Robert L. Mues, Author at Ohio Family Law Blog

Thinking About a Divorce? Perhaps Divorce Mediation Could be Helpful

Divorce Mediation for Child Custody and Parenting Plans

You and your spouse have unfortunately come to the conclusion that your marriage is no longer working for you, and it is time to end your union. Does this necessarily mean a divorce trial is the only means forward? No. Not at all. Divorce mediation can often be a successful method to assist parties to reach an amicable agreement.

Private or Court Mediation?

Private divorce mediators are available to be hired in Dayton and most areas of the Country. Your divorce lawyer can help you navigate the options. They typically charge $200 to $350 an hour for their services. Checking their background and divorce mediation experience is VERY important! The benefit of a divorce court mediator is that you do not have to pay him/her for their time.

All the divorce courts around Dayton have some form of divorce mediation available. Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution and can be very beneficial if both parties are willing to listen to the mediator and act with good faith.

How does Mediation Work?

In divorce mediation, the couple meets with a trained mediator to discuss and work through the issues of … Read More... “Thinking About a Divorce? Perhaps Divorce Mediation Could be Helpful”

Facing a Child Relocation Situation with Your Ex in Ohio?

Navigate Custody Changes: Child Relocation Laws in Ohio Explained

Understanding the Legal Landscape: In-Depth Exploration of Child Relocation Laws and Procedures in Ohio

Society is becoming more mobile all the time. In addition, many people are meeting others from out-of-state via online dating sites. Few cases are higher conflict than one in which a parent wants to move out of the state with the child or children. Your Final Decree of Divorce or Dissolution will have specific relocation language and procedures in it that must be carefully followed. Parents are NOT free to just pick up and move out of state with a child who is subject to a parenting order without certain steps having been taken.

STEPS NEEDED TO BE TAKEN:

If you or you Ex is contemplating a move out of state or far from your present home, be sure to do the following:

Read the specific relocation language in your Decree and Standard Order of Parenting Time that is attached. Courts and cases have very differing language as to those restrictions and triggers. Don’t rely on what a friend or co-worker to explain how it was handled in his or her divorce! THE DECREE LANGUAGE MATTERS!
Decrees

Guardian Ad Litem Basics in Ohio and Tips for Your Interview

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: A client of mine has an appointment next week to prepare her for her appointment with the Guardian Ad Litem in her divorce case. To prepare and organize my thoughts, I went back to the SEARCH tool at the top of the Ohio Family Law Blog to review our prior posts about this topic. I have posted 8 or so blogs about GAL’s in the past, but not one specifically about how to prepare and conduct yourself with the Guardian Ad Litem. So, here it is!

Mastering Your Approach: Strategies for Interacting Effectively with a Guardian Ad Litem

Navigating the best approach to take with a Guardian Ad Litem in a divorce, custody or parenting proceeding can be very confusing. The role of the GAL is extremely important to the outcome of your case. The purpose of this blog article is to help you avoid some of the common pitfalls.

THE BASICS ABOUT THE ROLE OF A GUARDIAN AD LITEM AND WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

To save space for me to discuss my “tips” for your GAL interview, click here to read a prior blog from December of 2021 that provided the basic information you should know … Read More... “Guardian Ad Litem Basics in Ohio and Tips for Your Interview”

Blast From The Past: Post-Divorce: Here Are Three Ways to Declutter Negative Thoughts After Recent Divorce. Is it Time for Some Spring Cleaning for Your Mind?

declutter negative thoughts divorce support system

Declutter Negative Thoughts After Divorce

PUBLISHERS NOTE: Here is one of my favorites posts from back on March 14th, 2022! We have a ton of interesting articles in our archives of the Ohio Family Law Blog. Use our Search tool and enjoy a few oldie but goodies!

Spring Cleaning for the Mind? How to Declutter Negative Thoughts After Divorce

The sight of blooming flower blossoms always prompts the itch to spring clean. While we may toss out our junk, scrub the floors, and dust the furniture, we often don’t take the time to declutter the negative thoughts that intrude in our minds daily. This is especially true for recently divorced individuals, who often experience loneliness, anxiety, guilt, and grief.

Here are three ways to declutter those negative thoughts just in time to welcome the change of the seasons!

Engage in Self-Care

Self-care is perhaps one of the easiest ways to start decluttering negative thoughts after a divorce. We hear often about doing self-care, but what exactly is self-care?

Self-care is generally defined as doing anything to improve one’s mental health. This can be done in a variety of ways. It can be as simple as reading a book for

Be Sure to Take Care of Your Mental Health After Your Divorce!

Statistics on Post-Divorce Depression

Effective Coping Strategies for Post-Divorce Depression

Going through a divorce can take its toll on you in multiple ways. Although one might think that reaching the “finish line” in a divorce will end the emotional turmoil that often accompanies it, that is not always the situation. The post-divorce adjustment period can be a challenging and unique one! It is common that individuals find themselves dealing with a myriad of emotional challenges after divorce, including loneliness and unhappiness which can lead to depression. In this blog post, we will discuss some post-divorce statistics and suggest some tips and resources to help avoid experiencing these types of problems.

Some Concerning Post-Divorce Statistics

Studies show that depression rates are 20-25% higher for those who experience divorce contrasted with those who have not been divorced. Additionally, some show that 50% of divorces reported at least 1 depressive episode after their divorce. This increase in depression rates can be linked to multiple feelings like loneliness, grief, and isolation. The Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory study shows that divorce is second, right behind death of a spouse, that is one of the most stressful situations people endure through life. Depression can range from … Read More... “Be Sure to Take Care of Your Mental Health After Your Divorce!”

Blast From The Past: An Overview of Child Custody Proceedings in Ohio

PUBLISHER’S NOTE – I emailed this blog from August of 2021 to a possible new client this week. Custody cases are typically complex and very fact sensitive. But here are the basics. The information in it is still correct, but the new term for “visitation” is “parenting time”. Try the search bar above to focus in on a huge variety of articles we have published since 2007!

Understanding the Intricacies of Ohio’s Child Custody Laws

Ohio law is gender neutral in custody determinations – meaning there is no preference towards the mother or father being granted custody. In divorce court, “shared parenting” between the mother and father is generally the preferred parenting arrangement instead of sole custody to one parent. If a parent is awarded sole custody, they have the decision-making rights over where a child will attend school and major legal or medical decisions on their behalf. However, that is not always the case and the “best interest” test is employed to determine the best interest of the child.

A court takes into consideration numerous factors such as: the mental and physical health of both parents, any history of domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, and parents’ … Read More... “Blast From The Past: An Overview of Child Custody Proceedings in Ohio”

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