Divorce & Dissolution

Divorce Lawyer Columbus, Ohio

Are you searching for the best Columbus Divorce Attorney for your case? Don’t hesitate to contact the experienced divorce attorney at The Obenour Legal Group, LLC. Learn about how our Columbus Divorce Lawyer help our clients navigate the divorce process.

Navigating Clients Through Divorce or Dissolution

Reaching a final decision to end a marriage can sometimes be difficult. In Ohio, the process can be completed in one of several ways. The most common are a divorce action or a dissolution of marriage. What are the differences? How long will the process take? Speaking with a Columbus divorce lawyer is the only way to obtain individualized legal guidance. The professional legal opinion of a divorce lawyer in Worthington, Ohio can help you navigate the process.

A Client-Focused Approach

Every family is unique. Different issues may be important to each spouse. Relationships with children can make custody decisions particularly complicated. Income, assets, and debt are important issues to settle and vary considerably from family to family. Emotion complicates the divorce and dissolution process. Legal options are dependent on all these factors as well as client goals. At The Law Firm of Obenour Legal Group LLC, our Columbus divorce attorney in Columbus, Ohio listens and understands client priorities. Our divorce lawyer firm in Columbus, Ohio works hard to obtain the best possible outcome because we truly care. Unlike other law firms, clients work directly with our Columbus divorce attorney throughout their case.

Divorce vs. Dissolution

Dissolution: The parties must agree on the issues before filing a petition with the court. After filing the dissolution petition, one hearing takes place between 30 and 90 days from filing and the court generally approves the agreement if it is equitable to both parties.

Divorce: The parties cannot agree on all the terms to end their marriage. A judge or magistrate must decide those contested issues for them and a divorce action is required.

These are only rough outlines. In both divorce and dissolution cases, our divorce attorneys Columbus, Ohio have helped clients resolve the following issues: Designation of residential parent, visitation agreements, custody & shared parenting, and property and debt division.

We also assist with divorce actions and dissolution for same-sex couples. We may be able to reach an agreement through negotiation or mediation. When alternative dispute resolution is not successful, we will take the fight to court.

Frequently Asked Questions about Divorce & Dissolution

My hearing is next week and I need help. What do I do?

Please call our Worthington based divorce lawyer as soon as possible to arrange a time for you to come in and for us to review your case and get familiar with the circumstances. We may not be able to be at the hearing because of the late notice, but we can guide you through the process to ask for a continuance from the courts to secure legal representation.

I am a survivor of domestic violence. I can’t afford a divorce lawyer right now.

There are many quality organizations and resources available to survivors. The Ohio Domestic Violence Network (https://odvn.org) and the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence (https://oaesv.org) ) are two organizations that assist victims of domestic violence. These groups receive grants each year to cover the legal costs of survivors who cannot afford a divorce attorney. Contact them to see what help they can provide.

I just found out we have a Guardian Ad Litem. Now what?

The best thing to do, is to contact the Guardian Ad Litem’s office as soon as possible to set up an initial appointment, and to pay your retainer. Read more about what to do when a GAL has been appointed.

How long does it take for a divorce to be final?

The length of time it takes to resolve a divorce varies greatly depending on the nature of the dispute and the complexity of the issues. If you and your spouse can come to an agreement about everything including division of debts and assets, parenting time, child support and the other substantive issues that must be decided. An agreement can be filed as a final resolution. If you don’t agree on anything or if you agree on some but not all issues, or need the assistance of the court to make an order, then you should be prepared to be in the courts for at least a year, sometimes longer. There are often months between court dates, which gives you time to settle out of court. Need a Columbus divorce lawyer? Abbie Obenour is a Columbus divorce attorney who will be your voice.

How long until I have custody over my kids?

This too can take a long while. The only exception is if you file for emergency custody of the children, but this can be very difficult to get because the children need to be in immediate danger of physical harm. Unfortunately the courts are reluctant to grant these orders because they don’t have all of the information from both parents. Also, at least in Franklin County, the preference is Shared Custody and Shared Parenting unless there is a significant issue with the other parent. Columbus divorce attorney Abbie Obenour has years of experience with divorce, child custody, spousal support, modifications, and property division.

Do I have to pay alimony?

Alimony, or spousal support, usually comes into play for marriages that last for many years and there is a significant difference in income between the parties. The longer you have been married and the bigger the difference in income, the more likely you are to receive spousal support in your divorce. The informal rule of thumb for spousal support, in cases where it is appropriate, is one year of spousal support for every three years of marriage.

What happens if we get back together and want to cancel the divorce?

You can always reconcile at any time up until the date of the final hearing. You will simply need to file a motion to withdraw your complaint for divorce or petition for dissolution and the court will close the case. But remember, if you decide to refile down the road, you will need to disclose that you had a prior case with the courts to the assignment office. Contact our divorce lawyer in Columbus, Ohio for more info.

Do I have to move out of the home? Should I not move out of the home?

Until there is an agreement or court order concerning occupation of the marital home, neither spouse is required to leave. Sometimes moving out takes a significant amount of the emotion and stress out of the case because the opportunity for conflict decreases. If you do decide to move out, try to take all of the personal property that belongs to you at that time. Now, if you want the home to yourself and want the spouse to vacate, you can always file a motion for “exclusive use of the marital property” and ask the court to make an order saying you are the only one allowed to be in the home. Orders for exclusive use are relatively rare, and are often used in matter where domestic violence is an issue. Regardless of who lives in the home while the case is pending, it has no effect on who holds title to the home or the parties’ marital interest in it. If it is marital property, it will still be included in the division of property and each spouse is entitled to their equitable share of the home’s value. Call our Worthington divorce lawyer for more info.

Contact an Experienced Columbus Divorce Attorney Handling All Your Family Law Needs

If you are currently facing the prospect of divorce in Columbus, Ohio, don’t hesitate to contact our Columbus divorce attorney. Our experienced Columbus family attorneys are knowledgeable and dedicated in all of the areas covered in a divorce.

Don’t hesitate to learn more about how we can protect your rights in Divorce in Ohio.
Contact our Columbus family law firm today!

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