Your divorce decree, dissolution decree, or parenting order is the “private law” governing the interactions between you and your ex-partner or ex-spouse. These legal binding agreements dictate the terms of parenting allocation, property division, spousal support, and more. Unfortunately, you may find yourself in a situation where the opposing party fails to comply with these […]
In situations where an unmarried woman gives birth, paternity of the child needs to be legally established. The mother may want to establish the father’s identity so that she can get child support for the baby. Or the father may consider establishing paternity so that he has a legal right to a relationship with the […]
As a parent, you want the best for your child, and that includes making sure he or she gets the best education possible. With college costs rising, paying for that education is a challenge for most parents. After a divorce, coordinating with your co-parent to apply for financial aid and deciding who will be responsible […]
Parental involvement in children’s lives after a divorce or break-up is one of the primary concerns people have when they contact our office. When a child’s parents live together, usually “custody” isn’t an issue, but when parents live in separate households, parental rights become a much bigger concern. In many states, when family law attorneys […]
Let’s be honest: nobody enjoys making a Will. Making a Will means, at its most basic level, confronting the reality of mortality and making important decisions about a life that no longer includes you. It’s easy to understand why people might want to avoid that kind of discomfort. Besides, if you’re relatively young, healthy, or […]
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” While Socrates was referring to self-examination, social media has changed that meaning for many people today. These days, plenty of people feel that life isn’t worth living unless it’s examined, and approved, by everyone else via posts, tweets, stories, snaps, and videos. Unfortunately, that can be a dangerous […]
Co-parenting, even at the best of times, is a challenge. Keeping your family healthy—mentally, emotionally, and physically—during a pandemic is a new and unfamiliar challenge. Trying to do all of this at once piles additional stress onto an already stressful situation. The coronavirus pandemic compounds the difficulties of raising a child in two separate households. […]
Divorce brings many adjustments: different living arrangements, different schedules with the kids, different expenses, and different budgets. If you’ve gotten divorced within the last year, there is one more change you are probably dealing with right now: filing your income taxes without a spouse. This adjustment can be a painful one, and not just for […]
Marriage and parenting both have their challenges. Marriage to someone who has children from a previous relationship offers its own unique set of challenges as you have suddenly become a stepparent. Don’t get us wrong: becoming a stepparent carries its own unique blessings. Your family has grown; you have been given the opportunity to love […]
In 2018, there was a major overhaul to Ohio child support law, in an effort to bring it (literally) into the 21st century and account for the realities that modern families must deal with. While the new guidelines more closely reflect the needs of Ohio families, there remain some situations in which ordering child support […]
Melissa Graham-Hurd & Associates, LLC
4030 Massillon Road
Green, Ohio 44685
(330) 996-4099
(330) 643-0732
