Civil Protection Orders in Allen County

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

Allen County, Ohio · Lima

Allen County routes protection orders by relationship. A Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (DVCPO, R.C. 3113.31) protects you from a family or household member and is filed at the Clerk of Courts office on the 2nd floor of the Courthouse, 301 N. Main St., Lima. A Civil Stalking Protection Order (CSPO, R.C. 2903.214) protects you from someone who is not a family/household member and is filed in the Clerk of Courts Office, Room 209A. Both are free to the petitioner, and if the person to be restrained is under 18, the case is filed in Juvenile Court.

How do I get a protection order in Allen County, Ohio?

Decide which order fits: a DVCPO if the respondent is a family or household member (spouse/ex, co-parent, relative, or someone you live(d) with), or a CSPO if they are not. Complete the petition and sign it before a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk, then file it in person — DVCPO on the 2nd floor of the Clerk's office, CSPO in Room 209A. There is no cost to the petitioner. If requested, the court holds an ex parte hearing and can issue a temporary order valid until the full hearing; at the full hearing both parties appear and the petitioner must prove the grounds (for a CSPO, a pattern of conduct by a preponderance of the evidence). A CSPO can last up to five years. CPO documents are filed in paper, not e-filed.

Where to File: Allen County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division (Clerk of Courts, 2nd floor)

301 N. Main St., Lima, OH 45801, Lima, OH 45801
Phone: (419) 223-8513
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM (Clerk of Courts)
Website: clerkofcourts.allencountyohio.com/
e-Filing: https://courtvweb.allencountyohio.com/eservices

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Allen County Juvenile & Probate Court (Juvenile Division)
1000 Wardhill Ave, Lima, OH 45805, Lima, OH 45805
Phone: (419) 227-5531
Hours: Clerk's office 8:30 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–4:30 PM

Civil Protection Orders is the right path if…

Someone has harmed, threatened, or stalked you and you need court-ordered protection.
You can identify whether the person is a family/household member (DVCPO) or not (CSPO).
You know the respondent's correct physical address so the order can be served.
For a CSPO, there has been more than one incident of threats or violent behavior.

Filing Fees

No cost to the petitioner — R.C. 3113.31 (DVCPO) and R.C. 2903.214(J) (CSPO) prohibit any filing, service, or certified-copy fee · CPO documents are filed in paper, not e-filed

Forms & Filing Packets

Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (DVCPO) — No cost to the petitioner (R.C. 3113.31)

Use the Ohio Supreme Court DVCPO petition (Form 10.01-D). File on the 2nd floor of the Clerk of Courts, 301 N. Main St., Lima. No filing fee. CPO documents are filed in paper, not e-filed.

Ohio Supreme Court Protection Order Forms (incl. DVCPO Petition 10.01-D) — Statewide standardized protection-order petitions and proposed orders. Use the Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order petition (Form 10.01-D) when the respondent is a family or household member.
Allen County Clerk Civil Protection Orders information sheet — The Clerk's step-by-step guide to filing a DVCPO or CSPO in Allen County — where to file, what to bring, and how the ex parte and full hearings work.

Civil Stalking Protection Order (CSPO) — No cost to the petitioner (R.C. 2903.214(J))

Use Ohio SC Form 10.03-D. File in the Clerk of Courts Office, Room 209A. Bring photo ID and the respondent's physical address. No filing fee.

Petition for Civil Stalking Protection Order (Ohio SC Form 10.03-D) — Used when the person to be restrained is NOT a family or household member (menacing by stalking). In Allen County it is filed in the Clerk of Courts Office, Room 209A.
Allen County Clerk Civil Protection Orders information sheet — The Clerk's step-by-step guide to filing a DVCPO or CSPO in Allen County — where to file, what to bring, and how the ex parte and full hearings work.

Respondent under 18 — Juvenile CPO

If the person to be restrained is under 18, file a Petition for Juvenile Civil Protection Order in the Allen County Juvenile Court instead.

Petition for Juvenile Civil Protection Order (Allen County) — Used when the person to be restrained is under 18; filed in the Allen County Juvenile Court rather than the Domestic Relations Division.

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Allen County

Choose DVCPO or CSPO. If the person is a family or household member or your co-parent, file a DVCPO; otherwise file a CSPO. If they are under 18, file in Juvenile Court.
Complete and notarize the petition. Fill out the petition and sign it before a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk. Bring photo ID and the respondent's correct physical address for service.
File in person at the right office. File the DVCPO on the 2nd floor of the Clerk of Courts or the CSPO in Room 209A — in paper, with no filing fee.
Attend the hearings. If requested, the court holds an ex parte hearing and can issue a temporary order; at the full hearing both parties appear and the petitioner proves the grounds. A CSPO can last up to five years.

Allen County Practice Notes

Where you file depends on the relationship. DVCPO (family/household member or co-parent) is filed on the 2nd floor of the Clerk of Courts; CSPO (non-family/non-household) is filed in Room 209A. If the respondent is under 18, the case goes to the Juvenile Court ((419) 227-5531).
Paper filing and no mediation. CPO and domestic/dating-violence documents must be filed in paper, not e-filed (DR Loc.R. 19.10(B); Juv. Loc.R. 17.12(F)). Mediation is prohibited as a way to adjudicate domestic violence or to grant, modify, or enforce a protection order (Loc.R. 6.07). Sign the petition before a Notary or Deputy Clerk.

Frequently Asked Questions

DVCPO or CSPO — which protection order do I file in Allen County?: If the person to be restrained is a family or household member — a current/former spouse, the other parent of your child, a relative, or someone you live(d) with — file a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (DVCPO, R.C. 3113.31) at the Clerk of Courts office on the 2nd floor, 301 N. Main St., Lima. If they are not a family/household member, file a Civil Stalking Protection Order (CSPO, R.C. 2903.214) in the Clerk of Courts Office, Room 209A. If the respondent is under 18, file in the Juvenile Court instead.
Does it cost anything to file a protection order in Allen County?: No. Under R.C. 3113.31 (DVCPO) and R.C. 2903.214(J) (CSPO), the court cannot charge the petitioner any fee, cost, deposit, or money for filing, issuance, registration, or service, or for a certified copy. The Allen County Clerk's CPO information sheet confirms there is no cost to the petitioner.
Can I e-file a protection order in Allen County?: No. CPO and domestic/dating-violence documents must be filed in paper, not e-filed (DR Loc.R. 19.10(B) and Juv. Loc.R. 17.12(F)). You complete and sign the petition before a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk and file it in person. Mediation is also prohibited as a way to adjudicate domestic violence or to grant, modify, or enforce a protection order (Loc.R. 6.07).
Do I file in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Allen County?: If you are or were married to the other parent, custody, parenting time, and support are decided in your divorce or dissolution in the Domestic Relations Division (filed through the Clerk of Courts, 301 N. Main St., Lima). If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are handled in the Allen County Juvenile Court at 1000 Wardhill Ave, Lima, (419) 227-5531. Non-parent (grandparent/relative) custody is always filed in Juvenile Court.

Free Local Resources in Allen County

Allen County Clerk of Courts. Provides current filing fees, local forms, and filing instructions for custody, divorce, and dissolution cases. Call (419) 223-8513 or visit https://clerkofcourts.allencountyohio.com before filing to confirm deposits and packet requirements.
Allen County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Allen County's IV-D agency opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. File a IV-D Application when establishing or modifying support.

Related to your protection orders case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Divorce & Dissolution — End your marriage through a contested divorce or an amicable dissolution.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

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

Civil Protection Orders in Ohio: How to Get a CPO — An Ohio civil protection order can provide fast, court-ordered protection from domestic violence — including no-contact terms, exclusive home use, and temporary custody. Here's how to get one.
Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.

Keep exploring

Ohio Civil Protection Orders guide — Statewide overview of civil protection orders in Ohio.
Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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