Columbus Dissolution Attorney

OH Uncontested Divorce Lawyer

Paul R. Panico, Providing Dignified Family Law Solutions for over 20 years

It is possible to conclude a marriage with dignity, in a spirit of cooperation and with as little emotional and financial impact as possible.  In Ohio, a separate legal option, known as dissolution of marriage, provides a legal tool to accomplish this as quickly and affordably as possible. How this differs from the process of getting a divorce essentially comes down to this:

To obtain a dissolution of your marriage, you and your spouse must agree on every major issue such as child custody, a parenting plan, the division of your property and assets and support, and each of you must attend the dissolution hearing. 

Why Choose Dissolution of Marriage?

Dissolution of marriage offers many advantages over a traditional divorce. The first consideration for many couples is that dissolution is a much faster process than a contested divorce. Once your petition has been filed, a hearing before a judge or magistrate will usually take place less than 90 days later.  A dissolution is usually much less expensive - both in terms of fees and costs, as well as the emotional price to be paid.

It is a common misunderstanding that in a dissolution the couple gets one attorney who works with them to resolve the issues and generate the "separation agreement".  In fact, an Ohio attorney can only represent one of the parties.  Our responsibility is to help to identify all of the issues which will need to be addressed in your unique situation.  Our firm will work with you to identify all of the assets and debts associated with the marriage, and to determine the most equitable and fair distribution of these between the parties.  We are committed to the best interests of your children, and there is great flexibility in the creation of a parenting plan (known as "Parenting Time" in Ohio) which establishes the custody and visitation rights of each spouse as it relates to the kids.  We will share examples of strategies used by other families to reduce the stress and impact on the children while keeping both parents actively and equally involved in the child's life. 

It is Possible to Choose a Dissolution for High Asset or Complex Situations! 

Many couples think that a marriage with substantial assets, children, business interests and investment or retirement accounts requires a divorce proceeding in Ohio.  Our experience helps clients to develop creative solutions to child and spousal support issues to reduce tax ramifications and maximize the financial benefit to both parties involved.  There are strategies to fairly balance the value of interests in business or professional practices, or closely held family businesses without interrupting operations and forcing a sale of the company.  Retirement accounts, such as IRAs, a 401k or pension funds require a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (known as a QDRO) to direct the plan administrator on how to divide the assets according to the provisions of the dissolution.   

If you and your spouse are still in agreement and both attend the final hearing, chances are that the court (or a private judge) will grant the dissolution. By contrast, a contested divorce takes 18 months on average to complete. The faster and more amicable nature of dissolution makes it a much more affordable process for most people. A third major benefit is that dissolution ensures more privacy by keeping sensitive financial and personal information out of the public record.

Our firm and attorney Paul Panico can help you to work with your spouse (if you are both amenable) to identify the issues that need to be resolved and find the right common ground so that you can come to an agreement. We also work with a number of private judges in the central Ohio region and can use these resources to expedite the process even more.

If you live in central Ohio and cannot come to us, we will come to you.

Not all situations and relationships can or should be resolved in dissolution.  Divorce may be the best or only solution. It is important to share your circumstances with an experienced attorney, and learn more about all of your options so that you can reach the best decision.  However, a dissolution usually provides the fastest, least expensive, and lowest emotional impact possible at the end of a marriage.  We want to help. 

If you are interested in considering a dissolution of marriage and would like to speak with a lawyer who can share more about your situation - contact the law offices of Paul R. Panico in Columbus, Ohio, today for a free consultation.  Our office in Upper Arlington is conveniently located, and offers plenty of free and easy parking.

For a free consultation — call 866-505-0110 or contact us at our Columbus, Ohio, law offices.