Divorce Lawyer in Clark County, Ohio
Clark County’s Premier Divorce Attorneys
A divorce is a legal proceeding that ends a marriage. Through the divorce suit, you’ll work with the court and attorneys to determine the disposition of your joint property, spousal support issues, and custody and child support issues.
Whether you’ve already made the decision to end your marriage, or you’re considering it but need to know your legal rights, the first thing you should do is talk to an experienced divorce attorney.
Whether you live in Catawba, Donnelsville, Enon, Northridge, South Charleston, South Vienna, Springfield, or somewhere in between, Kirkland & Sommers has you covered! We cover all of Clark County, and we are very familiar with the Clark County courts’ processes and magistrates. Our experience with the local courts in Clark County means we understand their timelines, so you never miss an important court date. It means we know how different magistrates tend to rule in certain situations, so you know when to push back and when to settle. Clark County residents have trusted the family law firm of Kirkland & Sommers for generations, and you can, too!
Divorce Attorney Firm Serving Clark County, Ohio
The divorce lawyers at Kirkland & Sommers know how challenging a divorce can be, and we know you have questions about the process. You need real information that’s relevant to your situation, and that’s exactly what we’ll give you. Once we learn the facts of your specific case, we’ll discuss your options with you, and together we can create and implement a strategy that works for you.
The sooner in the process you meet with a divorce lawyer, the better prepared you will be. There may be steps you should take before you even tell your spouse you want a divorce, to protect your assets. Information is power, so get the information you need from the law firm of Kirkland & Sommers.
Divorce and Family Law Firm Serving Clark County, Ohio
Once you’ve made the decision to end the marriage, you and your spouse may be able to agree to a settlement. If the separation is amicable and there are zero disagreements, you may be able to file for a dissolution of marriage. But if there are any disagreements at all, you will need to file for divorce.
In Clark County, the first step in the legal process calls for one party to file a divorce complaint. The complaint will be served to the other spouse, who will then have a set number of days to respond. What comes next will depend on a lot of factors.
The parties can choose to settle at any time, but if the process continues through the Clark County courts, the judge may order “discovery”, which is the process of exchanging financial and other documents. Other proceedings will be specific to your case… property valuations may be required, there may be hearings for temporary orders such as custody or support, or you might ask for a settlement meeting to try to iron out your differences with your attorneys’ help.
Your divorce will be unique to you and your family’s situation. It might be quick, or it might be contentious and drag on for months if both parties dig in their heels about assets or child custody and support. No divorce lawyer can predict the path your divorce will take, but the divorce lawyers at Kirkland & Sommers will advise you of your options and be by your side on the path you choose, every step of the way.
A Trusted Firm Serving in Clark County, Ohio
Our Clark County clients trust us with their families’ future. Divorce impacts the entire family, and when minor children are involved, it’s even harder. Our divorce lawyers take pride in developing close relationships with our clients. These are relationships that may last for years, as there may be a need for a divorce agreement to be modified down the road if circumstances change. We listen to you, and we’ll advise you on all aspects of your divorce.
How complicated is your divorce? Do you need a divorce, or can you agree on a Dissolution of Marriage? Do you know the difference?
Take a look at the wide range of legal services our divorce and family law attorneys offer you:
Dissolution
Similar in some ways to a divorce, a dissolution ends a marriage, but no fault is assigned. Both parties must agree to all terms of the settlement; if any terms are contested, you must seek a divorce instead of a dissolution. This is the least complicated process since both parties are already in agreement.
Divorce
This is the legal proceeding that ends a marriage. It may or may not incorporate many of the topics that follow.
Property Division
Money is easy to divide by two, but what about a house or a car? All of your property needs to be accurately appraised and it must be determined if property is a marital asset, or if one party may claim it if they owned it before the marriage.
Child Custody
The court is tasked with determining what is in the best interest of the child. The parents should submit a plan for custody if they can agree, otherwise it will be left to the court’s discretion.
Child Support
When a divorcing couple has minor children, one party may need to pay the other one to assist with the financial support of the children. Ohio law – and the court – govern how much support must be paid.
Shared Parenting
This is the generally accepted preferred custody arrangement, especially in Clark County. This has nothing to do with how much time each parent gets to spend with the children; rather, it’s about sharing the responsibility for raising the children. Many people refer to it as “joint custody”.
Military Divorce
Is one of you a current or former service member? There are additional issues you will need to consider, so it’s important you choose a divorce attorney who is experienced with military divorce.
Adoption
This can be a complex process, although the most common type of adoption in Ohio is a step-parent adopting the spouse’s children. You will definitely want an experienced family law attorney to help you navigate this process!
Unmarried Custody of Juveniles
This can be a complex process, although the most common type of adoption in Ohio is a step-parent adopting the spouse’s children. You will definitely want an experienced family law attorney to help you navigate this process!
Spousal Support
This will be determined by several factors, including the length of the marriage, the net difference in incomes, your standard of living during the marriage, and the court’s assessment of the situation. This can become more complicated if one party is self-employed, and many times a CPA might be needed to determine the value of the business. Some cases call for a Certified Fraud Examiner to determine how much money is coming in and going out of the business, if a cash business is operating ‘under the table’, and how that might impact the valuation of the business.
As you can see, there are a lot of factors to consider and decisions that must be made when couples are divorcing. The first step is finding an experienced divorce attorney and developing a relationship. That’s why we offer a free consultation, so that we can get to know you, and you can get to know us. We’ll meet with you face-to-face, or over the phone if you prefer, to discuss your situation and see how we can help. You’ll discover first-hand why the attorneys at Kirkland & Sommers are considered the experts in divorce and family law in the Clark County, Ohio area. We have more than 100 years of combined experience at our firm, so let us put that experience to work for you. Call us or click the link below to start the conversation. Get the information you need and feel confident knowing that our experienced divorce lawyers will fight to represent you and make sure you receive a fair settlement in your divorce.
Our law firm area covers the greater Clark County area and all of Clark County, so if you’re located anywhere in Clark County, give us a call!
Advantages to Working with Kirkland & Sommers
Knowledge is power. That’s why our approach revolves around listening to you first and then providing you with accurate, relevant information. You will have many choices to make during a divorce proceeding, so it’s important that you have as much information as possible. You need to know what your options are. What are all of the potential outcomes? What’s the best-case scenario for you, and the worst-case? When should you settle, and when should you fight? You can’t make these decisions in a vacuum. You need to be informed.
The divorce lawyers at Kirkland & Sommers will make sure you’re prepared with all of the information you need. We won’t tell you what you want to hear…. we will tell you the facts, even if sometimes it’s not what you were hoping for. There are no magic answers to “how long will this take?” or “how much support will I get/pay?”, but we will tell you all of the factors that go into those answers.
We are a high-caliber law firm, skilled in litigation and negotiation. We deliver expert legal advice that drives results. We help craft solutions that work for you. Our number one goal is helping our Clark County clients know and protect their rights, and seeing you through this stressful time.
But don’t just take our word for it… schedule a free consultation today and find out for yourself why the divorce attorneys at Kirkland & Sommers are the trusted experts in Clark County.