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What Will Your Shared Parenting Plan Look Like?

Your relationship with your child is important not just for you, but also for your child. Studies show that children who have a meaningful relationship with both parents do much better after a separation or divorce than children who do not. Ohio law recognizes this fact and encourages involvement from both parents. They lay out the details of custody arrangements in an order called a shared parenting plan.

Many factors inform the court’s decision regarding custody and parental rights. The attorney you choose to represent your interests before the court can make a significant difference. In short, experience matters. Greco Law has been representing clients in contested custody matters since 1993. Our attorneys have over 50 years of combined legal experience. Let us put that experience to work for you to safeguard your relationship with your child.

Understanding Your Role In The Plan

The court will determine a custody arrangement based on the best interest of the child principles laid out in Ohio law. Both parents will likely have some involvement in the custody arrangement, including parenting time, unless the court has concerns regarding the child’s safety. The court will consider more practical concerns when determining whether a shared parenting plan is appropriate for your situation. The court may consider:

  • Your ability to cooperate to make joint decisions
  • Your ability to support your child’s relationship with the other parent
  • Geographic proximity to each other
  • Recommendations by a guardian ad litem

You and your ex must be capable of sharing both physical and legal care of your child in order for a shared parenting plan to work. The plan will name you both as “residential parents.” One parent may still pay child support.

Your plan will address details regarding scheduling, holidays and vacations, schooling and how you will make important decisions. Some parents can agree on these issues, which the court may approve, and other parents will not agree. In those cases, the court will make the decisions. Whether you and your ex agree on a plan or not, our experienced attorneys will advocate for you and your parenting goals.

Can The Plan Be Modified Or Terminated?

These plans are not easy to modify or terminate, but there are situations in which the court will approve a change. The court must find the following three things in order to modify a current plan:

  • There are new facts that have arisen since the original decree or facts that the parties or court did not know at the time.
  • Those facts change either the child or one of the parent’s circumstances.
  • Even if there are new facts and changed circumstances, you must be able to demonstrate to the court that a modification is in the best interest of the child.

The court may terminate a plan if the parents request it or the court determines that shared parenting is no longer in the child’s best interest. The court will then issue a new decree regarding custody. If you are attempting to modify or terminate a current plan or prevent its modification, reach out to us today to discuss your best path forward.

Let Us Work On Your Behalf

Our mission is to help you achieve your legal goals. Join us for an initial consultation to discuss your shared parenting plan options. You may call our Dublin office at 614-963-9154 or fill out our online contact form to schedule an appointment.