Dissolution With An Attorney
Dissolution Lawyer in Columbus, Ohio
In a dissolution, you will end your marriage with an agreement. You and your spouse will decide how to divide all of your assets and debts. If you have children, you will also establish a parenting plan. A parenting plan specifies a schedule for when each parent will spend time with the children, how you will divide the children’s expenses, and how you and your spouse will make decisions regarding your children’s needs going forward. Your divorce attorney will help you negotiate your agreement and ensure you understand your legal rights.
Some couples choose to attend mediation to help them reach an agreement for their dissolution. Mediation is a process where you and your spouse meet with a neutral third-party mediator who will assist you in reaching an agreement. You may choose to have an attorney represent you at a mediation or you may attend mediation without an attorney. If you and your spouse reach an agreement during mediation, your divorce attorney will draft and f ile the necessary dissolution documents with the court and schedule your final hearing.
Once you have reached an agreement for your dissolution and your paperwork has been filed with the court, you will have a short final hearing with a judge to confirm your agreement. Your final hearing may occur outside of the courthouse in a conference room or even by Zoom with a private retired judge. A private judge allows for more convenient scheduling for your final hearing.
Your attorney will ensure all of the paperwork is properly processed through the court, and you will never have to go to the courthouse unless you choose to have your final hearing held there. To learn more about the dissolution process and whether it is the best option for you and your family, schedule a consultation with attorney Mary Lewis Turner, a divorce lawyer in Columbus who understands what you’re going through.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an attorney to represent me at my mediation?
You may attend mediation with or without an attorney present to represent you. Many parties attend mediation without attorneys present, even if one or both of them have a lawyer.
Will you represent me at my mediation?
If I am serving as the mediator in the case, I cannot represent either party in that case because the mediator is neutral.
If you hire me to be your Attorney and you want to attend mediation to resolve your case, then you will hire another person to serve as the mediator, and I can represent you in that matter as your attorney.
Is Mediation Confidential?
Yes. Everything that is discussed during mediation is confidential and both parties must sign a confidentiality agreement at the start of the mediation. The mediator cannot be called into court to testify regarding what was discussed during mediation.
Can the mediation fees be divided between the parties?
Yes. It is up to both parties how the mediation fees will be divided, if at all. Many parties equally divide their mediation fees, or they may be paid from joint marital funds. The allocation of mediation fees is often one of the issues discussed during the mediation, but the fees do need to be paid at the time of engaging my services for your mediation.
Can you run a child support or spousal support calculation during our mediation?
Yes. One of the benefits of having an experienced divorce attorney serve as your mediator is that I can run child support and spousal support calculations for you. The mediator is neutral so you can ensure that the calculations will not be skewed in either party’s favor.
I want to mediate my case, but I do not want to be in the same room as the other party. Is this possible?
Yes. I structure each mediation based on the individual case and the parties’ preferences. If you do not want to be in the same room as the other party, I am able to effectively mediate between separate rooms. Typically, I start mediations with the parties together, then I will separate the parties from time to time depending on their requests and what I think is most likely to facilitate the negotiations. I also mediate cases effectively by Zoom if you do not want to be in the same location.
Can you mediate by Zoom?
Yes. I can effectively mediate by Zoom. I am even able to separate parties into individual break-out rooms so that we can “meet” individually during the mediation.
Can you mediate by phone?
I do not mediate over the phone because I have found that it is not effective. Other mediators may have a different opinion or preference, but I do not offer phone mediations. If you would like a virtual mediation, I am happy to mediate your case by Zoom.
If we reach an agreement in mediation, will you draft the court paperwork?
Ohio law does not allow mediators to draft court paperwork for cases that they have mediated. If you reach an agreement during your mediation, I will draft a Memorandum of Agreement for both parties to sign acknowledging the specific terms of the agreement. The Memorandum of Agreement will help your attorney draft and file the necessary legal documents with the court. If you need a referral to an attorney to draft your legal documents, I am happy to provide referrals.
Can I bring a family member or friend to the mediation for support?
This will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Mediation is a private process, so both parties must be comfortable and consent to another person being present. If both parties agree that another person will attend the mediation with them, this person must also sign the confidentiality agreement to keep the information disclosed during the mediation private.
The material on this webpage has been prepared by Lewis Legal Solutions for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion on any specific matter. No attorney-client relationship is implied or created by the information found on this website. Lewis Legal Solutions practices law within the state of Ohio. Individuals should seek the advice of legal counsel licensed in their state.