In Ohio, child custody arrangements involve two key components: the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities (also known as legal custody) and parenting time (which refers to the visitation schedule). These arrangements determine who makes important decisions for your children and how much time each parent spends with them.
Child Custody
Child Custody
Dayton Child Custody Lawyers
If you are facing a divorce involving children, child custody (also known as Parenting Time or Parental Responsibility) issues are naturally of primary importance. Further, if you have child custody orders that no longer work – or that no longer even make sense – for your family, a child custody modification may be in order. Whatever kind of child custody concern you’re dealing with, an experienced Ohio child custody attorney can help. By listening carefully to your needs and building a customized legal strategy, we can assist you in working to resolve your case in a positive way.
Legal Custody in Ohio
In Ohio, child custody is now broken down into the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities and parenting time, but the idea remains the same. First of all, each of these components of child custody can be either sole or joint. The allocation of parental rights and responsibilities correlates with legal custody, and it refers to who makes important decisions on behalf of your children post-divorce. The decisions that relate to legal custody include:
- Where your children will live (usually within a specified geographic area)
- Where your children will attend school
- Your children’s religious upbringing
- The healthcare your children receive
- Your children’s extracurricular activities
Legal custody/parental responsibilities play an important role in your child custody arrangements.
Physical Custody
Physical custody correlates with the new term parenting time, and it refers to whom your children live with and in accordance with what visitation schedule. If you and your divorcing spouse are able to find a middle ground on this issue and are able to create a schedule that you can both live with, the court is almost certain to include it in your divorce decree. After all, every family’s needs are unique to them, and you know your best scheduling options better than the court can. There are two primary choices when it comes to physical custody, including:
- One parent can become the primary custodial parent – with whom the children live the majority of the time – while the other has a visitation schedule.
- You can split your time with the children fairly equally (or exactly equally).
An important point to make is that it is rare for one parent to be allotted no time at all with the children. Ohio courts base their decisions that affect children solely on the best interests of those children, and the courts generally believe – unless there is a compelling reason to believe otherwise – that children are better off when they continue to build relationships with both parents.
Child Custody Modifications
The court understands that the child custody arrangements that worked for you and your children when they were small may no longer be relevant now that your children are obtaining driver’s licenses and part-time jobs of their own (for example). As your circumstances evolve, a child custody modification may become a necessity, and a child custody attorney can also help you with that.
Discuss Your Child Custody Concerns with an Experienced Ohio Child Custody Attorney Today
If you have a child custody, parenting time or parental responsibility concern, the trusted Ohio child custody attorneys at The VanNoy Firm have a wealth of experience successfully guiding cases like yours toward resolutions that work. For more information, please don’t wait to contact us today.
FAQs About Child Custody in Ohio
What do child custody arrangements encompass in Ohio?
How are parental responsibilities decided?
Parental responsibilities refer to who has the authority to make major decisions affecting your child’s life. These decisions include where your child will live, which school they will attend, their religious upbringing, the healthcare they receive and their participation in extracurricular activities. The court bases these determinations on the best interests of the child.
Can I choose where my child lives after a divorce?
The decision about where your child lives is not solely up to either parent. Ohio courts prioritize the child’s best interests when making this determination. If your child is mature enough, the court may consider their preferences regarding which parent they wish to live with, but the final decision rests with the court.
What determines whether I receive physical or legal custody over my child?
Physical custody (parenting time) arrangements can vary significantly based on your family’s unique circumstances. One parent might serve as the primary custodial parent with the other receiving visitation rights, or parents may split their time with the children more equally. Legal custody can be sole or joint, depending on the parents’ ability to cooperate and what serves the child’s best interests.
What factors are considered in determining the child's best interests?
Ohio courts evaluate multiple factors when determining a child’s best interests, including each parent’s ability to provide a secure home environment, the child’s connection with each parent, the child’s adjustment to their home and community, each parent’s willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent and any past domestic violence or substance abuse. The court’s primary focus is always on what will most benefit the child’s physical, emotional and developmental needs.
When can child custody orders be changed?
Child custody orders can be modified when there has been a substantial change in circumstances that affects the child’s well-being. This might include a parent’s relocation, changes in work schedules, concerns about a child’s safety or the evolving needs of a growing child. The court must determine that the modification serves the child’s best interests before approving any changes to existing custody arrangements.
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