Photo of the legal professionals at Harry Lewis Co., LPA
Photo of the legal professionals at Harry Lewis Co., LPA

Trusted In The Columbus Area
For More Than 40 Years

Photo of the legal professionals at Harry Lewis Co., LPA

Trusted In The Columbus Area For More Than 40 Years

What can I do if I am unhappy about my divorce decree?

On Behalf of | Feb 27, 2019 | Property Division |

After the process of getting a divorce in Ohio, you may be left with a divorce decree that you are less than happy with. There are a number of reasons why this may happen. In any case, though, you do have the right to try to get it changed if you so desire. You must follow a formal process to have any changes made to a divorce decree, according to the Ohio State Bar Association. However, what you must do depends on who handled your case. You must go through different methods depending on whether your case went through a judge or a magistrate.

If a judge handled your case, then you must go through the appeals process. You must follow the appellate court rules. If you fail to follow these rules, you will end up having your case dismissed. Do note this process can be lengthy. It also requires quite a bit of paperwork. You have to make sure to include all requested documents. You can file an appeal within 30 days of the finalization of your divorce decree. Your ex-spouse will then have 20 days to respond to your appeal.

If your case went through a magistrate, then you will file an objection. This requires less paperwork than an appeal, but you still must follow the proper procedure. This includes putting your objection in writing with specific details on why you want a change to divorce decree. You also need to include a transcript of your trial. You only have 14 days to file an objection, and your ex-spouse has just 10 days to respond.

Make sure that you choose the process required for your type of case to avoid further issues. This information is for education and is not legal advice.