Deborah J. Monaco, Attorney

Attorney Monaco has dedicated her law practice in the area of family law. This encompasses divorce, dissolution, child support, spousal support, custody, shared parenting, visitation, paternity, property division, and other matters. While all lawyers passing the state bar exam are licensed to practice family law, few achieve the same level of experience, expertise, or focus in divorce and other family law matters.

Prior to establishing her private practice, Attorney Monaco received valuable experience in family law as a Magistrate and Judicial Attorney with the Summit County Domestic Relations Court. With the Court, Attorney Monaco gained insight to the inner workings of the judiciary. As a Magistrate, Attorney Monaco presided over hearings and issued decisions in cases pending before the Court in such matters as child support, custody, and visitation. As a Judicial Attorney, Ms. Monaco had the responsibility of researching and writing judicial decisions in divorce and other family law cases for the Honorable Judith A. Nicely, the Honorable John P. Quinn, and the Honorable Carol J. Dezso. She also had the responsibility of preparing summaries of appellate family law cases and assessing pleadings for statutory compliance.

Attorney Monaco also gained trial experience as a divorce and family law Staff Attorney with Community Legal Aid, where she successfully represented hundreds of clients. Her practice encompassed divorce, dissolution, and paternity cases and included child support, spousal support, custody, visitation, domestic violence, property division, and pension issues.

Attorney Monaco recently obtained reversal of caselaw precedent in an important matter decided by the Supreme Court of Ohio. In the matter of Wilson v. Wilson (2007), 2007-Ohio-6056, the Supreme Court decided that a divorce decree that provides for the issuance of a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) is a final order subject to immediate review by a court of appeals, even before the QDRO is issued. The decision reversed a ruling of the 9^th District Court of Appeals and removed an obstacle to justice.

Attorney Monaco is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and the Akron Bar Association. She is a member of the Family Law Committee of the Akron Bar Association and presently serves as Chair of that Committee. She has also served on the Judicial Evaluation Committee of the Akron Bar Association.

Attorney Monaco has conducted seminars on divorce, domestic violence, and other family law topics for other divorce lawyers, various police departments, schools, social workers, and for the general public. She is a regular presenter on appellate caselaw at the Bernard I. Rosen Domestic Relations Institute. She also has experience as a mediator.

Attorney Monaco earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the Ohio State University College of Law. She was the recipient of the Dean's Special Award and the Public Service Fellow Award. Attorney Monaco earned her undergraduate degree summa cum laude with University Honors from Kent State University. She is a graduate of Cuyahoga Falls High School, where she was known by her maiden name of Deborah Glasgow.