Family Law

Legal troubles that arise from family relationships are complicated and emotional. There are a variety of problems that may arise:

• Perhaps the time has come to end your marriage.
• Maybe you need to establish parentage, divide parenting responsibilities, and get financial support for your child.
• You may have divorced already, but need to modify the terms.

Even if you and your partner have reached a tentative agreement, you need an experienced and skilled lawyer by your side. The outcome of your case will affect your property, debt, and income for years to come. The lives of your children will be affected.

At Malarcik Pierce Munyer Will, our experienced lawyers will help guide you through the process so that nothing is overlooked, your paperwork is completed properly, and you can move forward, knowing all of the issues have been resolved.

In Ohio, there are three ways to end a marriage: annulment, dissolution and divorce.

Annulments are very rare. They are appropriate only when the marriage was not valid from the very beginning, for example if one spouse was already married to someone else.

Dissolution of Marriage is an “uncontested” or “no-fault” process to end a marriage. It is more streamlined than Divorce, and usually quicker and less expensive. Both spouses reach an agreement and then file it with the court, jointly. The court will schedule a hearing in about six weeks to verify that you are still in agreement. If you are, then the marriage will be dissolved. Learn more about Dissolution

If you have children, there will be additional steps in the process. Learn more about Dissolution with Children

Divorce is the process used when you and your spouse are not able to reach an agreement. Divorce cases are similar to other civil cases. Often there will be temporary orders for child and spousal support while the case is pending. The court sets a schedule for the exchange of financial information and there are regular meetings at court to check on the progress. Learn more about Divorce

Most Divorce cases settle before trial, based on the negotiations between the spouses and their lawyers. If they do not, then the lawyers will present evidence to the court and a judge will decide each issue. Learn more about Divorce with Children

If you and the other parent of your child were never married, then you need to file a Parentage action, to have paternity decided by the court. The court will order DNA testing, unless both parents agree. The court will set up a schedule to share time with the child and will order child support to be paid from one parent to the other. Learn more about Parentage

Sometimes a divorce does not end the disagreements between you and your former spouse. Often the disagreements relate to your children. Sometimes they relate to your property division or spousal support (alimony). Parenting arrangements and child support may always be modified by the court, due to a change in circumstances or what is best for the child. Property issues and spousal support may be modified in certain cases, depending on the facts of your case. Learn more about Post Decree Modification and Enforcement

An experienced family law attorney will make sure that you get the best possible result and that all of the documents are properly written to accomplish what you intended. Often there are complex tax questions or special rules pertaining to assets like retirement accounts.

At Malarcik Pierce Munyer Will, we take the time to counsel each of our clients about the issues, the process, and the possible outcomes. We put our years of experience and knowledge to work for you.

Legal troubles in your family relationships are stressful. The outcome of these cases will affect your future, both financially and emotionally. The process will move more quickly and smoothly when you have a skilled lawyer on your side, advocating for you.

Call us today: (330) 253-0785.

Our offices are located in downtown Akron, at 121 S. Main St., Ste. 520. We serve clients in courts throughout Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Youngstown, and the surrounding areas.