Family law in Columbus, Ohio
Divorce and custody, handled with care and a clear plan.
We help Columbus families separate, share parenting and settle support with less conflict. After your first meeting, you get a written plan and a fee you know up front.
- Mediation first
- Flat-fee options
- Evening appointments
Where are you starting?
Pick the closest fit.
Each one leads to plain answers and a clear next step.
We both agree it is over.
An uncontested dissolution, often finished in 6 to 10 weeks.
We disagree on the big things.
A divorce where we negotiate, mediate or argue for you in court.
I need a parenting plan.
Custody, parenting time and changes to an existing order.
I do not feel safe at home.
Protection orders filed fast, with a plan for your safety.
How we work
A plan first. Court only when it is needed.
A written plan within 3 business days
After your first meeting, we send your options, a likely timeline and a fee estimate in plain words.
Mediation first, when it is safe
Most families settle faster and spend less at the table than in court. We screen for safety before we suggest it.
Court when it is needed
When the other side will not be reasonable, we prepare thoroughly and stand up for you in front of the judge.
Practice areas
Six kinds of family cases. Fees in plain sight.
Divorce and dissolution
Agreed dissolutions and contested divorces, including property and debt.
From $2,400 flatAgreed dissolutionCustody and parenting time
Shared parenting plans, custody disputes and changes to existing orders.
From $3,500 flatAgreed parenting planChild and spousal support
New support orders, guideline reviews and changes after a job or income shift.
From $1,800 flatAgreed modificationMediation
A neutral mediator helps you both reach an agreement you can live with.
$240 per hourUsually split 50/50Protection orders
Civil protection orders for you and your children, filed the same week.
$1,500 flatThrough the full hearingAdoption
Stepparent and relative adoptions, from paperwork to the final hearing.
From $2,800 flatStepparent adoption
Children first
A parenting plan your kids can live with.
Ohio courts decide parenting questions based on the child's best interest. We help you build a plan the court will approve and your children can follow week to week.
- School-year and summer schedules that match real life
- Holiday and birthday rotations, written out
- How you share decisions about school and health care
- A process for changes, so small issues stay small
In their words
What clients tell us afterward.
"Eleanor never made me feel rushed. I left the first meeting with a plan on paper and a fee I could budget for."
"Daniel kept our mediation calm, even on the hard days. Two years later, we still co-parent well."
"Priya handled my stepdaughter's adoption with so much warmth. The final hearing felt like a celebration."
Shared with permission. Every family's situation is different.
The team
Four people who will know your name.
Resources
Start with the basics.
Dissolution or divorce?
The difference, the timeline and which one fits your situation.
Read the answer First meetingWhat to bring
A short checklist so your first meeting covers what matters.
See the checklist ChildrenTalking to your kids
How to tell children about a separation, in words that fit their age.
Read the answerTalk it through first. The first 30 minutes are free.
Video, phone or in our Short North office. Evening times on Tuesdays and Thursdays.