Child Custody In Ohio
How is child custody decided in Ohio? These issues are decided by domestic relations and juvenile courts in Ohio. For disputes between parents, the domestic relations courts in Medina County, Summit County and Cuyahoga County hear such cases. In Wayne County, Ohio, the domestic relations court hears child custody cases in divorce and post-divorce decree cases. The Wayne County juvenile court hears child custody cases between unmarried parents. For purposes of this article, we will refer to all these courts as the Ohio child custody court.
The Ohio child custody court must decide between sole custody to one parent and shared parenting with both parents. The parent who is awarded sole custody becomes the child’s legal custodian and will make decisions about non-emergency medical care, education, religion, discipline and extra-curricular activities. The sole legal custodian must let the non-custodial parent know about such matters but will make the final decisions.
Shared parenting starts with the filing of a shared parenting plan. The Ohio child custody court may or may not approve the plan. If the plan is approved, both parents are named as legal custodians of the minor children and must make all decisions together in the best interests of their children. Neither parent can make non-urgent decisions on their own in such an arrangement.
Shared parenting does not always mean equal parenting time schedules. In fact 50/50 parenting time can exist in either a shared parenting or a legal custody situation. When setting up equal parenting time schedules, some parents like using a one week one and one week off schedule, while others like to take four days one week and three days the next. Other plans get even more creative. There is no one right answer for equal parenting time arrangements. The thing that matters the most is that it fits the parents and children’s schedules and needs.
An experienced child custody lawyer can help parents decide between shared parenting and sole legal custody. Attorney Gigiano is an experienced Medina County child custody attorney in Wadsworth. His positive work is reflected in the client reviews for Daniel Gigiano, reviews in websites, and reflections of his work. Call Attorney Gigiano at 330-336-3330 if you need the services of a Wooster child custody attorney near Orrville or a Summit County child custody attorney near Barberton.
To read more on child custody in Ohio, click on any of the following links to my other articles related to child and legal custodians: Can I record my child’s wishes; What factors does a court use to decide custody; Parental rights; Notice of intent to relocate; Can a child choose which parent to live with; What is a legal custodian in Ohio; Custody rights of an unmarried mother. My hard work has resulted in successful results for many of my clients, including the results shown in the case highlights section. This success is reflected in the following links to my reviews and work: Daniel Gigiano; Daniel Gigiano reviews; Daniel Gigiano ratings; Working with Daniel Gigiano.
