Divorce/Annulment
Private Custody
If you have a child with someone you are not married to, the juvenile court holds jurisdiction over your custody agreement. In order to initiate a shared parenting or visitation agreement in juvenile court, one party must go to the juvenile court and file a case requesting visitation.
While there are standard agreements, anything can be negotiated in these cases. If an agreement is unable to be reached between the parties, a trial can ultimately be held. As with any case in juvenile court, the ultimate goal would be a custody or shared parenting which is in the best interest of the child. Custody cases are typically the most contentious cases in the entire justice system, and it is extremely unwise to attempt to pursue such an action without an attorney. It is important to remember that in order for a shared parenting agreement in juvenile court, there must be a child support order in place.
Child Support
If you have a child with someone you are not married to, juvenile court holds jurisdiction over your child support order. A child support order originates outside of juvenile court, with the Child Support Enforcement Agency, commonly called CSEA. In order to have a child support order put into place, a DNA test is completed to confirm paternity of the child. As part of an administrative hearing, a CSEA employee looks at the income and expenses of both parents to determine the proper amount of child support. This order becomes part of any shared parenting or custody agreement through juvenile court, BUT it can be modified or litigated through juvenile court.
Failure to pay an established child support order by CSEA can cause you to come under the jurisdiction of juvenile court. This is because failure to pay your child support can cause a contempt of court action to be brought against you. If a contempt of court action is brought against you, you will receive a Motion to Show Cause, as to why you have failed to pay your child support, and you can ultimately be held in contempt of court. Contempt of court can have multiple consequences, such as financial penalties, or even a period of incarceration.
***Extended periods of failing to pay child support can be charged as a felony offense under Ohio law.
With those endless possibilities there are endless pitfalls and potential liabilities that can plague a property, or the parties you are seeking to interact with.
The issues may be big or small, fixable or fatal. At the very least, you should consult an attorney if you begin to have a concern in the back of your mind about a property or real estate document. Any problems identified before hand can either be worked out or used to your advantage in negotiations.
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