Annulment in Adams County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026

Adams County, Ohio · West Union

An annulment under R.C. 3105.31 treats a marriage as void or voidable on specific statutory grounds — for example bigamy, an underage marriage entered without consent, or fraud — rather than ending a valid marriage the way a divorce or dissolution does. It is heard in the Domestic Relations Division of the Adams County Court of Common Pleas before Judge Brett M. Spencer / Magistrate David M. Hunter. The county does not publish a separate annulment checklist, so the case follows the divorce filing path, and the deposit uses the consolidated Divorce/Dissolution/Annulment schedule: $300 without children, $350 with children.

How do I get an annulment in Adams County, Ohio?

File a complaint for annulment (R.C. 3105.31) in the Domestic Relations Division, pleading one of the statutory grounds (such as bigamy, underage marriage without consent, or fraud). Because Adams County does not publish a separate annulment checklist, the case follows the divorce filing path: AC-001 Notice of Appearance, AC-002 Waiver of Counsel (if unrepresented), SC Affidavit 1 (Income & Expenses), SC Affidavit 2 (Property), and AC-005 Praecipe — adding SC Affidavit 3 (UCCJEA), SC Affidavit 4 (Health Insurance), an Ohio child-support worksheet, AC-202, JFS 07076, and the parenting seminar when minor children are involved. The deposit is $300 without children or $350 with children. An annulment is distinct from a divorce or dissolution.

Ohio Divorce by the Numbers

6 months Ohio residency required before you can file Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03
90 days Residency in the county of filing (venue) Source: Ohio Civ. R. 3
30–90 days Typical time to finalize an uncontested dissolution Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.64
1 year Living separate and apart that qualifies as no-fault grounds Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.01

Compare Your Options for Ending a Marriage in Ohio

Path	Ends the marriage?	Agreement required?	Best when
Dissolution	Yes	Yes — on every term before filing	Both spouses agree on everything and want the fastest, lowest-cost path
Divorce (contested)	Yes	No	Spouses disagree on property, support, or parenting and need a judge to decide
Divorce (uncontested / default)	Yes	No	One spouse will not respond or cannot be located
Legal separation	No — you stay married	Optional	You need court orders but must stay married (religion, insurance, or benefits)
Annulment	Treated as never valid	No	The marriage was never legally valid (fraud, bigamy, underage, or incapacity)

Where to File: Adams County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

110 West Main Street, West Union, OH 45693, West Union, OH 45693
Phone: (937) 544-2921
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (closed legal holidays)
Website: www.adamscountycourts.com/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Adams County Juvenile Court
110 West Main Street, West Union, OH 45693, West Union, OH 45693
Phone: (937) 544-2921
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (closed legal holidays)

Annulment is the right path if…

You believe your marriage is void or voidable on a statutory ground such as bigamy, underage marriage, or fraud.
You want the court to treat the marriage as never validly formed rather than dissolve a valid one.
You meet Ohio's requirements to file in the Domestic Relations Division.
You can plead and prove a specific R.C. 3105.31 ground.

Filing Fees

Annulment uses the consolidated Divorce/Dissolution/Annulment deposit: $300 without children / $350 with children · deposits must be paid before filing · fee waiver via AC-012 — confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (937) 544-2344.

Forms & Filing Packets

Annulment without minor children — $300 deposit (Divorce/Dissolution/Annulment without children)

Files a complaint for annulment on a statutory ground and asks the court to declare the marriage void or voidable.

Notice of Appearance (AC-001) — Filed by attorneys and any unrepresented spouse/party to enter the case. Required on every Adams County family-law filing.
Waiver of Counsel (AC-002) — Signed by any unrepresented party, acknowledging they are proceeding without an attorney.
Complaint for Annulment (R.C. 3105.31) — Opens an annulment case in the Domestic Relations Division on statutory void/voidable grounds. Adams County does not publish a separate annulment checklist, so the complaint follows the divorce filing path.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Affidavit of Property (Ohio SC Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt. Required at filing.
Praecipe (Request) for Service (AC-005) — Tells the Clerk how to serve the other party (certified mail, Sheriff, or publication). Required when service is needed.

Annulment with minor children — $350 deposit (Divorce/Dissolution/Annulment with children)

Adds the UCCJEA affidavit, support worksheet, CSEA setup, and parenting seminar so the court can address parental rights and support alongside the annulment.

Notice of Appearance (AC-001) — Filed by attorneys and any unrepresented spouse/party to enter the case. Required on every Adams County family-law filing.
Waiver of Counsel (AC-002) — Signed by any unrepresented party, acknowledging they are proceeding without an attorney.
Complaint for Annulment (R.C. 3105.31) — Opens an annulment case in the Domestic Relations Division on statutory void/voidable grounds. Adams County does not publish a separate annulment checklist, so the complaint follows the divorce filing path.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Affidavit of Property (Ohio SC Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt. Required at filing.
Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — Required in any case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
Adams County CSEA Account Setup Sheet (AC-202) — Opens the support account with the Adams County Child Support Enforcement Agency. Required in every case involving children — even if no child support is requested.
Application for Child Support Services (JFS 07076) — The Ohio child-support services application that opens a IV-D case with the Adams County CSEA. Brought to the final hearing in a dissolution; filed with the packet in contested cases.
Notice of "Helping Children Cope With Family Separation" Seminar (AC-203) — The notice for Adams County's mandatory online parenting seminar (Local Rule 213), administered through Beech Acres.
"Helping Children Cope With Family Separation" Registration Packet (AC-204) — One per parent. Registration materials are submitted directly to Beech Acres, not filed with the court.
Praecipe (Request) for Service (AC-005) — Tells the Clerk how to serve the other party (certified mail, Sheriff, or publication). Required when service is needed.

How to File Annulment in Adams County

Confirm a statutory ground. Annulment under R.C. 3105.31 requires a specific ground — for example bigamy, an underage marriage without consent, or fraud — which you must plead and prove.
Draft the complaint. Prepare a complaint for annulment following the divorce filing path in the Domestic Relations Division.
Assemble the affidavits. Include SC Affidavit 1 (Income & Expenses) and SC Affidavit 2 (Property); with children, add SC Affidavit 3 (UCCJEA), SC Affidavit 4 (Health Insurance), an Ohio support worksheet, AC-202, and JFS 07076.
Complete the parenting seminar if applicable. If there are minor children, both parents complete the AC-203/AC-204 seminar before the final hearing.
File and serve. Pay the $300/$350 deposit (or request the AC-012 fee waiver), file with the Clerk, and serve the other spouse via the AC-005 Praecipe.

Adams County Practice Notes

Annulment is distinct from divorce and dissolution. Under R.C. 3105.31, an annulment treats a marriage as void or voidable on specific statutory grounds rather than ending a valid marriage. You must plead and prove one of those grounds.
Follows the divorce filing path. Adams County does not publish a separate annulment checklist, so the case is filed like a divorce in the Domestic Relations Division before Judge Brett M. Spencer / Magistrate David M. Hunter.
Same consolidated fee schedule. The published Common Pleas schedule groups Divorce/Dissolution/Annulment together: $300 without children and $350 with children, paid before the Clerk accepts the filing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an annulment in Adams County and how is it different from divorce?: An annulment under R.C. 3105.31 treats a marriage as void or voidable on specific statutory grounds, rather than ending a valid marriage the way a divorce or dissolution does. It is heard in the Domestic Relations Division and uses the same consolidated "Divorce/Dissolution/Annulment" deposit schedule — $300 without children and $350 with children. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (937) 544-2344.
What are the grounds for an annulment in Adams County?: Annulment grounds under R.C. 3105.31 are specific and statutory — for example, bigamy, a marriage entered while underage without consent, or fraud. Because annulment is distinct from divorce and dissolution, you must plead and prove one of these grounds. Adams County's forms portal does not publish a separate annulment checklist, so the case follows the divorce filing path in the Domestic Relations Division.
How much does it cost to file a divorce or dissolution in Adams County?: The Domestic Relations deposit is $300 without children and $350 with children (a divorce, dissolution, or annulment uses the same schedule). Deposits must be paid before the Clerk will accept your filing, and a dissolution decree will not issue until court costs are paid (Local Rule 200). If you cannot afford the deposit, file the AC-012 Fee-Waiver Affidavit with a motion — you must meet federal poverty guidelines. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (937) 544-2344 before filing.
What are the residency requirements to file in Adams County?: For a divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you or your spouse must have lived in Ohio for at least 6 months and in Adams County before filing. For a dissolution only the 6-month Ohio residency applies. For never-married parents filing in Juvenile Court, Ohio must be the children's "home state" under the UCCJEA (R.C. 3127) — generally meaning the children have lived in Ohio for the last 6 consecutive months.

Free Local Resources in Adams County

Adams County Clerk of Courts (Larry Heller). Legal division on the top floor of the Courthouse, 110 West Main Street, Room 207, West Union, OH 45693. Accepts filings and provides current fees and instructions. Call (937) 544-2344 (lheller@adamscountycourts.com) before filing to confirm deposits and packet requirements.
Adams County Common Pleas forms & local rules portal. sites.google.com/view/adamscountycommonpleas/home — county AC-### forms, Ohio Supreme Court SC forms, checklists, the local rules (dated 2/3/2026), and pro-se/indigency pages.
Adams County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Director Angie Malott. 482 Rice Drive, P.O. Box 386, West Union, OH 45693. Phone (937) 544-5155 or toll-free (800) 840-5711 — establishes/modifies support, paternity, wage withholding, and payment distribution. Set up a court account with Form AC-202.
Adams County Children Services. 300 North Wilson Drive, West Union, OH 45693. Phone (937) 544-2511 for abuse/neglect concerns and emergency child-safety. Call 911 in an emergency.
Adams County CASA / GAL program. Volunteer and contact line (937) 618-0189. Court Appointed Special Advocates carry only 1–2 cases at a time and advocate for a child's best interest in contested and abuse/neglect matters.
Fee waiver (indigency). File the AC-012 Financial Disclosure / Fee-Waiver Affidavit & Order with a motion to waive the court-cost deposit if you meet federal poverty guidelines. See sites.google.com/view/adamscountycommonpleas/indigency.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov — run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet, print, and sign it for filing.

Related to your annulment case

Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.
Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on annulment and related Ohio family law topics.

Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio: Which Path Is Right for You? — Divorce and dissolution both end an Ohio marriage, but they work very differently. Dissolution is a no-fault, agreed process; divorce is a lawsuit for couples who can't agree. Here's how to choose.
How to File for Divorce in Ohio: A Step-by-Step Guide — Filing for divorce in Ohio follows a defined path: confirm residency, choose your grounds, file the complaint, serve your spouse, and work toward temporary orders and a final decree. Here is how each step works.

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Ohio Annulment guide — Statewide overview of annulment in Ohio.
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