Proposed statehouse bill could change child custody in divorce cases

Legislation soon to be introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives would change the way child custody is decided in some divorce cases, state Rep. Rodney Creech, R-West Alexandria, said.

The new bill, if passed, would make “equal shared parenting” the default position for a contested childcare arrangement in a divorce unless a judge said clear and convincing evidence showed that it was not in the best interest of the children.

The exact bill language was not available Tuesday, with co-sponsor Rep. Thomas West, D-Canton, citing delays tied to the ongoing state budget process.

“From personal experience, I was in a very, very contentious battle, and the majority of the tension was from the courts keeping the kids from me,” Creech said. “I’ve got my kids 50-50 now, but you lose 6-7 years of your life proving that you’re a good person. This bill … instead of you having to prove you’re a good parent, the courts have to prove you’re a bad parent.”

The National Parents Organization — formerly the Foundation for Fathers and Families — was instrumental in getting a similar law passed in Kentucky in 2018. NPO Board Chair Donald Hubin said Tuesday that in 58 of 88 Ohio counties, the default rule in contested cases is that one parent gets primary parenting time, with the other limited to every other weekend and one evening a week.