Ohio law says that child custody matters, also known as the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities, are to be decided based on “the best interest of the child.” But who decides what is in a child’s best interest? Ultimately, that decision is up to the judge in the case if the parents cannot reach […]
Nearly half of married couples eventually terminate their marriages by divorce or dissolution, but most of us live our lives as if we are going to be in the other half. That leads to making decisions with the expectation that our marriages will last “until death do us part.” When that parting comes sooner, by […]
It’s hard enough to divide up your property when you are ending a marriage, but there are clear rules and laws about what property is subject to division and how it is to be split. But the property rights of cohabitants who are not married are somewhat murkier. This was illustrated recently by the 2022 […]
What do you do when you want to legally end your marriage? If your instinctive answer was “file for divorce,” you’re right — mostly. You may have heard the term “dissolution of marriage” and assumed it was simply another way of saying “divorce.” But in Ohio, divorce and dissolution have two distinct meanings. If you’re […]
Congratulations: your divorce or dissolution is final. After months of negotiating back and forth over details large and small, you can finally put the legal documents aside and look toward the future. Well, you can as soon as you are done updating your estate plan and changing beneficiaries on trusts, retirement plans, insurance, investments and […]
A wise person once said: “Just because a decision is the right one doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt to make it.” For many people, divorce or separation from a partner is absolutely the right decision. But whether or not you want a divorce, it is a painful process to go through. Unfortunately, that is […]
Plenty of parents argue over what first name to give their child. But sometimes parents may also disagree over what a child’s last name should be, such as when the parents are unmarried and have different surnames. Changing a child’s last name can be a big process depending on your circumstances, but if you have […]
Every family faces its own challenges going through a divorce; families that have children with special needs may face more challenges than most. Depending on the age of your child and the nature of their needs, divorce or dissolution with a special needs child requires extra planning to make sure that your child is both […]
What kind of couple gets a prenuptial agreement? Many people think of prenups as something for the wealthy or famous or for couples who are not confident in their marriage working out and want to make an eventual divorce or dissolution easier. While it is true that people who fall into those categories often benefit […]
Dividing up marital property can be a stressful and difficult part of any divorce. But when the marriage involves significant or complex assets, the division of property can become even more contentious. Division of property in a high asset divorce is never just about the property; there are almost always emotional aspects to the process […]
Melissa Graham-Hurd & Associates, LLC
4030 Massillon Road
Green, Ohio 44685
(330) 996-4099
(330) 643-0732
