Family law
The attorneys at Nicola, Gudbranson & Cooper (NGC) represent individuals and families throughout Ohio in divorces, premarital agreements, domestic violence cases and other family law matters.
Divorces and dissolutions
In both a fault-based divorce and a no-fault dissolution of marriage on incompatibility grounds, legal representation is essential to obtaining an equitable distribution of the marital property and to paying or receiving a proper amount of spousal support.
A collaborative divorce or other alternate dispute process generally avoids the emotional and financial costs of litigated divorce and achieves a more lasting resolution. NGC attorney John D. Sayre has specialized training in collaborative divorce and other alternate dispute processes.
- Collaborative divorces
- Dissolution of marriage
- Litigated divorces
Child custody and support
Attorneys at NGC also represent parents in child custody and child support disputes, including those concerning whether shared parenting time should be granted and the determination of the residential parent.
- Child custody disputes, both domestic and international
- Child support disputes
- Interstate support enforcements
Premarital agreements
People contemplating marriage may wish to consider drafting premarital agreements. A premarital or prenuptial agreement establishes before the marriage how issues such as property division and spousal support (alimony) will be handled in the event of divorce or dissolution of marriage. A premarital agreement can give the future spouses peace of mind and security and help to protect valuable business interests. Without such protection, a property settlement may require the sale of a business so that assets may be fairly divided.
We work extensively in negotiation and preparation of business documents and can prepare premarital agreements that adequately protect the interests of future spouses in the event of divorce.
- Premarital agreements
Domestic violence
In the case of physical or other abuse, it is possible to obtain a temporary protection order (TPO) or civil protection order (CPO). Such an order can be used to keep an abuser from contact with a spouse or a child or to modify or enforce child custody and support orders. A person convicted of domestic violence may lose certain custody rights in a divorce.
NGC helps clients seek or challenge protection orders, whether in the context of a divorce or as a stand-alone proceeding.
- Domestic violence issues