Dissolution Attorney

Our Dissolution Attorney at Sylkatis Law focuses on divorce and dissolution proceedings in Lorain, Elyria and surrounding communities.

A dissolution of marriage in Ohio is a much different process than that of a divorce. While a divorce may end in settlement instead of a trial, a dissolution begins and ends as a settlement between the parties. Additionally, there does not need to be “fault” for a dissolution like there is for a divorce.  Whereas a divorce can take up to eighteen months to be completed as dissolution without children can be completed in a little as thirty days and a dissolution with children can be completed as little as forty-five days.

A petition for a dissolution is not filed until the parties have reached an agreement on all the matters that a court would decide. Thus the parties are integral in reaching an agreement as they reach an agreement on the division of property, payment of debts, child custody, child support and spousal support.  The important aspect is, the parties must reach an agreement on all terms for the matter to be filed as a dissolution; if there is even one term that the parties cannot come to an agreement on, the matter cannot be filed as a dissolution.

After the parties reach an agreement and the petition is filed with the court a hearing must happen between 30 and 90 days after the filing. At the hearing the court will inquire if both parties approve of the agreement and if they desire to have the marriage dissolved. If the parties are in agreement, the Court will approve the parties’ agreement and grant the dissolution.

The benefits of a dissolution is that it is usually much faster and often less costly than a divorce. But the end result of a dissolution is the same as in a divorce, the marriage is terminated.