Do Grandparents Have the right to visit their grandchildren in Ohio?

Under current Ohio law, grandparents are permitted to petition the court for visitation rights with respect to their grandchildren. One would think that such a petition would not be necessary, but, unfortunately, more than we would like to think grandparents are prevented from seeing thier grandchildren. Quite frequently, grandparents turn to the courts in order to have the opportunity to spend time with their grandchildren. This often comes up as a problem when a couple divorces and whomever is chosen as the residential parent does not want his or her former in-laws to visit the children. Therefore, grandparents need to be aware that if the Court finds that it is in the child’s best interest to have visitation with his or her grandparents, they do have legal recourse. However, it must be noted that the Court is required to give some special weight to the wishes of the parents as to whether the grandparents are granted the right to certain visitation with the children. This does not mean that the parents wishes control the Court’s decision, but that if the parents feel strongly against visitation, the court must consider that fact. But even if the residential parent does not want to allow the visitation, the Court can , and often does, grant the visitation if it is in the best interest of the child. There are specific stautory provisions that cover the visitation rights of grandparents in Ohio, so you should seek the advice of counsel to determine if your case is worth pursuing.

Child Support in Ohio – How can I have the amount adjusted if I can no longer pay the current amount?

Child Support in Ohio is established by statute and is based upon a standard formula. Only in rare cases does the Court deviate from the amount that the formula prescribes for the divorcing couples’ situation (if the divorcing couple makes a lot of money or very little money combined, the Court has the power to ignore the prescribed formula and establish an amount itself). This formula is useful and may be fair at the time of the divorce decree, but many clients want to know what happens if circumstances change such that the amount of child support is too much or too little a few years down the road. For example, maybe the father has lost his job and can no longer pay the amount originally set-down in the divorce decree. Or, say the wife wins the lottery and now has a better financial position than she did when the couple divorced. Well, a child support obligor can ask for an Administrative review of the child support amount (through the Child Support Enforcement Agency) and ask that it be reduced based upon a change of circumstances. Or, the obligor can file a motion with the Court (as a post-decree motion) and ask that the Court modify the amount based upon the change in circumstances. If the Child Support Agency (CSEA) declines the obligor’s request for a modification downward, he can appeal that ruling to the Court afterward. So, in short, if you are a current child support obligor and you feel that based upon a change in circumstances, the amount you are paying is no longer appropriate, there are avenues to pursue where you might have it reduced. Speak with an attorney about whether you can have your child support reduced (or increased) and how best to go about it.

Immigration Law: How can I adjust my status if my abusive husband won’t help me petition?

It is a common problem for abused spouses who are admitted to the US on a finance visa – they are abused by the husband who is a US citizen or Legal Permanent Resident and he will not petition the USCIS to adjust the new wife’s status to that of an LPR. Often the abuser spouse would use the petition process as leverage to further control the immigrant wife and the wife was helpless as she needed the abuser husband’s assistance in petitioning for LPR status. The good news is that the US government addressed this issue a few years back in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The VAWA has a provision where the abused fiance (or wife) can “self-petition” for an adjustment of her status. Therefore, if any immigrant woman is currently suffering from an abusive husband, she is no longer at his will as to whether she will ultimately be granted LPR status. She simply needs to go see an immigration attorney and he or she can assist the woman in adjusting her status without the cooperation of the abusive husband…