The divorce process brings many challenges to a couple wishing to end their marriage. From negotiations centering on child support and spousal maintenance to child custody and property division, the divorcing couple must work together to reach a compromise that allows...
Can Ohio drivers afford not to fight a traffic ticket?
If you are like most people, the site of flashing lights in the rearview triggers the following thought: "This is going to cost me a lot of money." The price of the traffic ticket alone may only be the tip of the iceberg, however, which is why traffic tickets are...
How Ohio’s new criminal law reforms could affect you
You may have heard that Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio recently signed several laws designed to reform the state's criminal law system. The laws are partly aimed at easing harsh penalties for people convicted of nonviolent crimes, including juvenile offenders. In the past...
Ohio enacts significant criminal justice reform bill
For decades, America’s “war on drugs” has essentially gone in only one direction: ever harsher punishments for those convicted of drug crimes. In recent years, however, efforts have been made at the state and federal levels to treat drug abuse as more of a public...
Addressing pet custody concerns in divorce
In America, the relationship between humans and animals has changed dramatically in the past century or so. When the U.S. had a largely rural population, animals were primarily considered property that contributed to a family’s economic success. Over time, dogs and...
Can where you got engaged predict if you will get divorced?
Nobody knows what the future holds. Most people who get married in Portage County have the best intentions, but not everyone will stay married to the same person for life. And you cannot know ahead of time which marriages will last and which will not. If someone could...
Ohio law enforcement issues OVI warnings to Super Bowl watchers
Although the pro football season looked very different this year, many fans are nonetheless excited to watch the Super Bowl this weekend. In light of the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and other government agencies are urging fans to forego traditions like...
What are field sobriety tests?
Drunk driving is a dangerous problem on Ohio roads, but not every driver stopped on suspected drunk driving is guilty. Too often innocent drivers are pulled into drunk driving stops and forced to endure field sobriety tests to prove that they are not intoxicated....
Getting arrested for OVI when your car isn’t running
In Ohio, we call it operating a vehicle under the influence, or OVI. In other states, it's commonly known as driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI). Whatever you call the crime of drinking and driving, the elements of the crime are the...
Can police search my phone?
Sometimes, you feel like you couldn’t live without your cell phone. You use it to text friends and call family members. You research where you want to eat or where the nearest gas station is. You can look for jobs with your phone, plan a weekend getaway and so much...