Child Support Cases in Ohio Courts
The general rule of thumb for the attorney’s at The Nickolls Law Firm LLC with regard to child support is that a child deserves to have financial support from both parents. Most law firms and all Ohio courts have programs that compute child support for the parties involved in child support cases, sometimes referred to as “guideline support.” The calculations are based on the gross income of the parent, child care costs and health insurance costs of the child or children.
When Ohio Courts Deviate from Guideline Support:
There are instances when the Court may deviate from guideline support. The court has to determine that the guideline support that is calculated would be unjust, or inappropriate, or not in the best interests of the child or children.
The most common instances for when a court deviates from guideline support are:
- Special and unusual needs of the children;
- Extended parenting time or extraordinary costs associated with parenting time
- Disparity in income between parties or households;
- Benefits that either parent receives from remarriage or sharing living expenses with another person;
- Significant in-kind contributions from a parent, including, but not limited to, direct payment for lessons, sports equipment, schooling, or clothing;
- The relative financial resources, other assets and resources, and needs of each parent;
- The standard of living and circumstances of each parent and the standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the marriage continued or had the parents been married;
- The physical and emotional condition and needs of the child;
- The need and capacity of the child for an education and the educational opportunities that would have been available to the child had the circumstances requiring a court order for support not arisen; and
- The responsibility of each parent for the support of others.*
Contact an attorney at The Nickolls Law Firm LLC to discuss your unique situation and ensure that your family’s needs are met when your divorce or dissolution is finalized. Call our office at 216-563-1332 or use our contact form.
*Please note that this list does not include all factors and that each case is unique
Divorce & Dissolution
The Divorce or dissolution of a marriage is a very emotional and personal decision for an individual to make in his/her life. It is important to have experienced counsel guide you through the legal system. With the proper guidance, you can resolve legal issues in a way that minimizes the emotional stress for you and your family without compromising legal results.
Mediation
The process of divorce or dissolution does not have to be adversarial. Many families are unaware that there is a more effective tool in coming to a full resolution with regard to property, child custody, child support and spousal support and that is Mediation. Mediation allows for the parties to meet in a neutral, safe environment to discuss all the issues in their domestic relations case without the pressure of a court environment.
Parenting Coordinator
Parenting coordinators are useful when parents are unable to communicate effectively with regard to day-to-day parenting issues. Each parent has direct access to the parenting coordinator and can call or email to get a timely response to a problem rather than having to wait for a hearing date. This can be a cost effective means of working through parenting problems without litigation.
Post Decree
Post Decree Litigation is what occurs after the final divorce, dissolution and parenting agreements are entered with the Court. Oftentimes families need help regarding enforcement and modifications with property agreements, child support, spousal support, parenting agreements, etc.
