Enforcing a Court Order in Adams County

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

Adams County, Ohio · West Union

When the other party ignores a court order — denying parenting time, refusing to pay child support, or failing to pay required child-related bills — you enforce it by filing a motion for contempt in the same case before Judge Brett M. Spencer / Magistrate David M. Hunter. Adams County uses the Ohio Supreme Court contempt form set: the SC Form 24 Motion for Contempt and Affidavit and the SC Form 25 Show Cause Order, with the SC Form 29 Explanation of Bills added only when unpaid bills are alleged. The same forms are used in both the Domestic Relations and Juvenile divisions, differing only by division — and the parenting seminar does not apply to contempt.

How do I file a contempt motion in Adams County, Ohio?

File a motion for contempt in the same case that issued the order — the Domestic Relations Division for married or divorced parents, the Juvenile Court for never-married parents. The packet is AC-001 Notice of Appearance, AC-002 Waiver of Counsel (if unrepresented), SC Form 24 Motion for Contempt and Affidavit (Juvenile SC Form 3), SC Form 25 Show Cause Order, Notice and Instructions to the Clerk (Juvenile SC Form 4), and AC-005 Praecipe for Service. If you are alleging unpaid bills, add SC Form 29 Explanation of Bills (Juvenile SC Form 8). Court-cost deposits must be paid before filing, an indigency waiver is available, and the parenting seminar (Local Rule 213) does not apply to contempt.

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)

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

There is an existing Adams County court order the other party is violating.
The violation is denied parenting time, unpaid child support, or unpaid child-related bills.
You can describe the order and the violations in a sworn affidavit.
You can pay the court-cost deposit before filing, or qualify for an indigency waiver.

Filing Fees

Court-cost deposits must be paid before filing (Domestic Relations reactive motion $100; Juvenile uses the lower schedule) · indigency waiver via AC-012 · the parenting seminar does not apply to contempt — confirm current amounts with the Clerk.

Forms & Filing Packets

Contempt in the Domestic Relations Division — Court-cost deposit due before filing (DR reactive motion $100) — indigency waiver available

Enforce a divorce, dissolution, or legal-separation order — denied parenting time or unpaid support or expenses — by motion in the same Domestic Relations case.

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.
Motion for Contempt and Affidavit (DR SC Form 24 / Juvenile SC Form 3) — Asks the court to hold the other party in contempt for violating a court order — for example denied parenting time or unpaid child support or child-related expenses. Filed with a sworn affidavit of the facts.
Show Cause Order, Notice and Instructions to the Clerk (DR SC Form 25 / Juvenile SC Form 4) — The proposed order requiring the other party to appear and show cause why they should not be held in contempt, plus instructions to the Clerk for issuing notice.
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.

Contempt in the Juvenile Court — Lower Juvenile schedule — court-cost deposit due before filing; confirm with the Clerk

Enforce a never-married-parent (Juvenile) custody, parenting-time, or support order. The same Supreme Court forms apply (Juvenile SC Form 3 / 4 / 8), differing only by division.

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.
Motion for Contempt and Affidavit (DR SC Form 24 / Juvenile SC Form 3) — Asks the court to hold the other party in contempt for violating a court order — for example denied parenting time or unpaid child support or child-related expenses. Filed with a sworn affidavit of the facts.
Show Cause Order, Notice and Instructions to the Clerk (DR SC Form 25 / Juvenile SC Form 4) — The proposed order requiring the other party to appear and show cause why they should not be held in contempt, plus instructions to the Clerk for issuing notice.
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.

Add the Explanation of Bills (unpaid bills only)

If the contempt is for unpaid required bills (such as medical or other child-related expenses), add the SC Form 29 Explanation of Bills (Juvenile SC Form 8).

Explanation of Bills (DR SC Form 29 / Juvenile SC Form 8) — File only if you are alleging the other party failed to pay required bills (e.g. medical or other child-related expenses).

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Adams County

Identify the order and the violation. Pinpoint the order being violated and exactly how — denied parenting time, missed support, or unpaid child-related bills — with dates and amounts.
Pick the right division. File in the same case and division that issued the order: Domestic Relations for married/divorced parents, Juvenile for never-married parents.
Complete the contempt packet. Prepare AC-001, AC-002 (if unrepresented), SC Form 24 Motion for Contempt and Affidavit, SC Form 25 Show Cause Order, and AC-005 Praecipe; add SC Form 29 only if unpaid bills are alleged.
Pay the deposit or request a waiver. Pay the court-cost deposit before filing, or file the AC-012 fee-waiver affidavit if you meet federal poverty guidelines.
File and serve. File with the Clerk and use AC-005 to have the show-cause order served on the other party for the contempt hearing.

Adams County Practice Notes

The parenting seminar does not apply to contempt. The mandatory "Helping Children Cope With Family Separation" seminar (Local Rule 213) is not required for contempt proceedings, even though it is required in divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and custody cases with minor children.
Deposits are due before the Clerk accepts the filing. Court-cost deposits must be paid before a contempt motion is accepted for filing; an indigency waiver (AC-012 Financial Disclosure Fee-Waiver Affidavit and Order) is available for those who meet federal poverty guidelines.
DR and Juvenile contempt share one form set. Adams County uses the same Supreme Court contempt forms in both divisions — SC Form 24/25/29 in Domestic Relations equal Juvenile SC Form 3/4/8 — differing only by which division issued the order being enforced.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enforce a custody, parenting-time, or support order in Adams County?: File a motion for contempt in the same case that issued the order — Domestic Relations for married or divorced parents, Juvenile for never-married parents. The packet is AC-001 Notice of Appearance, AC-002 Waiver of Counsel (if unrepresented), the SC Form 24 Motion for Contempt and Affidavit (Juvenile SC Form 3), the SC Form 25 Show Cause Order, Notice and Instructions to the Clerk (Juvenile SC Form 4), and AC-005 Praecipe for Service. If the violation is unpaid bills, add the SC Form 29 Explanation of Bills (Juvenile SC Form 8). Court-cost deposits must be paid before filing, and an indigency waiver is available.
What forms does an Adams County contempt motion require?: DR and Juvenile contempt use the same Supreme Court form set, differing only by division. You file AC-001, AC-002 (if unrepresented), SC Form 24 (Juvenile SC Form 3) Motion for Contempt and Affidavit, SC Form 25 (Juvenile SC Form 4) Show Cause Order with instructions to the Clerk, and AC-005 Praecipe for Service. Add SC Form 29 (Juvenile SC Form 8) Explanation of Bills only when you allege the other party failed to pay required bills.
Does the parenting seminar apply to a contempt motion in Adams County?: No. The mandatory "Helping Children Cope With Family Separation" seminar (Local Rule 213) does not apply to contempt proceedings, even though it is required in divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and custody cases involving minor children.
How much does a post-decree motion cost in Adams County?: A Domestic Relations post-decree (reactive) motion is a $100 deposit, and a responsive pleading (if service is requested) is also $100. Unpaid costs from prior litigation must be cleared before a new motion is filed (Local Rule 004). Juvenile post-decree motions use the lower Juvenile schedule. Confirm the current amount with the Clerk before filing.
What if I can't afford the filing deposit in Adams County?: Court-cost deposits must be paid before any pleadings are accepted, but you can ask the court to waive them. File an affidavit of indigency and a motion to waive the court-cost deposit using the county's AC-012 Financial Disclosure / Fee-Waiver Affidavit & Order. You must meet federal poverty guidelines or the motion will not be granted. See the court's indigency page for details.

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 contempt case

Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Related guides

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

Contempt Motions in Ohio Family Court: Enforcing Your Order — When the other parent ignores a court order — withholding the children or refusing to pay support — a contempt motion is how Ohio courts enforce it. Here's how the process works.
Post-Decree Modifications in Ohio: Changing Your Order After Divorce — Your divorce decree isn't carved in stone. When life changes, Ohio lets you modify custody, parenting time, and support — but each requires meeting a specific legal standard. Here's how.

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Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
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