In the legal world, one of the big ways that things may change as the coronavirus pandemic evolves is to consider how large-scale, global health events will play into divorce and custody cases.
The events of the last 18 months have brought all sorts of new issues to light for families attempting to work through a split and/or determining a custody plan that’s in their children’s best interests. (Not to mention, the idea of “best interests” has likely changed forever as well).
With personal and community health becoming paramount, divorce and custody may highlight some of the broader issues families face moving forward.
Ohio Divorce Issues Post-Pandemic
An interesting issue that’ll extend to custody as well is one of location. In divorce cases where the families aren’t geographically close, one locale may be deemed “healthier” based on a low number of cases or higher vaccination rates, which could sway a decision towards property and other matters.
Conflicts could arise about how to go about everyday life as couples adapt to new rules and regulations around health and essential activities. It’s possible that real-time changes could affect negotiations.
Ohio Custody Issues Post-Pandemic
What remains to be seen is the role that community health will play in custody proceedings. What if one parent has a stricter view on social distancing than another? What if one thinks masks are essential and the other doesn’t? It’s possible that these types of considerations could be written into agreements, especially considering the uncertainty around what “normal” is in the locales where each parent chooses to reside.
Perhaps these health-related disagreements will be the impetus for a divorce rather than a point of negotiation.
Even the physical court proceeding itself could look significantly different. Not all courts have returned to 100% in-person proceedings, with virtual hearings becoming more of the norm.
Above all, professional advice can go a long way towards getting ahead of some of these changes. The knowledgeable divorce attorneys at Garretson & Holcomb, LLC can help advise on any potential significant changes on the horizon. Call us at (513) 863-6600 to learn more.
