Allen County Protection Order Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Allen County protection orders case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Allen County local forms, the court strategy, and the hearings — and you know the price before we start.

Start with a $25 consultation and talk through your options with an Ohio family-law attorney before you commit to anything. Get started online or see payment plans & financing.

Hire Gavvl Law for an Allen County protection order

Allen County routes protection orders by relationship: a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (DVCPO, R.C. 3113.31) against a family or household member is filed on the 2nd floor of the Clerk of Courts at 301 N. Main St., Lima, while a Civil Stalking Protection Order (CSPO, R.C. 2903.214) against anyone else is filed in Room 209A. There is no cost to the petitioner, the petition is notarized and filed in paper rather than e-filed, and if the respondent is under 18 the case goes to Juvenile Court. Gavvl Law prepares the petition and represents you at both hearings on a flat fee, with financing available.

• The right order filed at the right counter. A family or household member — a spouse, ex, co-parent, relative, or someone you lived with — calls for a DVCPO on the 2nd floor; anyone else calls for a CSPO in Room 209A, and a respondent under 18 goes to Juvenile Court. We file the correct petition in the correct office so protection isn't delayed by a misrouted case.
• Paper filing, notarized before the Clerk. Allen County requires CPO documents to be filed in paper, not e-filed, and signed before a Notary Public or Deputy Clerk. We prepare and notarize the petition and file it in person at the correct counter, so a technical defect doesn't cost you the same-day ex parte review.
• Both hearings, prepared. The court can hold an ex parte hearing and issue a temporary order until the full hearing, where both parties appear and the petitioner must prove the grounds — for a CSPO, a pattern of conduct by a preponderance of the evidence, and a final order can last up to five years. We prepare your evidence for both.

There is no filing, service, or certified-copy fee for a protection-order petitioner in Allen County (R.C. 3113.31; R.C. 2903.214), so our fee is only for representation — building the petition, gathering evidence, and appearing at the ex parte and full hearings. That work is quoted as one flat fee approved up front, with payment plans available and full representation through a contested five-year CSPO or DVCPO hearing.

Flat-fee options

Flat fee: we file your DV civil protection order petition and represent you at the ex parte and full hearings — or, if you are the responding party, defend you at the full hearing.

• Defend a protection order (full hearing): $2,900
• File a DV protection order (petition + hearings): $3,500

Prefer full representation? An Ohio attorney can carry the entire case on a $3,500 retainer.

Split any flat fee with Gavvl Direct — our in-house plan at 19% APR, $500 minimum — on a 60%-down schedule of 18 weekly, 8 bi-weekly, or 4 monthly payments. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your protection orders case or see payment plans & financing.

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

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Allen County Juvenile & Probate Court (Juvenile Division)
1000 Wardhill Ave, 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

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Allen County

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

Other Family-Law Topics in Allen County

• Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
• Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Allen County custody attorney for help with your case.

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.

Continue your Allen County research

• Ohio Civil Protection Orders guide — Statewide overview of civil protection orders in Ohio.
• Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
• Allen County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Allen County guide.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
• Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.