Ohio judges have a new set of bench cards to address domestic violence issues in courts.

Ohio judges have a new set of bench cards to address domestic violence issues in courts.

Ohio domestic relations judges now have a new set of bench cards to help them navigate legal issues that come before them.

The bench cards reflect changes in the law and serve as a quick legal reference to support judges and magistrates.

The tool features the following topics:

• Allocation of parental rights & responsibilities
• Child support
• Contempt
• Dissolution
• Divorce
• Equitable division of property
• Legal separation
• Motions to set aside
• Paternity
• Prenuptial agreements
• Temporary orders
• Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA).

Ohio’s domestic relations bench cards were developed under the guidance and oversight of the Subcommittee on Family Law Reform Implementation to the Ohio Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Children and Families.

The bench cards were drafted by Franklin County Domestic Relations & Juvenile Judge James W. Brown, Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Magistrate Eileen T. Gerity, Wood County Domestic Relations Magistrate Pamela A. Heringhaus, Summit County Domestic Relations Magistrate Kenneth R. Teleis, and Franklin County Domestic Relations Magistrate Marci L. Webber.

“Our working group started out with the overwhelming task of creating bench cards to give our judicial officers a ‘thumbnail sketch’ of the issues that we deal with on a daily basis,” said Heringhaus. “It was very rewarding to work with this knowledgeable group and to see it all come together. It was like having a refresher course in domestic relations. I hope that the bench cards will be a great resource for new and experienced judicial officers in their daily work.”

Ohio domestic relations judges and magistrates were mailed hard copies of the bench card to use in their courts. It can also be accessed digitally on the Ohio Supreme Court’s website.

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