Richard S. Ramsey Attorney and Counselor at Law
custody and shared parenting
Custody vs. Shared Parenting
With regard to the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities,there are two concepts that a client should be aware of: custody and shared parenting. A parent with custody has the ability to make decisions unilaterally in the raising of the minor child. The other parent would be entitled to regular visitation, but have no decision-making authority.
In Ohio, when we talk about joint custody, we are really talking about shared parenting. Shared parenting does not necessarily mean equal time. Shared parenting does not necessarily mean no child support. It means that the parents will communicate in order to make mutually agreeable decisions with regard to raising the child (e.g., non-emergency medical care, religion, serious discipline, etc.).
Once the Court determines whether the order will be in the form of shared parenting or custody, the Court will then allocate parenting time and child support among the parents.
Whether dealing with a divorce, dissolution, or private custody matter, the guiding legal principle is: What is in the best interests of the minor child? That is the legal principle that guides the Court when making an allocation of parental rights and responsibilities. The Court will find guidance based upon factors contained in the law.
There is a certain amount of time needed to prepare the minimum paperwork required for a custody order or shared parenting plan. You will be paying for your lawyer's time; that is why it is impossible to quote a final price on these types of cases. The ability of the parties to resolve issues by agreement will dictate the amount of time and money that their case will take/cost.
Clients should expect to pay at least $1,500. A typical cases will cost around $4,000. However, costs depend on a number of factors including but not limited to the facts of the case and the people involved, including the attorneys.