Post-Decree Modifications in Ashtabula County

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

Ashtabula County, Ohio · Jefferson

Life changes after a decree, and Ashtabula County has separate procedures for changing custody, parenting time, and support — and for registering an out-of-state order or giving relocation notice. Where you file follows the original case: a divorce or dissolution decree from the General & Domestic Relations Division stays there (continuing jurisdiction), while a Juvenile-Probate Court order is modified in that court. Changing the residential parent uses the higher change-in-circumstances standard; adjusting the schedule or support uses lower bars.

How do I modify a custody or support order in Ashtabula County, Ohio?

File in the court that issued the order. In a Common Pleas DR case, file the Post Decree Motion and Affidavit (PDMA); in a Juvenile-Probate case, file the MCRTS (change of custody), MCTM (change of parenting time/companionship), or MMCS (change of support). Changing the residential parent requires a change in circumstances since the last order plus the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(E)) — a higher bar than adjusting the schedule (best interest) or support (R.C. 3119.79, generally a ~10% change). Post-decree ex parte motions affecting children are discouraged and granted only on a showing of irreparable harm, with a hearing within 14 days. To register an out-of-state custody order, use the Petition to Register a Foreign Parenting Order (Local Rule 7.12, Appendix 4).

Ohio Custody by the Numbers

Best interest The single standard that governs every Ohio custody decision Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04
No set age There is no age a child can choose a parent — the judge weighs a mature child's wishes Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(B)
Change in circumstances Required, plus a best-interest finding, before the residential parent can be changed Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(E)(1)
Shared parenting Either parent may ask the court for a joint parenting plan Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(G)

Compare Types of Custody in Ohio

Custody type	Who makes major decisions	Where the child lives	Best when
Shared parenting	Both parents jointly, under a written plan	Time is split per the plan (not always 50/50)	Parents can communicate and cooperate on decisions
Sole legal & residential	One parent	Primarily with that parent	One parent is unable or unwilling to co-parent
Split custody	Each parent for the child in their care	Siblings are divided between the two homes	Rare — only when it serves each child's best interest
Legal custody to a non-parent	The relative or caregiver granted custody	With the non-parent caregiver	Neither parent can safely care for the child

Where to File: Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas — General & Domestic Relations Division

25 West Jefferson Street, Jefferson, OH 44047, Jefferson, OH 44047
Phone: (440) 576-3637
Hours: Clerk of Courts Legal Division: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–4:30 PM (e-filing not yet live — file by fax, mail, or in person)
Website: courts.ashtabulacounty.gov/
e-Filing: https://www.ashtabulacounty.us/932/eFiling

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile-Probate Court (Juvenile Division)
4717 Main Ave., Ashtabula, OH 44004, Ashtabula, OH 44004
Phone: (440) 994-6000
Hours: Monday–Friday (email filing at juvenile@ashtabulacounty.us; fax (440) 994-6020)

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

A material change since the last order — a move, new income, school or health needs, or safety concerns.
You need to change the residential parent, the parenting-time schedule, or the support amount.
You're registering an out-of-state custody or support order for enforcement or modification.
A residential parent intends to relocate and notice is required.

Filing Fees

DR post-judgment (reopening) motion $100 · Juvenile general motion $25 / objection $50 · register foreign decree $150 · transferred from Juvenile $150 · relocation notice $25 · custody change needs change in circumstances + best interest · support needs ~10% change

Forms & Filing Packets

Change the residential parent / custody — DR post-judgment $100 / Juvenile general motion $25

DR case: file the PDMA. Juvenile case: file the MCRTS. Requires a change in circumstances + best interest (R.C. 3109.04(E)).

Post Decree Motion and Affidavit (PDMA) — The local cover motion + affidavit for any post-decree request in a Common Pleas DR case — modification of custody, parenting time, or support after the decree.
Motion for Change of Parental Rights & Responsibilities / Custody (MCRTS · UDRF 27/UJF 6) — The motion to change the residential parent/legal custodian in a Juvenile case — requires a change in circumstances plus the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(E)).
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.

Change the parenting-time / companionship schedule — DR post-judgment $100 / Juvenile general motion $25

Adjusting only the schedule uses a best-interest standard — a lower bar than changing custody. Juvenile cases use the MCTM.

Post Decree Motion and Affidavit (PDMA) — The local cover motion + affidavit for any post-decree request in a Common Pleas DR case — modification of custody, parenting time, or support after the decree.
Motion for Change of Parenting Time / Companionship (MCTM · UDRF 26/UJF 5) — Adjusts the parenting-time or companionship schedule in a Juvenile case on a best-interest standard.
Standard Parenting Order (SPO) — Ashtabula's default parenting-time schedule. Rule 7.6 presumes shared parenting and an equal division of parenting time as in the child's best interest, with age-graduated minimum and holiday schedules.

Change child support — DR post-judgment $100 / Juvenile general motion $25

File under R.C. 3119.79 with a fresh worksheet and a completed IV-D Application; DR cases use the PDMA, Juvenile cases the MMCS.

Post Decree Motion and Affidavit (PDMA) — The local cover motion + affidavit for any post-decree request in a Common Pleas DR case — modification of custody, parenting time, or support after the decree.
Motion to Modify Child Support (MMCS) — Asks the Juvenile-Probate Court to change a child-support order set in a Juvenile case under R.C. 3119.79. Include a completed IV-D Application and current financial information.
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.
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.

Relocation notice

A residential parent planning to move files a notice of intent to relocate (R.C. 3109.051(G)); the Juvenile NOR is $25.

Notice of Relocation Out of County (NOR) — The notice a residential parent files before moving (R.C. 3109.051(G)); filing fee $25.

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Ashtabula County

Identify what you're changing. Custody, parenting time, and support each have a different standard and form.
Gather your evidence. Document the change in circumstances — new income, a move, school or health needs, or safety concerns — with records and dates.
File in the issuing court. Use the PDMA in a DR case or the MCRTS/MCTM/MMCS in a Juvenile case; include the parenting or income affidavits and a worksheet for support.
Serve and attend the hearing. Serve the other parent; the court applies the correct standard and enters a modified order, or denies the motion.

Ashtabula County Practice Notes

Custody changes need a change in circumstances. Under R.C. 3109.04(E), modifying the residential parent requires a change in circumstances since the last order plus a finding that the change serves the child's best interest. Adjusting the parenting-time schedule (best interest) and support (~10% change under R.C. 3119.79) use lower standards.
Post-decree ex parte relief is disfavored. Local Rule 7.2(G) discourages ex parte orders affecting children after a decree; the court grants them only on a showing of irreparable harm, with a hearing within 14 days.
Registering an out-of-state order. Ashtabula has a local UCCJEA procedure (Rule 7.12): file the Petition to Register a Foreign Parenting Order (Appendix 4) with a certified copy; the other party has 14 days to contest (Appendix 5) and a hearing is set within 30 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change a child-support order in Ashtabula County?: Modify under R.C. 3119.79, which generally requires roughly a 10% change in the calculated amount or another qualifying basis. In a Common Pleas DR case, file the Post Decree Motion and Affidavit (PDMA) with an updated Ohio worksheet, a completed IV-D Application, and a Health Insurance Affidavit. In a Juvenile case, file the Motion to Modify Child Support (MMCS). The Ashtabula County CSEA (440-994-1212) can also conduct an administrative review of support.
How do I register an out-of-state custody order in Ashtabula County?: For a custody/parenting order, Ashtabula has a local procedure under Local Rule 7.12: file a Petition to Register a Foreign Parenting Order (General Division Appendix 4) with a certified copy of the originating court's order. The other party may file a Request for Hearing to Contest (Appendix 5) within 14 days of service, and a hearing is set within 30 days. If no contest is filed, the court can confirm registration and then enforce or modify the order. Out-of-state support orders are registered under UIFSA, often through CSEA.
Do I file custody in the DR Division or the Juvenile-Probate Court?: It depends on whether the parents were ever married. If you are (or were) married to the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside the divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the General & Domestic Relations Division at 25 West Jefferson Street, Jefferson. If you were never married, parentage and custody are handled by the combined Juvenile-Probate Court at 4717 Main Ave., Ashtabula. Grandparent and other non-parent custody is always filed in the Juvenile-Probate Court.
How much does a Juvenile-Probate Court case cost in Ashtabula County?: The Juvenile Division's fee schedule (effective 07-10-2024) charges $130 for a new custody, visitation, parental-rights, or support case; $25 for general motions; $50 for objections or a motion to set aside a magistrate's order; and $25 to file a notice of relocation out of county. Court costs add on top — paternity $95, private custody $95, publication $80, certified mail $15. A Civil Fee Waiver / Financial Disclosure (CFW) is available. Confirm amounts before filing.
How much does it cost to file a divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in Ashtabula County?: The Clerk's Filing Fee and Costs Schedule (Local Rule 3.2) sets the deposit at $270 without children and $385 with children (a complaint for custody, support, or visitation; effective 7-1-2025) — the same rate covers dissolution, divorce, and legal separation. A divorce Answer and Counterclaim is $75 and a domestic post-judgment (reopening) motion is $100. Fees are due at filing; file a Poverty Affidavit if you cannot pay. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (440) 576-3637.

Free Local Resources in Ashtabula County

Ashtabula County Clerk of Courts (April Daniels). Common Pleas / DR filings, current fees, and local forms at 25 West Jefferson Street, Jefferson. Phone (440) 576-3637, fax (440) 576-2819. E-filing is not yet live — file by fax, mail, or in person.
Ashtabula County court forms page. All county-local and Ohio Supreme Court forms for DR, Juvenile, and Probate cases: https://courts.ashtabulacounty.gov/courts_forms.htm
Family Court Services / MCMS (parent education & mediation). Runs the three-hour "New Beginnings" parent-education class, domestic-relations and juvenile mediation, and court-ordered home studies for both courts (through the Juvenile Court). The "New Beginnings" class fee is $40 per person, paid to Family Court Services.
Ashtabula County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Opens IV-D cases, orders genetic testing, runs wage withholding, and enforces orders. Call center 440-994-1212; https://www.ashtabulacounty.us/350/Child-Support
Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official 2024 Income Shares worksheet and print it for filing: ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov
Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. Free civil legal help for low-income residents of Ashtabula and neighboring counties.

Related to your modifications case

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 modifications and related Ohio family law topics.

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.
How to Modify Child Support in Ohio — Child support orders aren't permanent. When income or circumstances change substantially, Ohio lets you modify support — through a CSEA review or a court motion. Here's how.
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.

Keep exploring

Ohio Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications in Ohio.
Cleveland family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cleveland metro.
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