Child Support Lawyer in Cincinnati
Children are often the biggest victims of separation or divorce. Not only do they need emotional support from their parents, but they also have the right to receive financial assistance. This is most commonly provided in the form of child support payments. Unfortunately, seeking child support is often a complicated legal process, especially if it’s a disputed matter.
If you’re looking for a child support lawyer in Cincinnati, you’ve come to the right place. At Ernst & Associates, LLC, our child support attorneys provide comprehensive legal assistance to ensure that your child’s financial needs are met. We can handle all the legal aspects of child support cases including establishing child support, enforcing payments, and modifying existing orders.
Child Support Legal Services
At Ernst & Associates, LLC, we offer a full range of child support legal services.
Consultation Services
Cases that involve child support can get complex, requiring legal guidance from child support attorneys. At Ernst & Associates, LLC, we offer consultations to provide our clients with a clear understanding of their cases and their rights and responsibilities. Generally, the first step in these cases is to have an initial consultation during which our child support lawyer will assess your case, understand your goals, and guide you on your best legal options.
Our child support lawyers are also glad to answer any questions you have related to your child support claim or lawsuit. We can explain how different factors can influence your case, including your child custody arrangements and financial standing.
If there are special needs of any minor children, we can explain how those needs can be met through appropriate child support provisions. Your child’s well-being is a priority for us and through our consultation services, we can ensure you are in a position to make informed decisions in the best interests of you and your family.
Negotiation and Mediation Services
Most child support cases are resolved through negotiation and mediation. This approach to dispute resolution allows all parties to have greater control over the outcome of the case. It’s also typically a faster and less expensive route to resolving the dispute. Our attorneys at Ernst & Associates, LLC are skilled negotiators and can leverage the strengths of your case to reach a favorable outcome through a settlement.
Representation in Court
While we would like to resolve child support disputes out of court as it’s less taxing for all parties involved in the case, it’s not always possible to reach an agreement. In such cases, we can take your case to court, where we will advocate on your behalf. This includes presenting compelling arguments in your favor and evidence that supports your claim. Unlike other attorneys who are looking to wrap up cases as quickly as possible, our goal is to achieve the best outcome for our clients.
Assistance with Legal Documentation
One of the more laborious and frustrating aspects of child support legal proceedings is gathering and completing all the legal paperwork. However, when you hire one of our child support layers, you won’t have to worry about legal documents, as we will handle that. Of course, you will remain informed about all the proceedings and may need to review and sign documents, however, we can manage the preparation and filing of the legal documentation. While we handle the paperwork, you can focus on caring for your child and managing your day-to-day responsibilities.
The Legal Process in Child Support Cases
The legal process in child support claims or litigation involves a series of steps depending on the circumstances. It helps to have a good understanding of the process so you can make informed decisions about your child support case. It will also help you communicate with your attorney. Here are some of the basic legal processes in a child support case in Cincinnati, OH.
Filing for Child Support
Generally, the first step in child support cases is to file a petition for child support at family court in the jurisdiction where the child resides The petition is most commonly filed by the custodial parents, but it can also be filed by other parties, including a government agency.
The petition should include details about the case, including the name and residence status of both the parents, the child’s age, and any existing custody or child support arrangements. In addition, the petition should outline the financial standing of both parents. Once the petition has been filed, the other party—which is typically the non-custodial parent—will receive a legal notice. They will have an opportunity to respond to the notice.
Collecting and Presenting Evidence
All parties involved in the case collect and gather evidence to support their claim. The most commonly used evidence in child support claims includes tax documents, pay stubs, medical bills, and education expenses.
Raising a child is expensive and it can often have unexpected expenses, so you need to carefully review your situation and include all the expenses that may arise when determining child support. You will need to provide evidence of the expenses so work with your family law attorney in Cincinnati to determine how much child support you should seek to obtain.
Court Hearings and Proceedings
Once all the evidence has been gathered, all parties involved will present their evidence in court along with their arguments. A judge or jury will hear the case considering several factors such as the child’s needs, parent’s income, and standard of living to determine the most suitable child support arrangement.
The court can also issue a temporary order until the proceedings of the case are complete. Eventually, the court will render a final child support order. If you believe the final verdict is not fair, you can work with our Cincinnati law firm to file an objection against the decision.
Enforcement of Child Support Orders
A child support order is a legal obligation. If the order to pay child support is not followed, the responsible party could face serious consequences, such as wage garnishment or seizure of tax refunds. Our Cincinnati family law lawyers at Ernst & Associates, LLC are well-versed in child support law and can help you with the enforcement of child support orders to ensure that your child’s financial needs are met.
When you are ready to consult with our child support attorneys at Ernst & Associates, LLC, contact us to schedule a free consultation.