I guess that’s the gist of Ari Kaplan’s Reinventing Professional Services: Building Your Business in the Digital Marketplace (Wiley, June 8, 2011) [Amazon]. I haven’t read it yet but perhaps I should. “This book expertly showcases the multitude of opportunities…
Posts Tagged ‘self’
Cost Of Living Calculators
20
Jul
Cost of living calculators DUI cost calculator, Divorce calculator, Estimate Child Support, what
does a funeral cost, moving cost calculator, how much are closing costs? Free calculators and Legal Self Help to estimate major
life events.
How to Request a New Trial After a Trial in Absentia
13
Jun
If the traffic court tells you that they have had a Trial In Absentia, you need to File a Request for Trial De Novo. Recommended Legal Self Help Form written by Criminal Defense Attorney. Continue reading
Modifying Your Child Support Order
15
Jan
Often, I get questions from people who feel their child support order needs to be adjusted. Usually, it is the non-custodial parent who feels they are paying too much. Occasionally, it is the custodial parent who feels the non-custodial parent isn’t paying his/her share.
In Ohio, support modifications may be requested either through the court (Domestic Relations or Juvenile) that made the order or the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) in the county enforcing the order. Under most circumstances, you should start with the CSEA. It is usually faster and more conducive to self representation. Furthermore, courts often get peeved when you come to them without first exhausting your administrative remedies. You can take your matter up with the court if you disagree with the agency’s ruling.
For the court or CSEA to modify your support order, they must find that there has been a “change in circumstance” to justify it. To request a modification, at least one of the following must apply (see Ohio Administrative Code § 5101:12-60-05.1):
- At least 36 months has past since the order was issued or last modified; or if 36 months have not passed, any of the following…
- A minimum support order ($50/mo.) can be reviewed at any time;
- One or both parents has become unemployed through no fault of his/her own (this means you can’t quit your job and expect your order to be modified) for at least 30 consecutive days;
- One or both parents has become unemployed due to mass layoff or plant closing;
- One or both parents has become permanently disabled (be sure to have medical proof and social security information);
- Institutionalization or incarceration (see caveat * below);
- One party has experienced a 30% decrease in income through no fault of his/her own or a 30% increase in income;
- The child subject of the order has been emancipated (support remains in effect until child turns 18, or up to the 19th birthday if the child is still in school-you are still responsible for back child support).
If any of these apply, calculate the new amount of support. Here is a free resource that should give you a good idea of what the amount will be (assuming your figures are accurate of course). If the change is to your benefit, file the modification application. Contact the CSEA or visit their website to obtain the application.
When filing an application to modify support, always do it ASAP. Support modifications are not issued retroactively. That means the modification will only be effective as of the date of the application and not a day before.
* Note: some jurisdictions will not modify due to incarceration. These jurisdictions reason that it was your own fault for committing the crime. Therefore, it is a voluntary loss of income.
Please share your experiences with child support modifications.
Can you Beat Your Ohio Traffic Ticket?
06
Oct
Minor traffic violations are cases that you might consider self representation. You will likely find that the cost of an attorney is not worth defending a $150 traffic ticket. In most cases, you have the option of just paying the ticket and forgetting about it, but there are ramifications to traffic violations beyond the fine including increased insurance rates and potential license suspensions for repeat offenders. Those additional costs can be even greater for commercial drivers.
You can do a web search and find an array of materials advertising how to beat your traffic ticket. Before you shell out your cash for these magic wands, you should be highly skeptical of their claims. Of course, you can take your case to trial and win under the right circumstances, but there is no magic wand to make your ticket go away. Usually, these materials are not specific to Ohio law and therefore not everything in there will apply to your case. Also, if you delve further, you will find claims like there is a good chance your citing officer won’t show up for trial and you’ll win automatically. In truth, going to court is part of an officer’s job. Often, courts will schedule all the cases that a particular officer has to appear at the same time so he or she doesn’t have to make numerous court appearances. I’m sure it worked for somebody, but taking your case to trial and hoping for the off chance that your citing officer doesn’t appear is hardly what I’d call a great strategy for success. A better strategy is one that doesn’t rely entirely on luck.
In most cases, beating your ticket means getting the charge reduced to something that you can live with. Yes, your violation was probably nothing more than a harmless error and I understand you’re upset because municipalities use traffic violations to add funds to their budget. For now, it’s time to put these feelings aside and consider your best options. So how do you proceed? More to come in future posts.
Nolo’s traffic book is a good read for one who wants to challenge their ticket. Of course, you will have to research state specific rules and how your court operates, but I think you will find the information helpful.
