Legal Separation in Brown County

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

Brown County, Ohio · Georgetown

A legal separation (R.C. 3105.17) lets a Brown County court divide property and order support and a parenting arrangement without ending the marriage — the parties stay legally married and cannot remarry. It is filed in the General & Domestic Relations Division and tracks a divorce procedurally: a Complaint for Legal Separation, the Local Rule 31 Property and Financial Statement, service, temporary orders, and a final hearing. People choose it for religious, insurance, or personal reasons, or when divorce residency isn't yet met.

How do I file for legal separation in Brown County, Ohio?

File a Complaint for Legal Separation with the Brown County Clerk of Courts, 1st floor, 101 S. Main St., Georgetown, using the Ohio Uniform Domestic Relations forms, plus the Local Rule 31 sworn Property and Financial Statement with supporting documents. The deposit is $250 (plus a $45 special-works assessment, and +$25 for a home investigation if there are children). With minor children, the moving party must complete the "Helping Children Cope with Family Separation" parenting class before the case is scheduled (Local Rule 31.5). The court allocates support, parenting, property, and debt while the marriage continues — neither spouse may remarry. Some couples later convert to a divorce or dissolution.

Ohio Legal Separation by the Numbers

Stay married A legal separation decree does not end the marriage — neither spouse may remarry Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.17
No residency rule Unlike a divorce, a legal separation has no 6-month Ohio residency requirement before filing Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03
Full orders The court can divide property and order spousal support, custody, and child support Source: Ohio Revised Code §§ 3105.171, 3105.18
Can convert A legal separation does not stop either spouse from later filing for divorce Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.17

Legal Separation vs. Divorce in Ohio

Question	Legal separation	Divorce
Are you still legally married?	Yes — you stay married	No — the marriage ends
Can you remarry afterward?	No	Yes
Divides marital property and debts?	Yes	Yes
Can it order support, custody, and parenting time?	Yes	Yes
Ohio residency required to file?	Not required	6 months in Ohio
Can it later become a divorce?	Yes — either spouse can still file	It already ends the marriage

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

101 South Main Street, Georgetown, OH 45121, Georgetown, OH 45121
Phone: (937) 378-3233
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Thursdays until 6:00 PM (closed legal holidays)
Website: browncountyohiocommonpleascourt.us/
e-Filing: https://www.clerkofcourtsbrowncountyohio.org/homeCP.php

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Brown County Probate & Juvenile Court (Juvenile Division)
510 East State Street, Georgetown, OH 45121, Georgetown, OH 45121
Phone: (937) 378-6726
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Legal Separation is the right path if…

You want court-ordered support, parenting, and property terms but not to end the marriage.
You have religious, insurance, or personal reasons to stay legally married.
You and your spouse can't fully agree, so you need the court to decide.
You meet Ohio's residency requirement (6 months in Ohio, 90 days in Brown County).

Filing Fees

$250 DR complaint deposit · +$45 special-works assessment · +$25 home investigation with children · +$150 service by publication · deposits against costs (no credit cards) — confirm with the Clerk at (937) 378-3100

Forms & Filing Packets

Legal separation packet (no minor children) — $250 deposit (+$45 special-works)

File the Complaint for Legal Separation with the Local Rule 31 Property and Financial Statement (the Affidavit of Income and Expenses and Affidavit of Property).

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.
Fee Waiver Packet (Poverty Affidavit + Affidavit of Indigency + Motion to Proceed in Forma Pauperis) — File this Domestic Relations fee-waiver packet (found under FORMS / Miscellaneous via the division drop-down) if you cannot afford the deposit; the Clerk forwards it to the Magistrate/Judge for review.

Legal separation packet (with minor children) — $250 deposit (+$25 home investigation)

Add the UCCJEA Parenting Proceeding Affidavit, the Health Insurance Affidavit, a child-support worksheet, and a parenting plan; the moving party completes the Helping Children Cope class before scheduling (Local Rule 31.5).

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.
Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 21) — Used when one parent will be designated residential parent and legal custodian.
Helping Children Cope with Family Separation — Registration Form — Brown County's mandatory parenting program for any divorce, dissolution, or legal separation with minor children (Local Rule 31.5). The $60 class is held online by Zoom; register at 513-324-3999 through Lifespan Solutions.

How to File Legal Separation in Brown County

Confirm residency and venue. The plaintiff must have been an Ohio resident for at least 6 months and a Brown County resident for 90 days (with Civ.R. 3 exceptions).
Complete the DR forms. Prepare the Complaint for Legal Separation, the Affidavit of Income and Expenses, and the Affidavit of Property; add child-related affidavits and a worksheet if you have minor children.
File with the Clerk and pay $250. File on the 1st floor of the Brown County Clerk of Courts, 101 S. Main St., Georgetown, and request service on your spouse.
Finish the parenting class (if children) and attend the hearing. Complete the Helping Children Cope class and file proof; the court then allocates support, parenting, property, and debt while the marriage continues.

Brown County Practice Notes

You stay legally married. Because legal separation does not end the marriage, neither spouse may remarry. It is a court status under R.C. 3105.17, distinct from a Separation Agreement document used in a dissolution. Some clients later convert to a divorce or dissolution. The same Local Rule 31 financial-statement, parenting-program, GAL, and standard parenting-time provisions apply just as they do to a divorce.
Parenting class with minor children. Under Local Rule 31.5, a legal separation with minor children requires the "Helping Children Cope with Family Separation" class — a $60, adults-only online (Zoom) program run with Lifespan Solutions (register at 513-324-3999). The moving party must complete it before the case is scheduled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does legal separation end my marriage in Brown County?: No. A legal separation (R.C. 3105.17) lets the General & Domestic Relations Division divide property and order support and a parenting arrangement while you stay legally married, so neither spouse may remarry. People choose it for religious, insurance, or personal reasons, or when divorce residency isn't yet met. Procedurally it tracks a divorce — a Complaint for Legal Separation, the Local Rule 31 Property and Financial Statement, service, temporary orders, and a final hearing — and the $250 deposit and parenting-class requirement apply when there are minor children.
How much does it cost to file a Domestic Relations case in Brown County?: Under Common Pleas Local Rule 4, a divorce, alimony, or annulment complaint carries a $250 deposit (a dissolution petition is also $250), plus a $45 special-works assessment, +$25 for a home investigation when there are children, and +$150 for service by publication. Post-decree DR motions are $100 each and objections to a magistrate's decision are $150. These are deposits against costs, not flat totals — pay the Clerk by cash, money order, or personal/certified check (no credit cards). Confirm current amounts at (937) 378-3100.
Is a parenting class required, and which one does Brown County use?: Yes. Under Common Pleas Local Rule 31.5, all parties to a divorce, dissolution, or legal separation with minor children must complete "Helping Children Cope with Family Separation," Brown County's version of the R.C. 3109.053 program, run with Lifespan Solutions. It is a $60, adults-only class held online by Zoom (6:30–9:00 p.m.) one Thursday a month; register at 513-324-3999. In a divorce or legal separation the moving party completes it before the case is scheduled; in a dissolution, both spouses complete it before the final hearing.
Do I file in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Brown County?: If you are or were married to the other parent, custody, parenting time, and support are decided in your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the General & Domestic Relations Division of the Court of Common Pleas, 101 S. Main St., Georgetown ((937) 378-3233). If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are handled in the combined Probate & Juvenile Court at 510 E. State St., Georgetown ((937) 378-6726). Non-parent (grandparent/relative) custody is always filed in the Juvenile Division.

Free Local Resources in Brown County

Brown County Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas / Domestic Relations). Court House Square, 101 S. Main St., Georgetown — Civil and Domestic filings on the 1st floor. Main (937) 378-3100; verified record line (937) 378-4740; fax/electronic-transmission filing (937) 378-1753. Payment by cash, money order, personal check, or certified check — no credit cards.
Brown County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Director Deborah Forsythe. 510 E. State St., Georgetown, OH 45121. Phone (937) 378-6414; fax (937) 378-2552; hours Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–4:00 PM. Establishes, modifies, and enforces support and can establish paternity administratively (free genetic testing if ordered).
Helping Children Cope with Family Separation (parenting program). Mandatory $60 online (Zoom) class for any divorce, dissolution, or legal separation with minor children (Local Rule 31.5), run with Lifespan Solutions. Register and pay by card at 513-324-3999, or mail a $60 money order to Lifespan Solutions, 7672 Montgomery Road #153, Cincinnati, OH 45236 at least two weeks before the class.
Brown County Law Library / Georgetown Public Library. Public legal research at the Georgetown Public Library, 200 West Grant Ave., Georgetown (court staff cannot give legal advice). Ohio statewide child-abuse hotline (855) 642-4453 routes to the Brown County Public Children Services Agency.

Related to your legal separation case

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

Related guides

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

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 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.
Spousal Support in Ohio: How Alimony Is Decided — Ohio has no fixed alimony formula. Courts weigh 14 statutory factors to decide whether spousal support is appropriate, how much, and for how long. Here's how it works.

Keep exploring

Ohio Legal Separation guide — Statewide overview of legal separation in Ohio.
Cincinnati family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cincinnati metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.

Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.