No matter how you approach it, divorce is a difficult subject. It’s more than the decision of one person; in many cases entire families are impacted by a divorce and its aftermath. Hiring the right divorce attorney in Cincinnati is a good first step toward reaching an outcome that you find agreeable, but it’s also important to familiarize yourself with some of the basic issues in a divorce.

Here are some quick answers to questions we often see from new clients:

What is property and how is it divided?
Marital property is all property, with the exception of gifts, inheritances and property obtained prior to marriage (separate property), from the date of the marriage to the termination of the marriage. It includes items acquired by one or both parties as well as jointly-titled items. Distribution of these items depends largely on your state of residence; Ohio is an equitable division state. Equitable generally means that assets are divided equally. Separate property refers to any property owned by one party before the marriage and is usually excluded from divorce proceedings.

What is alimony/spousal support?
Spousal support is money one party pays to another to help lessen the impact of the divorce on whoever is more financially dependent. Basically, whichever party has the greater income may be required to pay spousal support to the other party to assist them in their living expenses. Spousal support has many intricate conditions and possibilities and a divorce attorney in Cincinnati can help you determine which are applicable to you.

What about our children?
The court will assign legal custody of children to one party, and will set up parenting time for the non-custodial parent. In some cases the Court will award shared parenting which means both parties are the custodial parent. These agreements can vary wildly from case to case depending on the circumstances of the divorce and the desires of both parties. If an agreement cannot be made, the court will make a decision based on the best interest of the child.

This is by no means everything you need to consider when thinking about divorce. However, it should give you a slightly stronger basis from which to start investigating the process. Contact The Law Office of Andrew G. Ice at (513) 651-4227 to schedule your complimentary consultation or visit www.andrewicelaw.com for more information.