What is a divorce decree? It is a court order that makes your divorce final and establishes the terms of your relationship to your ex-spouse after divorce: who will receive which assets, who will pay what debts, what your parenting arrangements will be for your children, whether one of you will pay spousal support to […]
Most people are familiar with the concept of a prenuptial agreement, or prenup, which is an agreement between two people who are planning to marry. All states allow prenuptial agreements as long as certain conditions are met. These agreements allow couples to make a full financial disclosure to each other and agree how they will […]
In a recent blog post, we talked about marital property tracing, which is necessary when dividing property in a divorce or dissolution; as a general rule, only marital property, not separate property, gets divided in divorce. However, people often forget about many types of assets when thinking about their marital property. When thinking about property, […]
A regular part of the divorce process involves one party making payments or distributing assets to the other. This usually happens in the context of the division of marital property, or the payment of child support or spousal support. Less commonly, a court may order a “distributive award” from one party to the other in […]
“What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours” is a lovely sentiment, and one shared by most spouses during their marriage. Unfortunately, in divorce or dissolution, it can become the literal truth, often at the expense of one spouse. Understanding Marital and Separate Property in Divorce To understand why, you need a brief background […]
Going to court can be intimidating. Not only is it likely an unfamiliar environment, but if you have to go to court, chances are you have something important at stake. In a family law case that could be custody (now called allocation of parental rights) or visitation (now called parenting time) of your children, whether […]
You went on road trips and long walks together. You snuggled on the couch at the end of a long day. They were your source of comfort during the pandemic. While all of those might describe a spouse, for pet lovers, those sentences also describe their furry companions. If you have a pet, you might […]
Discussions of infant adoption often center around the baby, the birth mother, and the adoptive parents. Adoption terminates a birth mother’s legal rights to her child, the father’s legal rights, and establishes parental rights in the person or couple adopting the baby. What place does a birth father have in this scenario, and what rights […]
Divorce or dissolution is never easy, even if you want to end your marriage. It can be downright overwhelming if you don’t want a divorce, or if your spouse has blindsided you by asking for a divorce (or serving you with divorce papers). The divorce process creates a lot of upheaval. You are now facing […]
There’s no question about it, in a divorce, dissolution, or when parents decide to live separately, one of the most difficult issues is where the children will live. When your children have been living with you full time, it’s hard to adjust to the idea that they might soon be spending most of their time […]
Melissa Graham-Hurd & Associates, LLC
4030 Massillon Road
Green, Ohio 44685
(330) 996-4099
(330) 643-0732
