Navigating the legal system as a male offender can be overwhelming, but when child custody rights are added to the equation, the frustration can easily mount for the would-be parent. And some of these same men admit they may not even be incarcerated if they had positive male role models early in their lives.
In order to help them become better fathers and positive examples for their children and break the cycle of destructive behavior, residents of Summit County’s Community Based Correctional Facility were recently given a vital legal education regarding custody and parenting rights. The “Connected Conversation” took place in the East Crosier Street Oriana House facility, where residents spoke with Ron Cable, magistrate of the Summit County Domestic Relations Court, via a teleconferenced Skype conversation.
One resident asked about the likelihood of a convicted felon adopting a child. This all depends on the nature of the relationship between the potential parent and child, along with the type of felony, Cable answered.
For example, “If it’s a stepchild and the felon is married to somebody else who is the parent of the stepchild and it’s not contested, that may happen quite easily.” However, “if you want to adopt a child that you never met before, that might be a little different,” said Cable.
“Just because someone has a felony, it doesn’t mean they’re a bad parent,” he added. “Courts are going to look at each situation differently when it comes to adoption.”
Another resident, Craig, asked if he has to go through child support to get visitation rights, to which Cable replied that the courts can handle visitation without issuing child support.
An attendee, who’s going through a divorce, said his wife granted custody of the children to her parents. He wanted to know how he could regain custody.
“When you’re talking about custody going to a third-party – a grandparent, an aunt, an uncle – if you can show that you’re a fit parent, you will have a pretty good case to come in and file for custody. Visitation is treated a little differently; as long as it’s in the kid’s best interest, you can have a visitation order. But you have to file in court under your divorce case.”
When married, both parents have equal rights to the children, said Cable. But if a couple is not married, the father must petition for visitation. The Domestic Relations Court is located at 205 S. High St., in downtown Akron.
Ending a destructive cycle
Connecting offenders with their families is of utmost importance in creating support networks and breaking caustic patterns of behavior, said Donald Lykes, who moderated the session. Lykes is the founder and executive director of Fathers & Sons of Northeast Ohio, which offers mentoring and education for area fathers.
Lykes added it’s also important that men who are able to navigate the legal hurdles involved in gaining custody of their children serve as mentors for those who are currently finding their way through the legal system.
And this kind of educational experience also can benefit mothers, who need to realize that children need both parents in their lives, he added.
As someone who sees many men and women in the county fight over shared parenting, Cable reminded the men in attendance that when dealing with custody of their children, it’s the time they spend with their sons and daughters that’s the most important thing. Keep the children’s needs first and foremost, he added.
Barring extreme situations, both parents have access to their children, said Cable, who adds that money doesn’t necessarily have to be a barrier either. Those who need to file court papers but can’t afford it may file at no charge and pay the filing fees later, as long as they can prove that they meet the poverty guidelines.
Will Kellie, an employee at Oriana House, said he remembers the difficulties he experienced when filing court custody papers. He added that this program was incredibly helpful to him and to the Oriana House residents.
The event also was organized by Civic Commons, a recently launched civic engagement initiative that hopes to nurture conversations and connections that can fuel community action across Northeast Ohio.
A number of attendees said they were thankful to have the opportunity to learn more about what rights they have as parents. And many men agreed that the family unit is the foundation of a good society, something they hope to impart to their children so they can lead more productive lives.
They said they were equally impressed with the technology that made the event possible, provided by Civic Commons, which has hosted a number of local conversations that have comprised a myriad of demographics, including a series of Conversation Corners held at downtown Akron's Metro RTA transit center.
(Editor’s note: The Civic Commons and the Akronist/Akron Digital Media Center are both funded by grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.)
For more information, visit www.thecivicommons.com.
For more information about Fathers and Sons, visit www.fathersandsonsneo.org/.
