Ashland County Divorce Attorneys

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

Ashland County, Ohio · Ashland

A divorce is a lawsuit one spouse files to end the marriage — it can move forward even when spouses disagree or one spouse can't be found. Ashland County has no separate divorce court: your case is heard by the General and Domestic Relations Divisions of the Court of Common Pleas (Judge David R. Stimpert, with Magistrates Emily M. Bates and Paul T. Lange) at 142 West 2nd Street. Two procedures define the Ashland experience — the court automatically issues its Judgment Entry of Injunctions (Form 4.00) in every case, and temporary support and parenting orders are decided on the affidavits at a non-oral review unless you request a hearing.

Hire Gavvl for your Ashland County divorce case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Ashland 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.

How do I file for divorce in Ashland County, Ohio?

File the complete Local Rule 20.02 packet with the Clerk of Courts at 142 West 2nd Street: the Complaint (Ohio SC Form 6 without children, Form 7 with children) and Plaintiff's affidavit; the Case Designation Sheet (Form 2.00); the DRH Form (Form 3.00); UDRF Affidavits 1, 2, and 4 (and Affidavit 3 with children); the Personal Identifier form (Form 18.00); the Judgment Entry of Injunctions (Form 4.00); and, with children, the Waiver of Paternity Testing (Form 5.00), the Ohio Child Support Worksheet, and the IV-D application (emailed to hadkins@ashlandcommonpleas.com). Add Affidavit 5 if you want temporary orders. The deposit is $425 with children or $375 without, +$50 for personal service; a fee waiver is available with Form 1.00. You must have lived in Ohio 6 months and Ashland County 90 days. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk's Legal Division at (419) 282-4242.

Retain Gavvl Law for your Ashland County divorce

Ashland runs divorce through the combined General and Domestic Relations Divisions, and Local Rule 20.02(A) makes the court free to reject a packet that is not filed all together — Complaint, financial affidavits, Case Designation Sheet (Form 2.00), DRH Form (3.00), Personal Identifier (18.00), and the automatic Judgment Entry of Injunctions (Form 4.00). Gavvl Law assembles that complete packet, emails the IV-D application to the court's DR coordinator instead of filing it with the Clerk, and stays on top of the non-oral temporary-order review. Straightforward cases get a flat fee; contested ones get full representation.

We file the whole Local Rule 20.02 packet at once. Because the court can refuse a piecemeal filing, we prepare every required document — including the Form 5.00 paternity waiver whenever a child was born before or during the marriage — so the Clerk at 142 West 2nd Street accepts it the first time.
We work the paper temporary-order review. Ashland decides temporary support and parenting on the affidavits at a non-oral review 21 days after filing or 14 days after service, so we build a persuasive Affidavit 5 up front and file the written hearing request within 14 days if the paper result needs to be contested.
We track the injunctions and parent education. The Form 4.00 mutual injunctions issue ex parte with the summons in every case, and both parents must finish the Divorcing Parents Education Program through Advocates for Families before a final order — we calendar and confirm each so nothing stalls the decree.

We file in front of Judge David R. Stimpert and Magistrates Bates and Lange every month, so the Form 4.00 injunctions, the non-oral review timing, and the emailed IV-D routing are routine for us, not surprises.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the correct complaint packet for your situation; you appear at any hearings yourself.

Complaint for Divorce: $1,250
With temporary orders: $1,750
With minor children: $1,750
With children + temporary orders: $2,000

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, or full financing where work begins once 60% is paid. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your divorce case or see payment plans & financing.

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: Ashland County Common Pleas Court - Domestic Relations Division

142 W 2nd St, Ashland, OH 44805
Phone: (419) 282-4242
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the Clerk to confirm current hours)
Website: Court website

Divorce is the right path if…

You and your spouse dispute property, debt, support, or parenting issues (a contested divorce).
Your spouse won't respond or can't be located, so the case proceeds as an uncontested (default-style) divorce.
You meet Ohio's 6-month residency and have lived in Ashland County at least 90 days before filing.
You want the court's automatic injunctions in place to freeze asset transfers and insurance changes while the case is pending.

If you and your spouse agree on everything before filing, a dissolution is usually faster and simpler. See Ashland County dissolution.

Filing Fees

$425 with children / $375 without (Clerk's schedule eff. 5/21/2026) · +$50 personal service · counterclaim $125 · automatic Form 4.00 injunctions · non-oral temporary-order review · fee waiver via Form 1.00 · confirm at (419) 282-4242

Forms & Filing Packets

Core divorce packet (no minor children) — $375 deposit (+$50 personal service) — confirm with the Clerk

File the Local Rule 20.02 packet with the Clerk. The court will issue the Form 4.00 injunctions automatically and serve them with the summons.

Case Designation Sheet — Domestic (Local Form 2.00) — Required with every new or reopened domestic-relations case in the General and Domestic Relations Divisions (Local Rule 20).
Complaint for Divorce Without Children (Ohio SC Form 6) — Opens your divorce case and tells the court what you're asking for. Use when you and your spouse have no minor children together.
Request for Service (Ohio SC Form 31) — Tells the Clerk how to serve the other party (certified mail, personal service, posting, or publication).
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.
DRH Form — Domestic (Local Form 3.00) — Domestic Relations heading/case-information sheet filed with divorces, legal separations, annulments, and dissolutions.
Judgment Entry of Injunctions (Local Form 4.00) — Ashland's standard mutual injunctions. The court grants this ex parte in EVERY divorce, legal separation, and annulment — no motion needed — and serves it with the summons (LR 20.11(A)).
Personal Identifier Disclosure Form (Local Form 18.00) — Required (and kept non-public) in every new or reopened DR case and every post-decree motion. Lists SSNs and other identifiers off the public record.

Core divorce packet (with minor children) — $425 deposit (+$50 personal service) — confirm with the Clerk

Add the UCCJEA and health-insurance affidavits, the Form 5.00 paternity waiver, the Ohio child-support worksheet, and the IV-D application (emailed, not filed). Both parents must complete the Divorcing Parents Education Program.

Case Designation Sheet — Domestic (Local Form 2.00) — Required with every new or reopened domestic-relations case in the General and Domestic Relations Divisions (Local Rule 20).
Complaint for Divorce With Children (Ohio SC Form 7) — The divorce Complaint used when you and your spouse have minor children together. Pleads custody, parenting time, and child-support allegations.
Request for Service (Ohio SC Form 31) — Tells the Clerk how to serve the other party (certified mail, personal service, posting, or publication).
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.
Waiver of Paternity Testing (Local Form 5.00) — Filed with the initial pleadings for any child born before or during the marriage. Strictly enforced under LR 20.14; if parentage is disputed the case goes inactive until birth and testing.
DRH Form — Domestic (Local Form 3.00) — Domestic Relations heading/case-information sheet filed with divorces, legal separations, annulments, and dissolutions.
Judgment Entry of Injunctions (Local Form 4.00) — Ashland's standard mutual injunctions. The court grants this ex parte in EVERY divorce, legal separation, and annulment — no motion needed — and serves it with the summons (LR 20.11(A)).
Personal Identifier Disclosure Form (Local Form 18.00) — Required (and kept non-public) in every new or reopened DR case and every post-decree motion. Lists SSNs and other identifiers off the public record.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services (JFS-07076) — Required with any DR or Juvenile filing involving custody or support. In DR cases it is EMAILED to hadkins@ashlandcommonpleas.com — never filed with the Clerk.

Need temporary support or parenting orders?

File Affidavit 5 with your initial pleadings. The court decides temporary orders on the affidavits at a non-oral review ~3 weeks in; request a hearing in writing within 14 days if you disagree.

Motion & Affidavit for Temporary Orders (Ohio SC Affidavit 5) — Filed with your initial pleadings to request temporary custody, parenting time, support, or exclusive use of the home. In Ashland it is decided on the affidavits at a non-oral review (LR 20.02(D)).

Can't afford the deposit?

File the Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit (Form 1.00) — with an approved affidavit the Clerk must accept your pleadings.

Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit & Order (Local Form 1.00) — If you cannot afford the filing deposit, file the statewide Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit (Ashland's Form 1.00). With an approved affidavit the Clerk must accept your pleadings.

How to File Divorce in Ashland County

Confirm residency. You must have lived in Ohio 6 months and Ashland County 90 days before filing. State your residency in the Plaintiff's affidavit attached to the Complaint.
Assemble the Local Rule 20.02 packet. Complaint (Form 6 or 7), Affidavits 1, 2, and 4 (and 3 with children), Case Designation Sheet (2.00), DRH Form (3.00), Personal Identifier (18.00), Judgment Entry of Injunctions (4.00), and — with children — the Form 5.00 waiver, child-support worksheet, and IV-D application emailed to hadkins@ashlandcommonpleas.com.
File and pay (or waive) the deposit. File with the Clerk at 142 West 2nd Street and pay $425 (children) or $375 (no children), +$50 for personal service, or file the Form 1.00 fee waiver. Confirm current amounts at (419) 282-4242.
Let the court serve your spouse. The Clerk serves per your instructions (Civ.R. 4). Staff check service 15 days after filing and every 7 days after; indigent plaintiffs may serve by posting at three designated public locations for 6 weeks (LR 20.09).
Handle temporary orders and parent education. If you filed Affidavit 5, temporary orders issue at the non-oral review ~3 weeks in; request a hearing within 14 days to contest. With children, complete the parenting class before the final hearing.

Ashland County Practice Notes

The Form 4.00 injunctions are automatic. Unlike most counties, Ashland grants its standard Judgment Entry of Injunctions (Form 4.00) ex parte in EVERY divorce — no motion, no signatures — and serves it with the summons. It restrains both spouses from moving assets, running up debt, or dropping insurance while the case is pending (LR 20.11(A)).
Temporary orders are decided on paper. Ashland's signature procedure: file Affidavit 5 and the court reviews the affidavits at a non-oral review 21 days after filing or 14 days after service of the request, whichever is later, and issues temporary orders without a hearing. To contest, file a written Request for Temporary Order Hearing within 14 days after the order is journalized (LR 20.02(D)–(F)).
File the whole packet together. Local Rule 20.02(A) requires the initial packet to be filed all together or the court may refuse it. With children, the Form 5.00 paternity waiver is mandatory; if parentage is disputed for an unborn child the case goes inactive until birth and testing (LR 20.14).
Parent education before the final hearing. With children, both parents must complete the court's Divorcing Parents Education Program (Advocates for Families, (419) 281-3788) and file the certificate; at the court's discretion no final order is entered until both have attended or been excused (LR 20.22).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ashland County have a separate divorce court?: No. Divorce is heard by the Ashland County Court of Common Pleas, General and Domestic Relations Divisions — one court under Judge David R. Stimpert, with Magistrates Emily M. Bates and Paul T. Lange, at 142 West 2nd Street, Ashland, OH 44805, (419) 282-4291. There is no stand-alone Domestic Relations Court.
How long must I live in Ashland County before filing for divorce?: Six months in Ohio and 90 days in Ashland County before filing (R.C. 3105.03 and Civ.R. 3 venue). The Plaintiff's residency is stated in the affidavit filed with the Complaint.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Ashland County?: The Clerk's deposit (effective May 21, 2026) is $425 with children and $375 without, plus $50 if you request personal service; a counterclaim is $125. A fee waiver is available with Form 1.00 (the statewide Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit). Confirm current amounts with the Clerk's Legal Division at (419) 282-4242 before filing.
Will there be a hearing on temporary support in an Ashland divorce?: Not automatically. Temporary orders are decided on the affidavits at a non-oral review 21 days after filing or 14 days after service of the request, whichever is later. You get an oral hearing only if you file a written Request for Temporary Order Hearing within 14 days after the order is journalized; that hearing is set within 28 days (LR 20.02(D)–(E)).
Do I have to ask for restraining orders in an Ashland divorce?: No. The court issues its standard Judgment Entry of Injunctions (Form 4.00) automatically — ex parte and with no motion — in every divorce, legal separation, and annulment, and serves it with the summons (LR 20.11(A)).
My spouse won't respond — what happens?: That is an uncontested (default-style) divorce. After 28 days with no answer you can move to set an uncontested final hearing, which is set at least 42 days after service and within 4 months of filing, with at least 7 days' mailed notice to the Defendant (LR 20.02(H)).
Do we have to take a parenting class?: Yes. In every divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment involving minor children, both parents must complete the court's Divorcing Parents Education Program — administered and taught by Advocates for Families (270 Sandusky St, Ashland, (419) 281-3788) — and file the certificate before a final order is entered (LR 20.22). Confirm the current cost and format by phone.

Free Local Resources in Ashland County

Ashland County Clerk of Courts. Provides current filing fees, local forms, and filing instructions for custody, divorce, and dissolution cases. Call (419) 282-4242 or visit https://ashlandcommonpleas.com before filing to confirm deposits and packet requirements.
Ashland County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Ashland 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 divorce case

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

Related guides

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

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.
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 Much Does a Divorce Cost in Ohio? — The cost of an Ohio divorce ranges widely depending on conflict and complexity. Here's what drives the price — court fees, attorney fees, experts — and how to keep it manageable.
How Long Does a Divorce Take in Ohio? — There is no single answer to how long an Ohio divorce takes — an agreed dissolution can finish in a couple of months, while a contested divorce may run a year or more. Here's what drives the timeline.

Continue your Ashland County research

Ohio Divorce guide — Statewide overview of divorce in Ohio.
Medina family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Medina metro.
Ashland County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Ashland 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.

Understand the cost

Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio — How the two paths compare on agreement, timeline, and cost.
Ohio Divorce Cost & Timeline by Path — Compare cost and timeline across every path to ending a marriage.
Uncontested vs. Contested Divorce in Ohio — What each path means for your timeline and total cost.

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