Enforcing Orders Through Contempt in Allen County

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

Allen County, Ohio · Lima

When the other party ignores a court order, contempt is how Allen County enforces it. DR contempt enforces obligations in a divorce, dissolution, or legal-separation decree between (former) spouses — spousal support, property division, decree-based child support, parenting time, and medical-expense allocation. Juvenile contempt enforces orders entered between unmarried parents or non-parent custodians. File in the court that issued the order, and keep the two tracks separate.

How do I file for contempt in Allen County, Ohio?

File a motion to show cause in the court that issued the order — the Domestic Relations Division for divorce/dissolution decrees, or the Juvenile Division for orders between unmarried parents. Identify the exact order provision being violated and attach a sworn affidavit of the facts; the court sets a show-cause hearing. Contempt under R.C. 2705 / 2705.031 can carry fines, attorney fees, and jail subject to purge conditions. In DR cases $500 is deemed a reasonable contempt attorney fee (more requires an evidentiary showing); a DR motion to modify/revive/vacate a former judgment carries a $275 deposit. For unpaid support, you can also pursue CSEA enforcement.

Where to File: Allen County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

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

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

There is a clear Allen County court order the other party is violating.
The other party is able to comply but is choosing not to.
You can point to the exact decree or order provision being disobeyed.
Earlier informal attempts to get compliance haven't worked.

Filing Fees

DR contempt rides the $275 motion deposit (plus unpaid costs); Juvenile contempt $75 (plus unpaid costs) · attorney-fee limits: $500 DR contempt / $500 Juvenile contempt and $150 purge hearing — confirm current amounts with the Clerk

Forms & Filing Packets

DR contempt (divorce / dissolution decree) — $275 DR motion (plus unpaid costs)

Draft a motion to show cause identifying the violated decree provision, attach a sworn affidavit, and request a hearing. The DR motion deposit is $275 plus unpaid costs.

Motion for Temporary Orders (Civ. R. 75(N)) — Asks the court for temporary custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, or exclusive use of the home while the case is pending. Tip: Attach a current Financial Affidavit (Affidavit 1) and Affidavit 2 (Property).
Affidavit of Indigency – Financial Disclosure Form (fee waiver) — File this to ask the court to waive the filing deposit if you cannot afford it. The Clerk handles DR/General Division fee waivers.

Juvenile contempt (unmarried parents) — $75 Juvenile motion (plus unpaid costs)

Enforce a Juvenile custody, parenting-time, or support order with a motion to show cause and a Request for Service. The Juvenile motion deposit is $75 plus unpaid costs.

Motion for Change of Parental Rights and Responsibilities (Allen County Juvenile Packet, 2025) — The Allen County Juvenile Court packet to change custody, parenting time, or support in an order originally entered between unmarried parents.
Request for Service (Allen County Juvenile Court) — Tells the Juvenile Clerk how to serve the other party — certified mail, personal service, or posting/publication.

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Allen County

Pinpoint the violation. Identify the exact decree or order provision the other party is disobeying — support, parenting time, property transfer, or medical-expense allocation.
Draft the motion and affidavit. Prepare a motion to show cause that names the violated provision and attach a sworn affidavit detailing the facts and dates.
File in the issuing court. File the DR contempt motion in the Domestic Relations Division ($275) or the Juvenile contempt motion in the Juvenile Division ($75), plus unpaid costs.
Attend the show-cause hearing. The court holds a hearing; possible outcomes include fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, and jail subject to purge conditions. Unpaid support can also go through CSEA enforcement.

Allen County Practice Notes

Keep DR and Juvenile contempt separate. DR contempt enforces decree obligations between (former) spouses and is filed in the Domestic Relations Division; Juvenile contempt enforces orders involving unmarried parents or non-parent custodians and is filed in the Juvenile Division. They live in different courts.
Attorney-fee limits are set by local rule. $500 is deemed a reasonable attorney fee for DR contempt representation; more requires an evidentiary showing (DR Loc.R. 20.05 / 3.12). In Juvenile contempt, court-appointed counsel maximums are $500 for contempt and $150 for purge hearings (Juv. Loc.R. 4.1).

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the attorney-fee limits for contempt in Allen County?: In Domestic Relations contempt cases, $500 is deemed a reasonable attorney fee for contempt representation; more requires an evidentiary showing (DR Loc.R. 20.05 / 3.12). In Juvenile contempt cases, court-appointed counsel maximums are $500 for contempt representation and $150 for purge hearings (Juv. Loc.R. 4.1). Contempt enforces an existing order and can carry fines, fees, and jail subject to purge conditions.
Where do I file a post-decree motion in Allen County?: File in the court that issued the underlying order. Divorce, dissolution, and legal-separation decrees are modified or enforced in the Domestic Relations Division; orders entered between unmarried parents are modified or enforced in the Juvenile Division. A DR motion to vacate, revive, or modify a former judgment carries a $275.00 deposit; the equivalent Juvenile motion is $75.00 — each plus any unpaid costs the moving party was ordered to pay.
What is a IV-D Application and why do I need one?: A IV-D Application opens a child-support case with the Allen County CSEA. Allen County requires a completed, signed IV-D Application before any support order — temporary or final — can issue (DR Loc.R. 20.01(C), 20.04(B)). Once open, CSEA collects support through automatic wage withholding, distributes it, and can enforce through license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals.
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 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.

Keep exploring

Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
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