Skilled Guidance Through The Divorce Process
Terminating a marriage is a complicated and challenging process. It is a time of uncertainty and incredible change. An experienced family lawyer can help guide you through this process, protecting your interest while helping you begin a new chapter in your life.
Our attorney, Zachary D. Smith, is a board-certified family relations law specialist who is skilled at handling all family law matters including simple dissolutions to the most complex divorce proceedings. If you or your spouse is seeking a termination of your marriage, schedule a consultation by calling our Cincinnati divorce law office at 513-275-5367.
Resolving Divorce-Related Issues
There are numerous things that must be addressed as part of any divorce case. Everyone’s situation is unique, and any resolution will depend on your goals, interest, and desired outcome. We can help identify what is most important to you and work closely with you to help reach an advantageous solution to all matters including:
- Issues involving children, including custody and support
- Issues involving business interests
- Property division
- Spousal support
What Are The Grounds For Divorce In Ohio?
When you give “grounds” for a divorce, you are stating the legal reason that the marriage should end. The vast majority of couples simply cite “incompatibility” as their grounds since that is the no-fault option that does not require proof of wrongdoing by anybody. Other grounds for divorce in Ohio include:
- Gross neglect of duty
- Living separately and apart for at least one year
- Willful absence for one year or longer
- Adultery
- Extreme cruelty
- Habitual drunkenness
- Fraudulent contracts
- Either party was already married
- Imprisonment
- Divorce previously granted in another state
Most of the time, there is no particular advantage to filing for divorce due to grounds other than incompatibility.
Is It Possible To Keep A Divorce Private?
A divorce is a deeply personal experience. Understandably, many couples want to keep the details of their divorce as private as possible, especially when they want to guard their personal and professional reputations in their community.
In general, divorce records are public information – but it is sometimes possible to convince the court to put them under seal. This has been done in the past with prominent public figures. An Ohio family court judge may be willing to file your divorce under seal due to the following:
- The desire to give victims of domestic violence privacy and protection
- The need to protect any children involved from public identification
- The involvement of proprietary business information in the split
- The need to keep certain sensitive financial data out of the wrong hands
Couples can also guard their privacy by taking a collaborative approach to their divorce. This affords couples a confidential process that keeps private information under wraps, with only the final agreement being presented to the court for approval. If privacy is critical in your divorce, make sure that you mention your concerns to our attorneys.
Child Custody: Possibly The Most Important Issue
Questions about parenting time are among the most sensitive topics for most parents approaching divorce. Although a marriage is ending, a family does not end with divorce. At Zachary D. Smith, LLC, your parental rights and your child’s well-being will be strong focal points in all negotiations or litigation leading up to your final divorce decree. We can help you make your case for custody or ample visitation by documenting your role as a caring parent.
If your child has special needs, we will pay close attention to factors that will have a great impact on their development, such as which school can provide the most appropriate educational programs.
Mediation: An Alternative To Traditional Divorce
Led by a trained family law mediator, attorney Zachary D. Smith, we can help explore alternatives to traditionally litigated divorce proceedings. Mediation is often less contentious than a divorce case argued in open court and enables you to decide things on your terms. Of course, if mediation is not the best option for you or you try it and it is not successful, we are ready to pursue all other avenues on your behalf.
Contact Us For The Legal Counsel You Need
We are here to help protect your interests while achieving a successful resolution to your family law issues. To schedule an initial consultation, call us at 513-275-5367. You may also contact us online, and we will respond to your message promptly.