Child Custody Attorney in Columbus

Nina Scopetti Handles Every Case Personally & 40+ Years in Franklin County

When custody of your child is at stake, who handles your case matters as much as the law itself. At Nina P. Scopetti Attorney At Law, Nina Scopetti personally manages every child custody matter from the first consultation through final resolution. Clients don’t work with associates or paralegals. They work with Nina directly. With over 40 years of family law experience in Columbus, she brings firsthand familiarity with how Franklin County Domestic Relations and Juvenile courts evaluate custody and parenting time cases.

We handle custody matters at every stage: initial determinations, enforcement of orders that aren’t being followed, and post-decree modifications when circumstances change. If you’re not sure where you stand, a free initial consultation gives you a clear starting point with no obligation.

Call (614) 664-6409 or reach us online to schedule your free consultation with Nina Scopetti directly.

Types of Child Custody Under Ohio Law

Ohio law draws an important distinction between legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody refers to decision-making authority over a child’s education, healthcare, and religious upbringing. Physical custody refers to where the child lives and who provides day-to-day care. A parent can hold one, both, or a defined share of each.

Sole custody places both legal and physical custody with one parent; the other parent typically receives parenting time. Shared parenting is Ohio’s framework for arrangements where both parents share responsibilities. It requires a court-approved shared parenting plan and doesn’t automatically mean equal parenting time. Under a shared parenting arrangement, one parent is usually designated the residential parent for school-enrollment purposes.

Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3109.04, courts decide custody based on the best interests of the child, not the gender of either parent. Divorce-related custody disputes are handled through the Domestic Relations Division of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. Disputes involving unmarried parents are typically filed in the Juvenile Court division, where establishing paternity may be required before the court can issue binding custody or parenting-time orders.

Custody & Parenting Time Situations We Handle

Parenting time disputes rarely look the same from one family to the next. Some parents need a formal custody schedule established after a separation. Others are dealing with an order that’s being routinely ignored: missed pickups, last-minute cancellations, or one parent repeatedly blocking the other’s access. Holiday and school-break conflicts are among the most common friction points we see in Columbus custody cases.

We work with both married and unmarried parents, and Nina handles cooperative and contested matters alike. Whether you and the other parent are close to an agreement or fundamentally at odds, she can walk you through realistic options, practical steps you can take now (such as documenting missed exchanges), and what pursuing court action could involve before you decide to file anything.

How Ohio Courts Decide Child Custody in Franklin County

Ohio Revised Code Section 3109.04 governs the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities; Ohio Revised Code Section 3109.051 governs parenting time decisions. Both statutes direct courts to apply the best interests of the child standard, which requires weighing a specific set of statutory factors.

Factors Courts Weigh Under the Best-Interest Standard

Those factors include each parent’s relationship with the child, the child’s adjustment to home and school, each parent’s willingness to facilitate the other parent’s parenting time, the distance between households, work and school schedules, and any history of abuse or neglect. Courts don’t automatically favor one parent, and a child’s expressed preferences may carry weight depending on age and maturity.

Franklin County courts may use local parenting time guidelines as a starting baseline, but schedules are shaped by each family’s specific circumstances. Grandparents and certain relatives may also seek parenting time under Ohio law by demonstrating an interest in the child’s welfare and that visitation serves the child’s best interests. If your situation involves grandparent visitation rights, our dedicated Grandparents’ Rights page covers that topic in detail.

What to Expect During a Columbus Child Custody Case

Most Franklin County custody cases are first assigned to a magistrate who handles temporary hearings, scheduling, and pretrial conferences. Early in the process, the court may issue temporary custody orders covering the parenting schedule, school placement, and decision-making authority. These early orders matter: courts are generally reluctant to disrupt arrangements that appear to be working, and the structure set at the temporary stage can carry significant weight in shaping the final outcome.

Mediation & Guardian Ad Litem

Franklin County courts frequently refer contested custody disputes to mediation under Ohio Revised Code Section 3109.052. Even when full agreement isn’t reached, mediation can help narrow the disputed issues before a final hearing. In cases that remain contested, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem, an attorney or trained professional appointed to investigate and represent the child’s best interests. Guardian ad litem recommendations may carry significant weight with Franklin County judges.

How Your Conduct During the Case Is Evaluated

Throughout the process, a parent’s conduct is observed. Communication records, compliance with temporary orders, and social media activity can all be considered by the court and may affect both temporary and final custody decisions.

Modifying a Child Custody or Parenting Time Order

Circumstances change, and Ohio law provides a path to revisit custody arrangements when they do. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3109.04(E)(1)(a), a court won’t modify a prior custody order unless the requesting parent can demonstrate a substantial change in circumstances since the prior order was entered. That threshold exists to protect stability for the child, not to make modification impossible.

Common grounds that may support a modification include a parent’s relocation, recurring parenting-time violations, significant changes in a parent’s work schedule, the child’s evolving needs as they age, or documented safety concerns. Parenting-time modifications are often treated differently from changes to the residential parent designation: adjusting a schedule may require clearing a lower bar than changing which parent holds primary custody. Franklin County courts weigh the disruption a change would cause against the benefit it would provide the child.

Working with a Columbus Child Custody Lawyer Who Knows Your Case

In larger practices, clients often work with whoever is available. At Nina P. Scopetti Attorney At Law, that’s not how it works. Nina handles each call, each meeting, and each filing. That continuity matters: a modification or enforcement action months down the road doesn’t require re-explaining your history to a new attorney.

• Direct attorney access: Clients work with Nina from start to finish, not a rotating team.
• Consistent communication: Clients are kept informed of developments and what to expect at each stage.
• Family law focus: No other practice areas compete for attention or resources.
• 40-plus years in Franklin County: Nina understands how Columbus courts evaluate custody arguments and what documentation may help move a case forward.
• Free initial consultation: Discuss your custody matter with Nina before making any commitment.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Columbus Child Custody Attorney

If you’re navigating a custody or parenting time dispute in Columbus, clear legal guidance early can help you understand your options and avoid missteps that are harder to correct later. Nina can speak with you directly, answer your questions, and give you an honest assessment of where things stand. You can reach us by phone or through our online contact form.

Call (614) 664-6409 to speak with a Columbus child custody attorney who can handle your case personally.