Hitchcock v. Hitchcock

2025 Ohio 2668
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 29, 2025
Docket2025 AP 04 0015
StatusPublished

This text of 2025 Ohio 2668 (Hitchcock v. Hitchcock) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hitchcock v. Hitchcock, 2025 Ohio 2668 (Ohio Ct. App. 2025).

Opinion

[Cite as Hitchcock v. Hitchcock, 2025-Ohio-2668.]

COURT OF APPEALS TUSCARAWAS COUNTY, OHIO FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

JENNIFER HITCHCOCK : JUDGES: : Hon. Craig R. Baldwin, P.J. Plaintiff-Appellee : Hon. Andrew J. King, J. : Hon. David M. Gormley, J. -vs- : : ANDREW HITCHCOCK : Case No. 2025 AP 04 0015 : Defendant-Appellant : OPINION

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Appeal from the Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 2018TC030108

JUDGMENT: Affirmed

DATE OF JUDGMENT: July 29, 2025

APPEARANCES:

For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant

DAN GUINN ANDREW HITCHCOCK, PRO SE 232 West 3rd Street 4043 Boltz Orchard Road SW Suite 312 Sugar Creek, OH 44681 Dover, OH 44622 King, J.

{¶ 1} Defendant-Appellant, Andrew Hitchcock ("father"), appeals the March 20,

2025 judgment entry of the Court of Common Pleas of Tuscarawas County, Ohio.

Plaintiff-Appellee is Jennifer Hitchcock ("mother"). We affirm the trial court.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

{¶ 2} On July 18, 2019, the parties were granted a divorce; the trial court adopted

the parties' separation agreement and shared parenting plan for their one child.

{¶ 3} On August 2, 2021, mother filed a motion to terminate the shared parenting

plan and be named the legal custodian and residential parent of the child. By agreed

judgment entry filed March 21, 2022, the shared parenting plan was terminated and

mother was named the legal custodian and primary residential parent of the child; a

visitation schedule was established for father.

{¶ 4} On July 15, 2022, father filed a motion to modify the agreement regarding

the child's schooling and the exchange point for visitation. On December 13, 2022,

mother filed a motion to modify father's parenting time to eliminate the mid-week visitation.

By agreed judgment entry filed July 10, 2023, the parties agreed to keep the March 21,

2022 agreement in effect and all pending motions were dismissed.

{¶ 5} On January 29, 2024, father filed a motion for change of parental rights and

responsibilities; father was concerned with mother's mental instability, her use of

marijuana around the child, her spreading of lies to court officials to gain custody, and her

denial of his first right of refusal. On April 2, 2024, mother filed motions to modify father's

parenting time, for father to complete a psychological examination, and for attorney fees. On April 19, 2024, father filed motions to dismiss all of mother's motions, but during an

April 29, 2024 hearing, agreed to submit to a psychological evaluation.

{¶ 6} On June 20, 2024, father filed a motion to show cause for contempt against

mother for disparaging him in court. On September 18, 2024, father filed a motion for

mother to pay half of all the guardian ad litem fees and a motion for summary judgment

on his motion for change of parental rights and responsibilities.

{¶ 7} A hearing before a magistrate was held on September 27, 2024. By

decision filed November 27, 2024, the magistrate denied father's motion for change of

parental rights and responsibilities, finding he did not present sufficient evidence to

demonstrate a change of circumstances, denied mother's motion to modify father's

parenting time, made a minor modification to father's visitation time, granted mother

attorney fees in the amount of $500, and ordered the parties to equally pay the guardian

ad litem fees above the $1,500 deposit already paid by father. The magistrate also denied

father's motion to show cause for contempt, finding he did not prove his allegations by

clear and convincing evidence. The magistrate assessed court costs to both parties

equally.

{¶ 8} Both parties filed objections. Mother objected to the minor modifications

made to father's mid-week visitations. Father objected to the issues not found in his favor.

A hearing before the trial court was held on March 3, 2025. By judgment entry filed March

20, 2025, the trial court found the magistrate's findings were supported by the evidence

in the record. Based upon an independent analysis and review of the file, the trial court

approved and adopted the magistrate's decision with a minor modification in favor of

father pertaining to the exchange point for father's mid-week visitation. {¶ 9} Father filed an appeal with the following assignments of error:

I

{¶ 10} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN NOT FINDING THERE HAD BEEN A

CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES."

II

{¶ 11} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY NOT NAMING DEFENDANT

CUSTODIAL/RESIDENTIAL PARENT."

III

{¶ 12} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY NOT FINDING THE BEST INTERESTS

OF THE CHILD."

IV

{¶ 13} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY NOT APPLYING THE SHARED

PARENTING PLAN PROPOSED BY THE DEFENDANT WHEN SHARED/EQUAL

PARENTING IS IN THE CHILD'S BEST INTERESTS."

V

{¶ 14} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN AWARDING ATTORNEY FEES TO THE

PLAINTIFF."

VI

{¶ 15} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY HAVING THE DEFENDANT PAY ALL

GUARDIAN AD LITEM FEES."

VII

{¶ 16} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN NOT FINDING PLAINTIFF IN CONTEMPT

FOR DISPARAGING THE DEFENDANT IN COURT WITH FALSE ACCUSATIONS." VIII

{¶ 17} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN NOT FINDING THAT CHANGING THE

CHILD BACK TO HIS PREVIOUS SCHOOL WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR EVERYONE

AND IN THE CHILD'S BEST INTERESTS."

IX

{¶ 18} THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN [NOT] FINDING PLAINTIFF ILLEGALLY

USES MARIJUANA AND ILLEGALLY HAS A FIREARM."

X

{¶ 19} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN NOT FINDING THAT PLAINTIFF IS TO

PAY THE FULL EXPENSE OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION."

{¶ 20} Preliminarily, we note this case is before this court on the accelerated

calendar which is governed by App.R. 11.1. Subsection (E) provides in relevant part:

"The appeal will be determined as provided by App.R. 11.1. It shall be sufficient

compliance with App.R. 12(A) for the statement of the reason for the court's decision as

to each error to be in brief and conclusionary form."

{¶ 21} One of the important purposes of the accelerated calendar is to enable an

appellate court to render a brief and conclusory decision more quickly than in a case on

the regular calendar where the briefs, facts, and legal issues are more complicated.

Crawford v. Eastland Shopping Mall Association, 11 Ohio App.3d 158 (10th Dist. 1983).

{¶ 22} This appeal shall be considered in accordance with the aforementioned

rule. I, II, III, IV

{¶ 23} In his first assignment of error, father claims the trial court erred in not

finding a change in circumstances.

{¶ 24} In his second assignment of error, father claims the trial court erred in not

naming him custodial/residential parent.

{¶ 25} In his third assignment of error, father claims the trial court erred in not

finding the best interests of the child.

{¶ 26} In his fourth assignment of error, father claims the trial court erred in not

applying his proposed shared parenting plan.

{¶ 27} We disagree with father's arguments under these assignments of error.

{¶ 28} A trial court reviews a motion to change parental rights and responsibilities

under R.C. 3109.04(E)(1)(a) which states as follows:

(E)(1)(a) The court shall not modify a prior decree allocating parental

rights and responsibilities for the care of children unless it finds, based on

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2025 Ohio 2668, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hitchcock-v-hitchcock-ohioctapp-2025.