Portage County Ohio Law Blog

It may come as no surprise to some Ohio couples that divorce seems to occur in waves within social groups. Not only is the idea of "divorce contagion" something that people often report anecdotally in their social lives, it is backed up by scientific research. According to researchers from Brown University, Harvard University and the University of California at San Diego, spouses with divorced friends are 75 percent more likely to separate themselves. Even spouses with friends of friends who divorce are one-third more likely to decide to divorce.

Of course, there are a number of reasons for these statistics. They reflect communities, cultures and social groups that are more open to divorce. Friends within these groups may therefore be more willing to consider divorce themselves. When spouses choose to divorce, it can also cause close friends in unhappy marriages to begin thinking about making changes. Many people stay in bad relationships due to a sense of inertia. When a friend seems to find a way out of that trap, it can motivate others to take action for their own lives and happiness.

When parents in Ohio make the decision to end their marriage, they may be concerned about how to deal with the post-divorce future of co-parenting. Issues about child custody and visitation are often some of the most emotionally fraught aspects of a divorce. It can always be very difficult to adjust to a new reality in which the children are no longer sharing their parents' home on a full-time basis. There are some guidelines, however, that can help people move successfully through the transition to co-parenting.

First, when parents go through a divorce, it is important to prioritize the interests of the children. Even when both parents can't stand each other, the children love both of them and need to be supported in their desire to communicate and spend time with each parent. In addition, it is important for parents to refrain from sharing intimate divorce details with the children. The kids don't need to take sides, and they may feel an excessive sense of responsibility for the divorce.

Although the legal drinking age is 21, plenty of teenagers find ways to obtain alcohol. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that over 230,000 teenagers had to go to the emergency room for injuries sustained while operating a vehicle intoxicated.

In addition to the legal consequences of an Ohio OVI, such as fines and jail time, teenagers can face various other consequences. A teen's entire social life can be up in the air due to one mistake. 

While Ohio's marijuana laws have loosened in recent years along with many other states across the country, the federal government still considers sale, possession and trafficking of marijuana to be illegal across the country. A growing number of states have also legalized medical marijuana, including Ohio. While dispensaries have not been established in the state, people who are eligible for medical marijuana can receive a patient identification card which can help to establish a defense in case a person is charged with a marijuana offense.

Under current law, the possession of fewer than 100 grams of cannabis is considered a minor misdemeanor in Ohio, as is the transfer of fewer than 20 grams. While a person cannot be sent to jail on this type of drug charge, they could face a driver's license suspension or up to $150 in fines. However, possession of over 200 grams of marijuana or selling or transferring over 20 grams could result in felony charges.