Can A Past Calendar Of Daily Events Make All The Difference In Divorce Cases?
Don’t Throw Away Calendar From The Past. Document Of Events Can Be Important In Divorce And Custody Issues
It’s a new year. Out with the old and in with the new! The New Year’s Eve party blowers and hats are put away and you are ready to start a fresh new year. Getting organized is a priority for many. If you are like me you have had your calendar for the upcoming year purchased in November and have been diligently recording doctors appointments as well as other upcoming events.
So, it just makes sense to throw away that calendar from the past year. But wait! If you are in the midst of a divorce, or even contemplating if that’s a road you are going to take, getting rid of the previous calendar is a huge mistake. After all it is basically a documented story of your and your family’s daily life.
In a divorce proceeding, especially if there may be custody issues, you will be asked to reproduce your children’s past events, such as health history, sports events, other activities they are involved in, as well as other important events that have occurred. When you are in the midst of a divorce hearing, these are things you might not readily recall. These are the details that can make or break your divorce case.
Calculating Child Support From Your Calendar
The calendar can also act as a tool to help refresh your memory. Has your child been seeing a dentist, doctor, or therapist? How often were the visits and what were the costs, such as copays? Does your child attend birthday parties, bar mitzvas or other events where they bring gifts? Does your child play sports and at a higher level perhaps incur travel expenses for games or tournaments? These days, even at the junior high level, school systems are charging fees for participation on sport teams. These are all expenses that can really amount up and need to be taken into consideration.
When calculating child support, one of the issues is how much time each parent spends with the child. If there is a substantial change from the anticipated parenting schedule this can impact the decrease or increase of child support. Rather than by just saying I did this or that, and they did nothing to help and support, pull out your calendar for documentation.
When calculating support in a divorce case, your lifestyle during the marriage is one of the statutory considerations. Again by referring to your calendar you will be able to document with dates, trips, high end restaurants, travel, vacations, sight-seeing events, etc.
Much more effective to be able to provide specific dates. Facts that support your claims when there are unusual deviations from what is a typical equitable distribution scenario or a typical support situation can make such a difference.
So, the bottom line, is hang on to that calendar. Don’t part with what may be a critical piece of evidence in your divorce proceeding!
We Are Experienced Ohio Divorce Lawyers
The lawyers at Holzfaster, Cecil, McKnight & Mues are committed to providing our clients with excellent individualized representation and sound legal advice. Feel free to learn more about our firm at our website at www.hcmmlaw.com If you live in the Dayton or Southwestern Ohio area and are considering a divorce, please contact us at (937) 293-2141 or email us here. We would welcome an opportunity to discuss your situation.
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Attorney Robert “Chip” Mues has been focusing his legal practice throughout Southwest Ohio primarily in divorce and family law matters since 1978. Chip is passionate about family law and has proudly published the Ohio Family Law Blog since 2007. In addition, he is the managing partner of Holzfaster, Cecil, McKnight & Mues. To learn more about him or the law firm, visit the firm’s website at www.hcmmlaw.com. Appointments are available in person, over the phone or by Zoom. Call us at 937 293-2141.
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