Before you can file a divorce, there are a few requirements the filing party must satisfy. The filing party must be an Ohio resident for at least six months while being a resident of the county they are filing in for the last 90 days.

However, once you satisfy the above requirements, you are permitted to file your divorce. To start a divorce, you must file a Complaint for Divorce with a court. This complaint will state the “grounds” for divorce. There are many grounds utilized by parties that wish to file a divorce, however, one of the most common grounds is incompatibility. Ohio permits divorce on the parties’ incompatibility, something that is not true in all states. In Ohio, a divorce on the grounds of incompatibility is considered to be “no-fault,” which means that neither party did something to cause this divorce, but rather the parties simply can no longer get along. You can list multiple grounds for divorce, however, only one is required.

In addition, there will typically be a filing fee, affidavits, and some other paperwork submitted with the Complaint for Divorce. Each county will have different paperwork and filing fees that they will require to open a case. However, upon the filing of the required paperwork with the court, a divorce action has been started.

After filing, there are a variety of steps you can take. The local rules of your county may define and specify these steps. However, it is almost guaranteed that the spouse will file a Response to the initial Complaint for Divorce. This Response can simply serve as an acknowledgment of the initial filing, it could refute facts within the initial filing, or it could even state new grounds for divorce, as claimed by the other spouse.

This will begin the often lengthy process of a divorce case. One of the first steps a party may take is to conduct extensive “discovery.” Discovery is a process by which a party to the case can demand the production of documents from the other spouse or anyone else that may potentially have useful information. The discovery process can perform many purposes including:

• Determining the value of assets and liabilities
• Finding hidden assets
• Determining what is in the best interests of the children
• Determining the appropriate ground or reason for the divorce

The court and parties will review and value all of the assets and debts of the parties, including separate, inherited or premarital as well as marital assets and debts. Then, the court will divide and assign values to each and every marital asset and debt of the parties. The court will also rule on all issues relating to the minor children of the parties including the future residence(s) and or schools for the children, the parents’ involvement in decision making for the children, support for the children, medical insurance for the children, and the use of dependency exemptions. Divorce may also involve issues concerning support of the former husband or wife.

At this point in the process, the parties will likely be considering trial. They may be considering what evidence they will use or what depositions they still need to hold. Further, the parties may be considering the potential costs or time that will be taken by going through with a full trial. However, at any time after filing a divorce the parties may “settle” any issues, avoiding the expense and time in having the court resolve the problems through a trial. If the parties settle, they may ask the court to approve their terms in an Agreed Order.

However, if the parties move on, they will have a full evidentiary trial where they present evidence on all disputes. These issues could range from every issue which could possibly be before the court, to the submission of just one issue, such as custody, or the valuation of marital interest in a particular asset such as a family business or medical practice. It is critical to obtain experienced legal advice when making a decision as to settle or move to trial.

Ohio is what is considered a “no-fault state.” Because you do not need to demonstrate fault in divorce, the courts do not need to consider fault in proceedings. However, this does not mean that certain actions surrounding some of the grounds of divorce in Ohio are not important. Certain facts can go to support the allocation of custody, child or spousal support in a final order.

In Ohio, spousal support and alimony payments consider many factors. Support orders consider the length of the marriage, ability to work, health and assets in addition to many other factors. For personalized estimates and explanations, call our office at 614-963-9154.

Yes. As long as one spouse is a resident of Ohio and has lived in the state for over six months, you can file for divorce.

The courts consider modifications whenever a change in circumstances occurs. If you moved, changed jobs or have a new spouse (or if any of these applies to your ex) you can apply for a modification.

Ohio spousal support payments depend entirely on the family. This means that the courts consider each parent’s ability to provide for the child, the child’s needs and the totality of the circumstances to calculate a support order. To find out more about what you can expect, call 614-963-9154.

Most prenuptial agreements pertain to property division and financial issues. Throughout the course of your divorce proceedings, your attorney will review your agreement and help you determine how it impacts specific aspects of your divorce.