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.

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 …

Visitation Problems in Ohio: Documentation That Helps - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Visitation Problems in Ohio: How to Keep a Useful Incident Log

A useful parenting-time incident log records what was scheduled, what happened, and what followed. Its purpose is to make events understandable and traceable, not to turn every frustrating exchange into a legal accusation. A calendar or spreadsheet can work; this is a suggested organization method, not a required Ohio court form. The log should help …

Mediation in an Ohio Divorce: What It Can and Cannot Resolve - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Mediation in an Ohio Divorce: What It Can and Cannot Resolve

Mediation is a structured negotiation with a neutral person who helps spouses identify issues and explore agreements. The mediator does not decide the divorce, force either person to accept a settlement, or replace independent legal advice. Mediation can resolve some issues while leaving others for additional negotiation or a court hearing. For a pending case, …

Offer in Compromise vs Installment Agreement for Ohio Taxpayers - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

IRS Offer in Compromise vs. Installment Agreement: Tradeoffs

An IRS installment agreement lets you pay a tax balance over time. An offer in compromise asks the IRS to accept less than the full balance under qualifying circumstances. The better fit depends on what the IRS could collect, what you can sustain, and whether your filings and current payments are up to date, not …

Shared Parenting vs Sole Custody in Ohio - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Shared Parenting vs Sole Custody in Ohio

Shared parenting and sole custody describe how parental rights and responsibilities are allocated. They do not, by themselves, tell you how many nights a child spends in each home. In Ohio, shared parenting can divide some or all aspects of physical and legal care under a court-approved plan; it is not an automatic 50/50 calendar. …

What Documents Are Needed for an Ohio Dissolution - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Ohio Dissolution Paperwork: Documents and Forms Checklist

An Ohio dissolution requires a joint petition and a complete separation agreement, supported by the financial and family information required by the court. Cases involving children need additional parenting, insurance, and support paperwork. A signed agreement alone does not replace the petition or the court proceeding. Start with the current court packet and the records …

IRS Levy Notice in Ohio: What It Can Reach - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

IRS Levy Notices: What Can Be Taken and How to Respond

An IRS levy can take property or rights to property to collect an unpaid federal tax debt. The response depends on two things: what the notice actually says and whether the IRS has already served a levy on a bank, employer, or other holder of your property. A warning, a hearing notice, and confirmation of …

Parental Relocation in Ohio Custody Cases - Dean Hines Lawyer featured image

Parental Relocation in Ohio Custody Cases

A proposed move does not automatically end an Ohio custody order or authorize a new parenting schedule. Relocation raises several separate questions: what notice must be filed, whether the existing order restricts the move, whether the child’s schedule needs revision, and which court has authority if another state is involved. Review those questions before treating …