Divorces in Hilliard often focus on the issues of child custody, parenting time and child support. There are multiple factors that will influence how a judge will rule on these matters. The process can be extremely time consuming and ultimately expensive. One likely more cost-effective option is the Collaborative Family Law Process, sometimes also referred to as collaborative divorce. In a collaborative divorce, each party is represented by an attorney who has agreed to the specific rules and guidelines established under Ohio’s recent Collaborative Family Law Act. The collaborative process helps Hilliard couples to work through the challenging issues of terminating their marriage (such as child custody and support) in a cooperative and constructive working environment, utilizing a team approach to determine the parties’ and the family’s interests and goals.
Child support is often associated with the amount of time spent with each parent under the parenting time agreement. It may also be influenced by which party is going to remain in the family home, as well as income and the unique needs of each child. In Ohio, judges and magistrates have clearly established that it is in the best interest of a child to spend quality time with each parent. And quality of time is more important than quantity. This may or may not mean that parenting time split fairly evenly between the parents. This time is often determined by the children’s school, extracurricular and religious activities, as well as the parent’s schedules and availability. Resolving areas of disagreement around child custody and support issues often paves the way to reaching agreement on other issues and ultimately a successful divorce. Collaborative law is designed to guide the parents through a structured process that typically keeps costs down while equipping them with the tools they will need to negotiate agreements now and in the future. These tools are valuable after the divorce is completed, as those who share children will often have to continually communicate as they share time with each child, and make decisions going forward.