  • Unmarried & Never Married Parents
  • Visitation

OHIO CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES CALCULATOR

Ohio Child Support Guidelines Calculator

READ THIS BEFORE YOU READ OUR WEB SITE

1. This site applies to the state of Ohio and matters of federal law only.
2. The info on our site is not legal advice because we don't know the facts of your case. If you want legal advice, you must meet with a lawyer.
3. Reading this website or sending documents to us does not create an attorney-client relationship and information or documents you give us will not be kept confidential unless you call us, tell us who is involved in your case, and let us do a conflict of interest check.

Blogroll

  • Columbus Ohio Divorce Lawyer
(614) 225-9316

Ohio Child Support Guidelines Calculator

Ohio Child Support Guidelines Calculator

Blogroll

  • Columbus Ohio Divorce Lawyer

Read this before you read our website

1. This site applies to the state of Ohio and matters of federal law only.

2. The info on our site is not legal advice because we don't know the facts of your case. If you want legal advice, you must meet with a lawyer.

3. Reading this website or sending documents to us does not create an attorney-client relationship and information or documents you give us will not be kept confidential unless you call us, tell us who is involved in your case, and let us do a conflict of interest check.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

  • Annulment of Marriage
  • Appeals
  • CERTIFIED SPECIALIST – OSBA Certified Family Relations Specialist
  • Child Support
  • Columbus Ohio Collaborative Family Law
  • Contempt of Court
  • Custody
  • Dissolution of Marriage
  • Divorce
  • Divorce & Alimony
  • Divorce & Assets
  • Divorce & Business Owners
  • Divorce & Child Support
  • Divorce & Custody
  • Divorce & Professional or Medical Practice Owners
  • Family Law
  • Father's Rights
  • Franklin County & 88 Ohio Counties
  • Grandparents Rights
  • Legal Separation
  • LGBT Family Law, Divorce, Custody
  • Military Divorce
  • Mother's Rights
  • Moving & Relocation
  • Ohio Collaborative Divorce
  • Parental Alienation
  • Paternity
  • Post-Decree Modifications
  • Prenuptial & Antenuptial Agreements (Prenup)
  • Shared Parenting
  • Temporary Orders in Ohio
  • Uncontested Divorce
  • Unmarried & Never Married Parents
  • Visitation
(614) 225-9316

OHIO STATE BAR ASSOCIATION CERTIFIED FAMILY RELATIONS SPECIALIST

Ohio Bar Association Certified Family Law Specialist

INFORMATION

  • Adoption (4)
  • Alimony or Spousal Support (3)
  • Annulment (5)
  • Appeals (3)
  • Child Custody (39)
  • Child Support (15)
  • Civil Protection Orders & Domestic Violence (3)
  • Collaborative Divorce (1)
  • Contempt & Enforcement (12)
  • Dissolution , Amicable Divorce, No Fault Divorce (15)
  • Divorce (45)
  • Emergency Custody and Supervised Visitation (3)
  • Father's Rights and Paternity (12)
  • Grandparents Rights in Ohio (14)
  • Guardian ad Litem (3)
  • High Asset Divorce (2)
  • Interstate Family Law (2)
  • Jurisdiction and Venue (6)
  • Legal Separation (5)
  • LGBT Family Law (6)
  • Mediation (1)
  • Military Family Law (3)
  • Mothers' Rights (2)
  • Moving and Relocation (10)
  • Ohio County Visitation Schedules (86)
  • Parental Alienation (2)
  • Post Decree Cases (6)
  • Prenuptial Agreements or Antenuptial Agreements (3)
  • Psychological Evaluations (2)
  • Shared Parenting (2)
  • Step-Parent Adoption (1)
  • Tax Issues (1)
  • Temporary Orders (5)
  • Uncategorized (14)
  • Uncontested Divorce (2)
  • Unmarried Parents (6)
  • Visitation (6)

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Recent Posts:

  • Appealing Your Ohio Family Law Judgment Entry
  • The Ohio LGBT community’s new right to marry also means the right to step-parent adoption
  • Ohio LGBT Shared Custody Agreements: Get it in Writing!
  • Columbus Ohio Same Sex Divorce Lawyer & Prenuptial Agreement Lawyer
  • Same Sex Divorce in Ohio: U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Bans on Same Sex Marriage

Archives:

From our downtown Columbus offices we serve clients throughout Ohio. We also service areas such as Gahanna, Bexley, Blacklick, Columbus, Dublin, Hilliard, Lancaster, Westerville, New Albany, Pickerington, Powell, Upper Arlington, Worthington, Lancaster, Franklin County, Fairfield County and more. In addition, we serve clients in several Ohio Counties, including, but not limited to: Franklin County, Delaware County, Licking County, and Fairfield County.

Ohio State Bar Association Certified Family Relations Specialist

Ohio Bar Association Certified Family Law Specialist

Free Information

  • Adoption (4)
  • Alimony or Spousal Support (3)
  • Annulment (5)
  • Appeals (3)
  • Child Custody (39)
  • Child Support (15)
  • Civil Protection Orders & Domestic Violence (3)
  • Collaborative Divorce (1)
  • Contempt & Enforcement (12)
  • Dissolution , Amicable Divorce, No Fault Divorce (15)
  • Divorce (45)
  • Emergency Custody and Supervised Visitation (3)
  • Father's Rights and Paternity (12)
  • Grandparents Rights in Ohio (14)
  • Guardian ad Litem (3)
  • High Asset Divorce (2)
  • Interstate Family Law (2)
  • Jurisdiction and Venue (6)
  • Legal Separation (5)
  • LGBT Family Law (6)
  • Mediation (1)
  • Military Family Law (3)
  • Mothers' Rights (2)
  • Moving and Relocation (10)
  • Ohio County Visitation Schedules (86)
  • Parental Alienation (2)
  • Post Decree Cases (6)
  • Prenuptial Agreements or Antenuptial Agreements (3)
  • Psychological Evaluations (2)
  • Shared Parenting (2)
  • Step-Parent Adoption (1)
  • Tax Issues (1)
  • Temporary Orders (5)
  • Uncategorized (14)
  • Uncontested Divorce (2)
  • Unmarried Parents (6)
  • Visitation (6)

Recent Posts:

  • Appealing Your Ohio Family Law Judgment Entry
  • The Ohio LGBT community’s new right to marry also means the right to step-parent adoption
  • Ohio LGBT Shared Custody Agreements: Get it in Writing!
  • Columbus Ohio Same Sex Divorce Lawyer & Prenuptial Agreement Lawyer
  • Same Sex Divorce in Ohio: U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Bans on Same Sex Marriage

From our downtown Columbus offices we serve clients throughout Ohio. We also service areas such as Bexley, Blacklick, Columbus, Delaware, Dublin, Gahanna, Hilliard, Lancaster, Marysville, Westerville, New Albany, Newark, Pickerington, Plain City, Powell, Upper Arlington, Worthington, Lancaster, Zanesville and more. In addition, we serve clients in all Ohio Counties, including, but not limited to: Franklin County, Delaware, Licking, Logan, Fairfield, Union, Marion, Muskingum, Pickaway, Ross, Richland, Madison, Morrow, Knox, and more.

Archives:

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Columbus Ohio Divorce Attorney, Franklin County Family Law Attorneys and Ohio Custody Lawyer honoring the duty to serve the best interests of our clients.

Law Offices of Virginia C. Cornwell
408 Emory St
Columbus , OH , 43230
(614) 225-9316
Latitude: 40.00734
Longitude: -82.84535