Gary's Blog

August 1, 2014

Possible Clarity Coming for Same-Sex Divorce in Columbus

August 6, 2014, could be a significant day for legal issues regarding gay marriage and divorce in Ohio. Oral arguments in several appellate cases relating to same-sex marriage will be heard by United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on that date, possibly resulting in new precedent for Ohio courts to consider in matters of same-sex divorce. Gay […]
August 24, 2013

Same Sex Divorce Granted in Ohio

In the days and weeks since the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriages, Hancock County granted a same-sex marriage between two women.  In the case in Hancock County, both women were married in Jamestown, New York. Subsequent to their marriage they moved to Ohio. Thereafter they sought to terminate their marriage by filing a divorce in Hancock County, Ohio.  A […]
March 15, 2013

New York Case on Prenuptial Agreements

Prenuptial Agreements Tim Tepe an Ohio AAML fellow brought to my attention an article from the ABA Law Journal which may be of some interest to the members of the Ohio Family Law Bar. In the ABA Journal it was reported that lawyers are calling a landmark ruling, a New York appeals court has upheld a Long Island judge’s decision […]
January 13, 2013

Ohio House Bill 479 impacts Pension Rights

Pension Rights On December 20, 2012, The Ohio Legislature passed Ohio House Bill 479. Ohio House Bill 479 which becomes effective in March 2013 amends Ohio Revised Code 2329.66 ( A)(10)(a) in certain areas which have an impact on the practice of domestic relations in Ohio. I have reprinted below the sections of Ohio House Bill 479/Revised Code 2329.66 and […]
January 1, 2013

Dischargeability of Marital Debts/ When are they not discharged

Recently in preparation for a seminar which I am presenting I ran across a very interesting case regarding the dischargeability of a debt. The case is Stocker v Stocker, 9th District, Case No. 12CA 0021 ( December 2012). It would appear that at least in the 9th Ohio Appellate District a debt may not be discharged even though it is […]
December 22, 2012

International Collection of Child Support

When I first started practicing law 39 years ago there was no need for a young lawyer to know about the collection of child support outside of the United States. However, as time as gone by and the world has grown smaller, the need to know about issues such as the international collection of child support becomes more important and […]
September 14, 2012

Another Way To Register A Foreign Judgement In An Ohio Domestic Relations Matter

Gary and Eric recently successfully enforced an Arizona divorce decree in Licking County, Ohio to secure the timely return of three children to Arizona in time for the start of school. Litigation involved a two-step process: (1) registration; and (2) enforcement. There are effectively two ways to “register” a custody order from another state. The most common method, utilized by […]
September 14, 2012

New Amendments To Civil Rule 4.0 – Affecting Ohio Divorce Cases

Kevin Trotter an attorney in Lancaster sent me a case which may have some impact on how we practice domestic relations ( at least in the 5th district). The case which I am referring to is the case of Jepsen v Hoskisson ( 11-CA-41). In that case the parties had reached an in court agreement and the typed version was […]
August 1, 2014

Possible Clarity Coming for Same-Sex Divorce in Columbus

August 6, 2014, could be a significant day for legal issues regarding gay marriage and divorce in Ohio. Oral arguments in several appellate cases relating to same-sex marriage will be heard by United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on that date, possibly resulting in new precedent for Ohio courts to consider in matters of same-sex divorce. Gay […]
August 24, 2013

Same Sex Divorce Granted in Ohio

In the days and weeks since the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriages, Hancock County granted a same-sex marriage between two women.  In the case in Hancock County, both women were married in Jamestown, New York. Subsequent to their marriage they moved to Ohio. Thereafter they sought to terminate their marriage by filing a divorce in Hancock County, Ohio.  A […]
March 15, 2013

New York Case on Prenuptial Agreements

Prenuptial Agreements Tim Tepe an Ohio AAML fellow brought to my attention an article from the ABA Law Journal which may be of some interest to the members of the Ohio Family Law Bar. In the ABA Journal it was reported that lawyers are calling a landmark ruling, a New York appeals court has upheld a Long Island judge’s decision […]
January 13, 2013

Ohio House Bill 479 impacts Pension Rights

Pension Rights On December 20, 2012, The Ohio Legislature passed Ohio House Bill 479. Ohio House Bill 479 which becomes effective in March 2013 amends Ohio Revised Code 2329.66 ( A)(10)(a) in certain areas which have an impact on the practice of domestic relations in Ohio. I have reprinted below the sections of Ohio House Bill 479/Revised Code 2329.66 and […]
January 1, 2013

Dischargeability of Marital Debts/ When are they not discharged

Recently in preparation for a seminar which I am presenting I ran across a very interesting case regarding the dischargeability of a debt. The case is Stocker v Stocker, 9th District, Case No. 12CA 0021 ( December 2012). It would appear that at least in the 9th Ohio Appellate District a debt may not be discharged even though it is […]
December 22, 2012

International Collection of Child Support

When I first started practicing law 39 years ago there was no need for a young lawyer to know about the collection of child support outside of the United States. However, as time as gone by and the world has grown smaller, the need to know about issues such as the international collection of child support becomes more important and […]
September 14, 2012

Another Way To Register A Foreign Judgement In An Ohio Domestic Relations Matter

Gary and Eric recently successfully enforced an Arizona divorce decree in Licking County, Ohio to secure the timely return of three children to Arizona in time for the start of school. Litigation involved a two-step process: (1) registration; and (2) enforcement. There are effectively two ways to “register” a custody order from another state. The most common method, utilized by […]
September 14, 2012

New Amendments To Civil Rule 4.0 – Affecting Ohio Divorce Cases

Kevin Trotter an attorney in Lancaster sent me a case which may have some impact on how we practice domestic relations ( at least in the 5th district). The case which I am referring to is the case of Jepsen v Hoskisson ( 11-CA-41). In that case the parties had reached an in court agreement and the typed version was […]