Divorce & Dissolution

---

James E. Lanzo LLC strives to give quality representation at competitive prices in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties. The Divorce process can be a messy and expensive process. Attorney James E. Lanzo works to protect your rights and disentangle you from your spouse quickly and cleanly, fighting to get you all that is lawfully yours. 

A divorce is a contested action that seeks termination of a marriage. A divorce is filed in the in the courts of common pleas in Ohio and in the divisions of domestic relations thereof when such a division has been established. Divorces are generally the most time-consuming process by which to terminate the marriage contract. Attorney James E. Lanzo provides the aggressive representation that divorces require while maintaining the ability to render dispassionate advice to the client. Dispassionate advice is invaluable because in many cases the divorce client is tangled in the heated emotions that come with the divorce process. 

A dissolution is an uncontested action whereby the parties thereto agree on all aspects of the termination of their marriage. In many cases one party is represented by counsel and the other is unrepresented.  The dissolution process is generally the fastest and most amicable way to terminate the marriage contract. The Dissolution process begins with a petition for dissolution and a separation agreement that disentangles all aspects of the marriage.  Attorney James E. Lanzo has the experience necessary to quickly draft, file and prosecute your petition for dissolution and separation agreement in an economical manner.

A legal separation is an action where by the petitioner seeks to define all terms of the disentanglement of the marriage contract without actually terminating the marriage. An action for legal separation may be either contested or agreed to. Legal separations are generally employed in cases where the ultimate termination of the marriage would be financially devastating to either or both parties however it may also be employed as a trial separation in cases where parties are less than sure that they wish to terminate their marriage.

A legal annulment is a rare action that can only occur under very particular circumstances. The effect of an annulment is the declaration by the court that the marriage is a nullity that is that it never occurred. An annulment can only occur if one of the following conditions exists: The party seeking to have the marriage annulled was under the age at which persons may be joined in marriage or; either party was still married to a former spouse at the time of the marriage subject to the annulment proceeding or; Either party has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent or; the consent of either party to marry was obtained by force or fraud or; The marriage was never consummated. .