Family Law

If the mother and the father of the child were never married to each other, legitimation is the process that a biological father may undertake in Ohio to legally establish a relationship with his child. The purpose of Ohio’s laws regarding legitimation and paternity is to provide a path for a father to establish a legal relationship with his child(ren).

Generally, there are ways that a child’s biological father may go about legitimating that child:

1. Entering into an Acknowledgement of Legitimation with the child’s mother; and
2. Filing a Petition for Legitimation.

In Ohio, Domestic violence is when a family or household member does any of the following:

• attempts to cause or recklessly causes you bodily injury;
• by the threat of force, puts you in fear of:
• immediate, serious physical harm;
• menacing by stalking; or
• aggravated trespass;*
• commits any act with respect to a child that would result in the child being an “abused child” (as defined by law),* which includes mental injury that harms or threatens to harm the child’s health or welfare;** or
• commits a sexually oriented offense.*

* Ohio Rev. Code § 3113.31(A)(1)
** Ohio Rev. Code § 2151.031(D)

Although many have the impression that family violence only includes acts of physical abuse, this is not so. Assault, stalking, trespass, and property damage are also considered family violence according to Ohio law. Thus, if your spouse or partner subjects you to mental, emotional or verbal abuse, you may be a victim of family violence according to Ohio law.