Ohio legal articles

Practical legal articles from Dean Edward Hines Co., LPA

These articles answer narrower Ohio legal questions that often come up after a larger service concern. Start with the primary page for help with Dayton divorce, Dayton family law, child custody, or tax problems, then use the articles below for topic-specific reading.

Unfiled Tax Returns in Ohio: Steps Before the IRS Acts - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Unfiled Tax Returns in Ohio: Rebuild Records and Address Notices

If tax returns are missing, first establish which returns were required, which were actually filed, and whether either agency has already proposed or assessed tax. Then rebuild the records and prepare accurate returns while addressing any open notice deadlines. Inability to pay is a separate problem; waiting until you can pay everything can leave the …

Preparing Evidence for an Ohio Custody Case - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Preparing Evidence for an Ohio Custody Case

Strong custody preparation starts with the issue the court must decide, then identifies reliable evidence that addresses it. A large collection of screenshots is not a substitute for relevance, firsthand knowledge, and a way to establish that documents are genuine. The goal is to explain the child’s needs and the proposed arrangement accurately, including facts …

Military Divorce Near Wright-Patterson AFB: Custody and Retirement Issues - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Military Divorce Near Wright-Patterson AFB: Custody and Retirement Issues

A military divorce near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base combines state family law with federal protections and benefit rules. A military assignment does not answer every jurisdiction question, and a civilian divorce decree does not automatically complete retirement or survivor-benefit paperwork. Tell the attorney handling your Dayton divorce case about active-duty status, deployment orders, service dates, …

IRS CP504 Notice in Ohio: What It Means - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

IRS CP504 Notice: Levy Warnings, Appeals, and Next Steps

CP504 is an IRS notice of intent to levy for an unpaid tax balance under Internal Revenue Code section 6331(d). Treat it as an urgent collection notice. The current IRS CP504 explanation warns about wages, bank accounts, property, and state income-tax refunds. It should not be described as concerning only an Ohio refund. At the …

Emergency Custody Orders in Ohio: What Parents Should Know - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Emergency Custody Orders in Ohio: Urgency, Courts, and Safety

If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. Do not wait to prepare a custody motion or contact a law office before seeking emergency assistance. In Montgomery County, concerns about suspected child abuse or neglect can be reported to Children Services at 937-224-5437. The county’s domestic-violence resources list the 24-hour hotline at 937-461-4357 for …

Spousal Support in Ohio: Factors Courts Consider - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Spousal Support in Ohio: Factors Courts Consider

Ohio spousal support is not determined by a single statewide statutory percentage of income or a fixed number of years of marriage. A court considers the factors in R.C. 3105.18 when deciding whether support is appropriate and reasonable and, if so, its amount, terms, and duration. People still use the word alimony, but spousal support …

Back Taxes in Ohio: What to Do Before Collections Escalate - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Back Taxes in Ohio: Collection Stages and When to Act

Back-tax collection is a series of account events, not a reliable countdown from the day a return was due. A bill, public lien filing, levy warning, hearing notice, and active levy each call for a different response. Identify the stage of each tax period before relying on advice about what supposedly happens next. Ohio residents …

Custody Hearings in Montgomery County: What Parents Should Bring - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Custody Hearings in Montgomery County: What Parents Should Bring

For a custody hearing, bring the actual hearing notice, the orders and filings relevant to that hearing, and the materials your attorney or the court has directed you to provide. First confirm the court division and hearing type. A prehearing conference, temporary-order hearing, and final evidentiary hearing serve different purposes and may require different preparation. …

How Property Division Works in an Ohio Divorce - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

How Property Division Works in an Ohio Divorce

Ohio courts identify marital and separate property before deciding how to divide it. Equal division of marital property is the statutory starting point, but the court must use an equitable division instead when an equal split would be inequitable. That does not mean each spouse automatically receives half of every asset. The governing framework is …

Payroll Tax Problems: When Business Owners Can Be Personally Responsible - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Payroll Tax Liability: Who Can Face the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty?

A business’s unpaid payroll taxes can become a personal liability for someone responsible for collecting or paying trust-fund taxes who willfully fails to do so. The IRS calls this the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty, or TFRP. Ownership is not the only test, and operating through a corporation or limited liability company does not settle the …