Haley J. Holmberg

07/01/2024

Do you know which swimsuit keeps your child safest? Hope everyone is having a safe and wonderful summer!

11/22/2023

Divorce: Helping the Child to Understand and Process
By: Attorney Haley Holmberg

Picture this: You are six years old and are sitting on your suitcase in the kitchen as you watch your Mom and her friends move all of your personal belongings from your home. You and Mom have already gone to view the new home ,and you loved it, but are upset that your brother gets the “better” bedroom. Just when you think life is about to get more fun in your new home, mom hits you with the news. “Dad won’t be living with us at our new house”. Yep, you guessed it. “Divorce” is about to divide the household. At six years old, that word doesn’t make much sense to you. “Why would Dad not want to live with me anymore?” “No one else’s parents live separately!”

Feelings of confusion, anger, sadness, and loneliness can quickly set in for a young child experiencing such tumultuous change. Being able to discuss the change of family dynamics and new vocabulary words and phrases like “divorce” or “parenting schedule” are not easy to understand as a young child but are important to helping your child come to terms with their new family dynamics and assist the child with recognizing that the divorce was not their fault, nor was there anything the child could have done to prevent the divorce from occurring.

One way to assist a young child is to read picture books on the topic that they are struggling with to assure the child that they are not alone in their feelings or even the changes that are currently taking place in their life. Some suggested book recommendations to consider:

Monday, Wednesday, and every other Weekend by Karen Stanton: This book tells a story about a young boy and his dog who have two houses. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other weekend the boy and his dog live with Mama and Tuesdays, Thursdays, and every other weekend the boy and his dog live with Papa. The story helps children to realize that the parenting schedule that they may be experiencing is not a novel concept and is the norm for many children. The story goes on to discuss the wonderful things to do at each parent’s house and that, no matter where the boy may be, at the end of the day he is “home”.

Thursday by Ann Bonwill: This book tells the story of a young girl whose favorite day of the week, Thursday, was ruined after her parents told her on a Thursday about their divorce. The book expresses how sad the child was that she felt she couldn’t experience any of the positives of Thursdays anymore because of the sad news. Then, an imaginary unicorn comes to assist in cheering the child up and so that she is enjoying her day and helps the child to build a memory box of all the wonderful memories of her life “before”. The box is an item that is small enough to be brought back and forth between her houses to help her remember the positive and wonderful memories from before the divorce until finally Thursday turns back into just Thursday.

What About Neko? By Nancy Loewen: This book tells the story of Becca whose ordinary routine was to walk their dog, Neko, with dad every morning. Until one day, dad didn’t live with them anymore. The children understand that they will be going to see their Dad for the weekend but don’t understand why Neko can’t go too. The story explores some of the questions and feelings Becca feels as she adjusts to her new ordinary and Becca’s Mom helps Becca to understand that the new routine is hard on everyone but that her parents will help her work through her feelings and new routine.

That Missing Feeling by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater: Mia is a young child who expresses what her daily life used to look like before she started getting two of everything. Two beds, two favorite mugs, even two toothbrushes. Mia expresses all the fun things she loves to do with each of her parents, but that when she is at the other parent’s home she often misses all the things about the other parent and other home, no matter how much fun she is having. Then one day, Mia’s grandfather gives her a journal and helps Mia to understand that drawing and writing in the journal could help her think about life and all the wonderful memories she has with both mom and dad. The best part of all is that it was an item that she could take to both mom and dad’s house so she could always look back on the happy times she experienced.

Haley Holmberg is a family lawyer and Guardian ad Litem who has been practicing since 2018. She is a practicing member of the Ohio bar. Attorney Holmberg is an associate at The Law Offices of William L. Geary, located in Columbus, Ohio. The Office practices solely Family and Juvenile Law.

07/29/2021

COLUMBUS BACK TO SCHOOL BASH PRESENTED BY EASTLAND PREPARATORY ACADEMY (8/7) - REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

When: Saturday, August 7th from (Noon-1PM VIP / General Entry 1-3PM)
Where: Eastland Mall (2740 B Eastland Mall, Columbus, OH 43232)
Where to Register / Details NOW: https://columbusbash2021.eventbrite.com
Admission: Free!

KEY ITEMS TO REGISTER FOR NOW & DETAILS (ALL ACTIVIES FREE WITH PRE-REGISTRATION):
VIP Entry & VIP Bag - LIMIT 200 FAMILIES FREE: Includes free small ice cream to Dairy Queen of Noe Bixby Rd, Free Texas Roadhouse appetizer, Lazer Kraze, BIBIBOP, Dave & Busters, sunglasses, and more!
Fun Bounce Park: Free! Sign up also for free VIP passes for early entry!
Free Back to School Supplies FREE (limit 400 kids - FREE)
Mystery Prize Zone - FREE (limit 150 - FREE)
General Entry (FREE – 1-3PM): Pre-registration for free admission
More item items at the event: So much fun from a bounce park, stage of entertainment, Mystery Prize Zone, FREE Back to School Supplies (1st 400 kids), free shoes (200), free produce (1st come 1st serve), petting zoo, free cookies, popcorn, fun contests (hula hoop, limbo, cake walk), shopping, find things for back to school, education, classes, things for family, home & more!!

This fun event has a Bounce Park, Balloon Artist, Free back to School Supplies/shoes/produce, Music, Shopping, Food, & more for families!

03/16/2021

Established family law firm in downtown Columbus, Ohio seeks a full-time associate attorney with a minimum of five years of experience in domestic relations.

Applicant must have extremely strong work ethic, be self-motivated, have professionalism in communicating with clients, experience handling extensive and complex discovery, trial preparation, attending depositions, and attending procedural and evidentiary hearings.

Candidates must submit a resume with references, and a recent writing sample to [email protected].

11/30/2020

Considerations for Ohio Child Relocation
By: Attorney Haley Holmberg

Per the U.S. Census Bureau data, it is estimated that the average person in the United States will change residences 11.7 times over their life span. There are many reasons that people may choose to relocate, be it a better living environment, a change of employment, marriage, or moving to be closer to family. Sometimes these relocations require the individual to move long distances and perhaps even to another state. When an individual has a child and needs to relocate either with or without their child, matters can become more complicated. These individuals first need to ask themselves whether the child is affected by any Court orders regarding custody and parenting time. If there are no court orders regarding custody/parenting time, then the individual can relocate freely, with the child, without fear of repercussions. However, if there are Court Orders regarding the child, then there are more factors that need to be taken into consideration.

NOTICE
Under Ohio law, when there are orders regarding parental rights and responsibilities (custody) , if Parent “A” is intending to relocate, they must file a notice of relocation with the Court that put the last custody or parenting time orders into effect. Notice should also, in most cases, be given to the other parent. Doing so provides notice to Parent “B” that Parent “A” intends to relocate and gives Parent “B” the opportunity to object to the relocation. The reason that this is necessary is because Parent “B” has a right to know where their child is residing when they are with Parent “A”. Second, not all relocations will be short distance relocations and may even be relocations to another state and therefore, after the child relocates, the current Court Orders regarding custody or parenting time may no longer be reasonable due to the distance between the parents. Giving of notice, regarding any planned relocation, will give the parents time to attempt to agree upon adjustments to their current plan regarding time with their child or children (including adjustments to travel, exchanges, times with the children, etc.).

Court Considerations for Relocation
Whether or not the Court will allow Parent “A” to relocate with the child depends on a variety of factors (in addition to the best interest factors the Court already considers in reallocation of parental rights and responsibilities). These factors include:
• The reason that Parent “A” wants to move, and the amount of stability Parent “A” has already established with regards to the relocation (i.e. housing, employment, etc.);
• The total distance of the move;
• The child’s ties to the child’s current home, school, and community (this includes family member and friends the child may have);
• Any ties the child may have to the proposed relocation residence (this includes family, friends, school, and community);
• The relationship the child has with Parent “B” currently;
• Whether Parent “A” plans to continue to promote and foster a positive relationship between Parent “B” and the child after the relocation and how Parent “A” plans to maintain the relationship between Parent “B” and the child after the relocation is completed; and
• Depending on the child’s maturity, a consideration may also be the wishes of the child regarding the relocation.

It is the relocating parent’s burden to prove that the benefits of relocating the child outweigh any negative impacts. If the Court approves the relocation with the child, or if the parent chooses to relocate regardless of the child being allowed to relocate (meaning that they are relocating even if they are not permitted to take the child with them), the Court will proceed to determine whether a change in custody is warranted and what changes in the parenting schedule will be necessary.

Whether you are Parent “A” or Parent “B” in the above mentioned scenario, it is best to contact a family law attorney in order to understand your legal rights and potential outcomes for your fact specific case.

Haley Holmberg is a family lawyer who has been practicing since 2018. She is a practicing member of the Ohio bar. Attorney Holmberg is an associate at The Law Offices of William L. Geary, located in Columbus, Ohio. The Office practices solely Family and Juvenile Law.

07/01/2020

Healthcare Records in Divorce and Child Custody

By: Attorney Haley Holmberg

You have started your Divorce or Child Custody case and are laying out the beginning groundwork for your case. With most contested matters, this likely means requesting documents (Request for Production of Documents) and potentially asking a list of questions to the other party that they must answer under oath (Interrogatories). The other party will have their opportunity to request documents or ask questions to you as well. You may receive your request for discovery from the opposing party (or their attorney) and realize that they have asked that you provide information regarding your healthcare records and healthcare history. Your first thought may be to laugh and ask yourself “Haven’t they heard of the physician-patient privilege?”. Unfortunately, that privilege will not work this time!

In a recent case from June 2020, Torres Friedenberg v. Friedenberg, Slip Opinion No. 2020-Ohio-3345, Wife filed a Complaint for Divorce in Lake County, Ohio, and sought custody of the parties’ minor children and spousal support. In turn, Husband filed a Counterclaim for Divorce wherein he also requested custody of the children. During the discovery process, Husband issued subpoenas to Wife’s mental health professionals to obtain healthcare records. Wife then filed a motion to quash the subpoenas, asserting the physician-patient privilege. Husband filed a motion to compel compliance with the subpoena arguing that Wife’s claims for custody and spousal support gave rise to an exception to the physician-patient privilege as she was placing her physical and mental conditions at issue by requesting custody and spousal support. The Trial Court Magistrate ordered that the documents be produced, agreeing that by requesting custody and spousal support, the Court must consider the parties’ mental and physical conditions. The Magistrate ordered each counsel to draft and submit a protective order to limit dissemination of the records to counsel, the parties, and their experts. Mother objected to this decision and the Trial Judge upheld the Magistrate’s decision with the protective order. Mother appealed the decision to the Eleventh District which affirmed the trial court’s order. The majority held that “a parent seeking child custody or a party seeking spousal support waives the physician-patient privilege because a trial court is statutorily required to consider the mental and physical conditions of a parent seeking child custody in determining the best interest of the child and to consider the mental and physical conditions of the parties in determining whether spousal support is appropriate and reasonable.” Ohio Appellate courts have supported the Eleventh District’s holding in this case and hold that a parent’s request for custody of children put said parent’s health at issue, so as to cause an exception of the parent’s healthcare information from the physician-patient privilege. See: Gill v. Gill, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 81463, 2003-Ohio-180.

Therefore, if you find yourself in a position where healthcare records are being requested in your divorce or child custody case and this causes you concern, you may need to request that the Court review the documents first to determine their relevance. Also, you may request that the Court issue a protective order regarding the healthcare documents so that you can ensure that protections are in place to prevent the healthcare documents falling into the hands of individuals who are not on the case, such as friends and other family members. If you have questions regarding discovery in your case, or general questions regarding Divorces or Child Custody matter, its best to contact a knowledgeable attorney for a consultation to discuss your needs and concerns.

Haley Holmberg is a family lawyer who has been practicing since 2018. She is a practicing member of the Ohio bar. Attorney Holmberg is an associate at The Law Offices of William L. Geary, located in Columbus, Ohio. The Office practices solely Family and Juvenile Law.

02/07/2020

Legal Separation – Separating in Marriage, without Terminating

By: Haley J. Holmberg

Your marriage has unfortunately turned rocky, but your unsure of what to do regarding your current situation. You believe that it is best for you and your partner to separate, but unfortunately there are benefits of your marriage that you are not ready to give up yet. As an example, an individual may get into a terrible accident which causes them to sustain injuries that require extended care and that person may be on their spouse’s health insurance. The spouse may decide that for reasons unrelated to the accident, the time has come to exit the relationship, but is concerned that their current spouse will lose the health care that they so desperately need. Fortunately, there is solution for this issue – Legal Separation.

WHAT IS A LEGAL SEPARATION? A legal separation addresses issues similar to those addressed in a dissolution or divorce, in that it resolves the issues associated with your property division, debt payments, child custody, child support, and spousal support. What a legal separation is not, is a termination of your marriage. Therefore, neither party is free to re-marry unless a dissolution or divorce is completed. If either party wishes at a future time to file for a dissolution/divorce, the final documentation of the legal separation will be incorporated into the divorce/dissolution proceedings. As property rights are determined during a Legal Separation, if either party acquires any property or debt after the legal separation is granted, it is not subject to division in a later dissolution/divorce. Therefore, whoever acquired the property or debt after the legal separation would keep that upon the termination of the marriage.

When filing for a Legal Separation, the filing party must list and prove one or more grounds for a Legal Separation to be granted. These grounds, which are the same as grounds for divorce/dissolution, include: 1.) Either party had a husband or wife living at the time of the marriage from which legal separation is sought; 2.) Willful absence of the adverse party for one year; 3.) Adultery; 4.) Extreme cruelty; 5.) Fraudulent contract; 6.) Any gross neglect of duty; 7.) Habitual drunkenness; 8.) Imprisonment of the adverse party in a state or federal correctional institution at the time of filing the complaint; 9.) On the application of either party, when husband and wife have, without interruption for one year, lived separate and apart without cohabitation; or 10.) Incompatibility, unless denied by either party. These are the exact same grounds that must be proven in a divorce/dissolution. As the grounds for Legal Separation must be proven, such grounds will later be incorporated into a dissolution/divorce if one of the party’s chooses to terminate the marriage later and a Legal Separation of the parties has previously been granted.

It is important to note that a legal separation (just like a dissolution) will only be granted if: 1.) both parties agree to it; or 2.) the filing party is able to prove the grounds for the legal separation, and there is no counter-claim for divorce. If one party sues the other party for a legal separation and the opposing party responds with a counterclaim for divorce, the Court will treat the case as a divorce and not a legal separation.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A LEGAL SEPARATION? Marriage often offers many benefits to both parties, outside of the companionship and family aspect. There are many reasons that someone would choose to file for a Legal Separation instead of terminating their marriage, including: tax incentives; religious beliefs; retirement benefits; health insurance; family customs, traditions, or beliefs; or not meeting the six month residency requirement to file for a divorce/dissolution in a particular state.

IS IT CHEAPER TO GET A LEGAL SEPARATION VS. A DISSOLUTION? It is important to know that a Legal Separation and a Dissolution are two completely different legal vehicles that drive what happens with your marriage. A Legal Separation is often not any cheaper or quicker than a Dissolution because, as stated above, during both a Legal Separation and a Dissolution the division of all assets and debts, custody rights, child support, and spousal support must be determined, as well as the grounds for granting of the Legal Separation or Dissolution. Therefore, if, after a Legal Separation has been granted, either party later decides that they want to terminate the marriage, they will have to file documents with the Court that inform the Court that an earlier Legal Separation occurred, but now they would also like to terminate the marriage. Informing the Court of this information and filing for a Divorce/Dissolution will also take money for filing fees, as well as attorney fees if you choose to hire an attorney. In the long run, it will cost both additional time and money as compared to if the couple had chosen to terminate their marriage from the start.

What happens with your marriage is a very personal decision, and one that only you can make. Once you have decided whether it is better for your marriage to be terminated or not, it is best to contact a professional to assist you in properly drafting and filing all the necessary documents.

Haley Holmberg is a family lawyer who has been practicing since 2018. She is a practicing member of the Ohio bar. Attorney Holmberg is an associate at The Law Offices of William L. Geary, located in Columbus, Ohio. The Office practices solely Family and Juvenile Law.

12/18/2019

KEEPING MARRIAGE TERMINATION COSTS LOW(ER)
By: Attorney Haley Holmberg

“Love is grand, divorce is a hundred grand.” - Unknown. Okay, that is definitely an exaggeration in most marriage termination cases. But nevertheless, the costs and fees associated with deciding to terminate your marriage are likely not initially considered. There are many items in a fully contested divorce case that will make your legal fees increase, including discovery disputes; individuals refusing to follow Court orders; and having children of the marriage –only adds to the decisions to be made. Legal fees may (and often do) increase due to no fault of your own, however, there are a few items that you can keep in mind as your case progresses in order to do what is in your control to keep the legal fees and costs as minimal as possible.

1. Keep an open mind, communication is key!

Legal fees can be greatly reduced if you are able to sit down with your spouse and try to work through the issues of asset and debt division, as well as the decisions to be made regarding the children. If you and your spouse are able to work through the issues and come to a complete agreement, then you may qualify to get a dissolution rather than a divorce. A dissolution which is mostly paperwork that needs to be drawn up by your attorney along with a final hearing on the matter, versus a long drawn out battle over the issues at hand which you would have in a divorce. Obviously, sitting down and having a civilized conversation isn’t going to be possible in all marriages, but you may be able request of your spouse that the two of you meet with a mediator to help you work through any issues that you may not agree upon. Even if your spouse is not willing to discuss the issues at hand with you or with a mediator, you can always remain open to mediation after filing for divorce. The ability to settle issues related to your case not only will help keep legal fees lower, but being able to settle increases the odds that both parties will abide by the Court’s Orders if they are the ones that came to a settlement as to what the Court’s orders should be. The ability to come to a settlement on the issues may also help to greatly reduce the costs of any post-decree issues as an agreement was made between the parties, instead of a third-party who knows nothing about your family making the decision for you.

2. Consider where your attorney’s office is located.

One detail that is often overlooked by a client choosing an attorney, is that the attorney you hire may charge for his/her travel time. Obviously if this is the case, your legal fees are going to quickly accumulate if your attorney needs to make a two hour trip to the courthouse and a two hour trip back to his/her office in addition to the time they must spend at the courthouse for your hearing. Did I mention that this is likely going to happen multiple times over the course of your case if you must choose the divorce route? Therefore, whenever possible, choose an attorney whose office is in the same county or within close proximity of the courthouse where your case will be heard.

3. Stay focused and organized.

During your case, your attorney is going to need many things from you, whether it is answers to questions they may have or documents they may need from you. Regardless of what it is that your attorney may need, don’t make them ask more than once. Each time that an attorney is working on your case, you are likely being charged for that time. Therefore, when your attorney is forced to ask you the same question three times, three weeks in a row, you best believe that you are likely getting charged each time they are forced to ask the same thing. Make sure that if your attorney calls you regarding your case to give them a call back at your earliest convenience. Further, many attorneys communicate by email and therefore you need to regularly check your email and respond to any emails from your attorney. If your attorney requests information from you that you do not know the answer to, that is OKAY, but be sure to inform them that you do not know the answer and will investigate the matter. By doing this, you inform the attorney that you are dedicated and focused on helping with your case and your attorney will give you the time needed for you to attempt to locate the answer. If the attorney does not hear from you at all, then rest assured you will be getting a follow up email/phone call, or perhaps even multiple.

4. Don’t rule out the “underdog” attorney.

Unless you choose to hire a sole practitioner, many law offices have associate attorneys, paralegals, and legal secretaries to assist on cases. Despite the fact that you may feel that your particular case is in desperate need of the “Top Dog” attorney, informing your attorney that, if available, you are okay with associate attorneys, paralegals, or legal secretaries helping to draft the necessary case documents will absolutely help to reduce the overall costs of your legal fees as these individuals often charge less an hour than your attorney may. Once the documents are drafted, your attorney will have to review the documents prior to filing to ensure accuracy but the cost it takes to complete the required document will be drastically reduced compared to your attorney having to draft the document himself/herself.

5. Start the termination process off on the “right foot”.

Don’t be the client that comes into the attorney with a pre-filled out, do-it-yourself, dissolution or divorce packet that you picked up at the store or found online somewhere. In most cases, the forms that you bring in and request to be used will not be the correct forms and will be difficult for the attorney to use and turn into the required documents needed. While it is a great idea to come into an attorney’s office knowing what result you would like at the end of your case, expecting the attorney to use your forms is going to greatly INCREASE the costs associated with your case because your attorney will need to carefully comb through the documents to determine what items are missing from the forms. Not to mention that many do-it-yourself divorce or dissolution packets are extremely boilerplate and will not necessarily be the best fit for your family. Allowing your attorney to use their own documents will reduce your costs as they are familiar with their own forms, they know that nothing is missing from their forms, and they know your case well enough to ensure that the documents drafted will be the best possible fit for your family. Another way to greatly INCREASE your legal costs, is to take that do-it-yourself paperwork and file it with the Court because then either your attorney has to attempt to undue that paperwork to make it correct, or worse the paperwork may cause major post-decree issues to arise regarding the asset and debt division or parenting time arrangements if something was inadvertently left out.

Terminating a marriage is a very difficult and emotional time. Adding up the legal costs associated with having to do it, only adds to the stress. Abiding by the above tips will help to reduce that stress (and the money associated with it) so that you can help to keep your case (and your wallet) in check.

Haley Holmberg is a family lawyer who has been practicing since 2018. She is a practicing member of the Ohio bar. Attorney Holmberg is an associate at The Law Offices of William L. Geary, located in Columbus, Ohio. The Office practices solely Family and Juvenile Law.

10/17/2019

10/02/2019

LET’S START AT THE BEGINNING –
DIVORCE, DISSOLUTION, AND CHILD CUSTODY MATTERS

By: Attorney Haley Holmberg

The time has come, and you are finally ready to pull the trigger. Your impending divorce, dissolution, or child custody matter cannot wait one moment longer to be filed and begin to be taken care of. The thought of starting the litigation process seems daunting, which is why you have already put it off for this long. You know that the litigation process is going to take an emotional and physical toll on your life, so you decide that it’s best to hire a professional to assist you with the process. You research attorneys in your area, find an attorney that may be a good fit for you, and schedule the initial consultation. Now what?? What information will the attorney want to know about you and your case, to help you get started?

There is a lot of information that is needed by an attorney for an individual who is going through a divorce/dissolution, and even more information is needed if the couple has children together, even if one is just filing a custody-related action. The attorney you speak with will likely want to know the following:

The Basics

• Your name, address, phone number, email address, date of birth, and social security number;

• The name, address, and telephone number of the opposing party;

• The opposing party’s social security number and date of birth (if you have it);

• Your place of employment;

• The other party’s place of employment

• The state you have resided in for the previous six months; and

• The county you have resided in for the previous 90 days.

Divorce/Dissolution

• Date and location of your marriage;

• Whether you or your spouse are currently going through a bankruptcy;

• Whether one of the parties is currently pregnant;

• Whether one of the parties is serving in the armed forces;

• Assets, including both marital and separate property. This includes:
o Real Estate;
o Businesses;
o Vehicles/Boats/ RVs/ four-wheelers/dirt bikes/ 4x4s/ etc.;
o Bank Accounts/Money Market Accounts/ CDs/ PODs;
o Pension/Retirement Accounts;
o Stocks/Bonds;
o Life Insurance Policies;
o Household Goods and Furnishings (just a generalized garage sale value of these items is acceptable, unless there is a specific item in your home worth significant value that needs to be separately identified);
o Safe Deposit Boxes; and
o Any other asset not specifically named herein.

• Debts, including both marital and separate property. This includes:
o Real estate mortgages;
o Vehicle loans;
o Personal loans;
o Credit Cards;
o Student loans;
o Loans from family members or friends;
o Business loans; and
o Any other debt not specifically named herein.

• Your place of employment, how long you have worked there, what your gross income was for the previous year, and whether you believe you will make more/less income this year; and

• The place of employment of your spouse, how long he/she has worked there, what his/her gross income was for the previous year, and whether you anticipate he/she will make more/less income this year.

Child Custody

• The names, ages, dates of birth, and social security numbers of your children;

• If a child was born before the marriage of the parties or the parties have never been married, has there been an affidavit of paternity and admissible finding of parentage, or admissible genetic testing and can there be an agreement as to parentage;

• What is the mental and physical health history and status of each of the parties, the child, and anyone else involved in the child’s household (and even involved in the child’s life);

• Whether you are requesting shared parenting or sole custody;

• Who will be the school placement parent;

• An idea of a parenting time arrangement;

• Who will cover health insurance;

• How you would want uncovered health expenses to be paid by the parents

• Who will cover extracurricular activities;

• Who will cover school expenses;

• Will there be child support;

• How will the child be transported to and from parenting time; and just who can do the transporting;

• Passports;

• Vacations—itineraries;

• Exchange of clothing and medications;

• Doctor’s appointments and notifications;

• Listing on emergency contact forms;

• Determination of how the holidays and other special occasions will be divided between parents.

• If Shared Parenting were ordered, who would have the authority to make final decisions on major issues like health care and educational matters (or who would be the “tie-breaker” if the parents were supposed to discuss these matters and agree but could not agree (tie-breaker as friend trusted by both parties--- or tie-breaker being another person like a guidance counselor or pediatrician)?

It is very possible that you will not have answers to all these questions prior to meeting with the attorney and that is OKAY!! Your initial consultation with your attorney is the prime opportunity to ask questions about the process of going through a divorce, dissolution, or child custody matter. You may have questions regarding what shared parenting vs. sole custody means; are you entitled to child support; are you entitled to spousal support; along with many other concerns that you may have regarding your case. The initial consultation is designed to give the attorney the grand overview of what your potential case looks like so that the attorney can answer any questions that you may have and do their best to address your concerns.

Haley Holmberg is a family lawyer who has been practicing since 2018. She is a practicing member of the Ohio bar. Attorney Holmberg is an associate at The Law Offices of William L. Geary, located in Columbus, Ohio. The Office practices solely Family and Juvenile Law.