Ohio child custody

Tips for Navigating Ohio Back-to-School Custody Disputes

Ohio Back-To-School Custody Disputes: What You Need To Know

As summer winds down, families across Ohio begin preparing for the new school year. While purchasing supplies, adjusting sleep schedules and helping with homework is stressful for any parent, divorced parents may face an added layer of difficulty: disagreements over school decisions.

Whether you and your ex disagree about school enrollment, extracurricular participation, or transportation schedules, Ohio back-to-school custody disputes can quickly lead to conflict. Knowing how Ohio law addresses these decisions can help protect your child’s daily routine and minimize stress for everyone involved.

1. Look to Your Court Order and Parenting Plan First

Under Ohio law, your court-ordered custody arrangement or Shared Parenting Plan serves as the primary roadmap for major decisions about your children’s well being, including education.

Before the school year begins, review these documents for specific terms regarding:

Who has final decision-making authority over school enrollment or are you required to reach a mutual agreement?

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Summer Parenting Time in Ohio: Vacation, Travel & Custody Issues

Your Parenting Plan: The Roadmap for Ohio Summer Parenting Time

Summer is supposed to be a season for making memories, relaxing, and stepping away from the rigid routine of the school year. But for co-parents navigating an Ohio custody agreement, Ohio summer parenting time can quickly become one of the most stressful parts of the year.

Between planning out-of-state vacations, coordinating sports camps, and handling passport logistics, summer can turn your normal parenting schedule completely on its head. If you are starting to notice friction over summer travel plans, you aren’t alone.

Navigating summer parenting time can be difficult, but maintaining the peace with your co-parent is the best way to keep your child’s well-being at the center of every decision.

1. Your Parenting Plan Is the Roadmap for Ohio Summer Parenting Time

Before booking flights or telling the kids about a trip, your very first step should be reviewing your custody agreement or shared parenting Before booking flights or telling the kids about a trip, your very first step should be reviewing your custody agreement or shared parenting plan.… View Full Article → “Summer Parenting Time in Ohio: Vacation, Travel & Custody Issues”

Summer Co-Parenting Tips: 10 Fun Activities for Kids with Divorced Parents

Summer Co-Parenting Tips Begin with Planning Ahead

Summer co-parenting tips can help divorced parents reduce stress while making the season fun and memorable for their children.. However, summer can be difficult on parents when it comes to juggling work, vacation, camps and childcare.

This is especially true for parents who are separated or divorced. Trying to coordinate summer schedules can cause tension and conflict. Although there is no easy way to resolve all the issues that may arise when raising children in two separate homes, there are some tips to follow to help make things easier for both the parents and the kids.

One of the most valuable summer co-parenting tips is to review your parenting agreement before school lets out. Make sure you have a clear understanding about what your agreement says aboutco-parenting during the summer months. Also, be sure to review the attached Court’s Standard Order which often adds more detail about Summer parenting terms.… View Full Article → “Summer Co-Parenting Tips: 10 Fun Activities for Kids with Divorced Parents”

Can A Child in Ohio Pick Which Parent to Live With in a Divorce – Yes or No?

ANSWER: The answer is NO – they cannot choose under current Ohio child custody preference laws.

Publisher’s Note: There is so much misinformation online these days that perhaps that is one of the reasons clients frequently still ask me this question. The Ohio age of election law was changed nearly 30 years ago! Here is the history about this change for those wanting to know the correct posture of that law.

The History of the Ohio Child Election Law

Prior to 1946, Ohio General Code §8033 made it mandatory that a child ten years of age or older “must” be allowed to choose which parent they preferred to live with, and the court would have to follow that choice unless the court deemed that parent “unfit.” Venable v. Venable, 445 N.E.2d 1125, 1130 (Ohio Ct. App. July 9, 1981). Even as recently as 1989, the Ohio Revised Code §3109 stated that children twelve years of age or older could choose which parent to live with.… View Full Article → “Can A Child in Ohio Pick Which Parent to Live With in a Divorce – Yes or No?”