Cordell & Cordell Senior Litigation Partner Marcie Patton-Coffman was recently interviewed on WOSU-FM’s All Sides with Ann Fisher to discuss shared parenting legislation circulating in Ohio and other states across the U.S.
In the interview, Ms. Patton-Coffman explained how the current system for determining child custody is often challenging for fathers. For example, in domestic relations court temporary orders are often issued to determine temporary custody.
“Some courts do the status quo, which can result in people rushing to the courthouse to file first so they can say the child is physically with them so they should have temporary custody of the child,” she said. “Other courts require an affidavit to be filed so they may get an ex parte decision based off an affidavit if there is no hearing. Oftentimes these temporary orders kind of establish what is going to happen in the case and parents who file a complaint for divorce may lose some of the rights they had before they ever walked in the door.
“That’s on the divorce side of the world. On the unwed mother side of the world, Mom already has legal custody and has rights and for fathers who want to pursue parental rights, it is a much more difficult journey for them as it stands right now.”
Read more about some of the shared parenting legislation being considered across the country.
Written by Joseph E. Cordell
Joseph E. Cordell is the Principal Partner at Cordell and Cordell, P.C., which he founded in 1990 with his wife, Yvonne. Over the past 25 years, the firm has grown to include more than 100 offices in 30 states, as well as internationally in the United Kingdom. Mr. Cordell is licensed to practice in the states of Illinois and Missouri and received his LL.M. from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Joseph E. Cordell was named one of the Top 10 Best Family Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction in Missouri.
