Youngstown Family Lawyer

Serving Families in Northeast Ohio for 25+ Years

If your family dynamics are no longer serving you, your spouse, and/or your children, it’s time to make a change. We can help.

At Hartwig Law, LLC, we are committed to helping you resolve your legal matter as seamlessly as possible. We know that the decision to end a marriage, file a domestic violence restraint, seek custody, or otherwise alter the current state of your family is not made lightly—and, for that reason, we do everything in our power to make the process as easy as possible.

Our family law services include but are not limited to:

• Divorce – representation in and out of court to resolve contested matters when terminating a marriage.
• Dissolution – representation during the amicable dissolution of a marriage, which can typically be completed without court interference.
• Child Custody – representation to help you establish grounds for custody, including visitation schedules and other co-parenting factors.
• Child Support – representation for establishing, enforcing, or modifying child support payments.
• Spousal Support – representation for establishing, enforcing, or modifying alimony payments.

We also handle other family-law related legal matters. If you do not see yours listed above, do not be discouraged. Instead, give us a call so we can discuss your situation and determine if we can help. Call (330) 899-4446 to schedule a consultation with a Youngstown family law attorney.

Divorce vs. Dissolution: Which Is Right for You?

In Ohio, you can end your marriage through annulment, dissolution, or divorce. However, annulment is only available to those couples who meet one of the following criteria:

• Bigamy
• One spouse is underage
• Failure to consummate the marriage
• One spouse exhibits mental incompetence
• Consent to marry happened through fraud or coercion

More often, marriages are terminated through dissolution or divorce. If you and your spouse can amicably agree to the terms of terminating your marriage, dissolution may be an option. If you cannot agree, a court divorce proceeding will be necessary.

Dissolution: For couples who can amicably agree on the terms needed to end their marriage, dissolution is a good option. ALL terms of the separation agreement must be agreed upon by the couple, including child custody, visitation, support, spousal support, and property division. If one spouse disagrees to the terms of the separation agreement or refuses to sign it, the court will not grant the dissolution. However, so long as all terms are agreed upon amicably, the Court will grant the dissolution, at which point the terms of the separation agreement will be made into an enforceable court order.

Divorce: In Ohio, you cannot seek a “no fault” divorce, which means you must provide grounds for terminating the marriage. Applicable grounds include but are not limited to: gross neglect of duty, incompatibility, extreme cruelty, adultery, imprisonment, or uninterrupted year of living separate and apart. During a contested divorce proceeding, the court will consider the following: spousal support; grounds for terminating the marriage; how marital assets should be divided; how child custody, visitation, and support will be allotted; and division of debt.

Contact Us for a Free, No-Obligation Consultation With a Youngstown Family Law Attorney

Hartwig Law, LLC is led by Attorney Edward J. Hartwig, an experienced trial attorney who has spent more than 25 years working both in and out of local courtrooms throughout Northeast Ohio. Whether you’re in the throws of a messy divorce and need immediate, aggressive representation or you’re still in the consideration phase of taking legal action, you can rely on Hartwig Law, LLC for guidance. Explore our site to learn more about the services we offer:

• Meet Attorney Hartwig
• Meet Our Staff
• Learn About Our Firm

Our entire team is here to support and protect your interests. Give us a call at (330) 899-4446 to learn more, or contact us online by clicking here.