Learning that the economy is doing well may come as welcome news to people in Ohio. Stronger economies usually mean higher incomes, which can positively benefit many other areas of life. But is it all good news? Having a stronger economy and higher incomes actually influences certain aspects of family law.

Despite what some people might think, the increased financial security of a strong economy does not alleviate the money worries that many couples experience. Since money is a significant contributor to stress in relationships and a common contributor to divorce, it would probably take more than a slightly higher influx of cash to alleviate that problem. Instead, having more money gives some people the confidence to leave an unhappy marriage. Here is why.

This year, there will be quite a few married couples in Ohio who choose to call it quits on their relationships. In every one of these family law cases, each party is likely to have a million questions that they need answered before they finalize their divorces. One question commonly asked by both sides is: How does alimony work?

Alimony, also known as spousal support, is money provided from one spouse to the other. Spousal support can be negotiated as part of a divorce agreement or it can be fought for in court. If the issue goes to court, there are no guarantees that a judge will grant an alimony request. There are certain factors that have to be considered before the court will approve the request for spousal support. Some of these factors are:

• The length of the marriage
• The ages of both parties
• Income level of each spouse
• Standard of living
• Marital contribution of each party
• Lost income potential
• Financial need of the petitioner

Parental alienation is a term often misused. It is not just about one parent keeping children from their other parent. It is about one parent turning the kids on the other parent, poisoning that parent-child relationship. Parental alienation is something commonly seen in the world of family law. It comes in many forms and may affect numerous Ohio families every year.

According to a practicing mental health counselor in another state, there are actually three forms of parental alienation. These are active, obsessive and naive. Active alienation is when one parent does or says things that make a child feel that he or she has to be loyal to that parent. These feelings of loyalty will cause a child to essentially shut down and withhold information from their other parent.

When a marriage comes to an end, it is normal to want the divorce process to be quick, painless and peaceful. Some Ohio couples are able to accomplish that while others are not. Divorce can get ugly for some couples -- it is just a fact of life. Regardless if one's dissolution is amicable or a mess, a family law attorney can help one through it.

An example of a marriage gone sour and a divorce getting out of hand was recently shared by a divorce attorney in another state. She has practiced for more than two decades and has pretty much seen it all. This particular case, though, was one of the worst she has ever experienced.