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Asked about 1 year ago - Akron, OH
Flagmy wife have been seperated for some time i need to file something in court that stops her from gaining marital assets is there any legal paper that i can file
It would appear by your question that neither party has filed anything in court. If the marriage is over you should consider filing a Petition for dissolution to end the marriage. You should pay close attention to the date of separation. I am unsure by what you mean by gaining marital assets (taking assets?) You may want to consult with an attorney in your area before you take any action.
There is no such thing as "marriage defacto." There also is not a "divorce defacto." And it's not clear what it is that you want to do.
Presumably, you are married. Either by license or at common law (which is only recognized in a very few states and requires that both parties "consider" themselves married, as well as a few other requirements. There is no such thing as a "common law divorce."
If you are separated – and have been separated for a while – then the way in which the property that the two of you possess will be determined by the law of the state in which the divorce is filed. But you also don't provide enough information to know in what state that might be properly filed. If you both live in Ohio, then that is probably the appropriate place. But it's possible it might not be the right place.
You should immediate make an appointment with a qualified and knowledgeable family lawyer to review with that lawyer your specific situation. Only by doing so can you find out what you can – and can't – do and what are your rights, duties, and possible exposures.
If you are married, then you need to file to terminate your marriage to deal with the assets of the marriage. Depending on the length of separation and the contact and support between the two of you will provide a basis for the division of the assets.
If you were never married, then there is no marital assets. Common law marriage in Ohio ceased in October 1991, so you had to have established the common law marriage prior to that date to be legal.
Talk with a family law attorney so you can provide more facts in order to obtain a better answer to your situation.
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