Post-Decree Modifications in Brown County

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

Brown County, Ohio · Georgetown

Life changes, and Brown County orders can change with it. File the motion in the court that issued the underlying order: divorce, dissolution, and legal-separation decrees are modified in the General & Domestic Relations Division ($100 post-decree motion), while orders between unmarried parents are modified in the Juvenile Division using the Motion for Custody and/or Visitation packet ($90 reactivation). Changing the residential parent faces the higher R.C. 3109.04(E) change-in-circumstances standard, while parenting time and support modify on their own standards.

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

File a motion in the court that issued the order. Changing the residential parent requires a change in circumstances since the last order, that the change serves the child's best interest, and that its benefit outweighs the harm of disruption (R.C. 3109.04(E)). Parenting-time changes use a best-interest standard; support changes use R.C. 3119.79 with a fresh Ohio worksheet (Motion for Change of Child Support, UDRF 28). A post-decree DR motion carries a $100 deposit; the Juvenile equivalent is $90 to reactivate the case. For support, verify any arrearage with CSEA first (Local Rule 31.2). For a move, file a Notice of Intent to Relocate (R.C. 3109.051(G)).

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: 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

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

There is an existing Brown County custody, parenting-time, or support order.
Something significant has changed — income, a move, the child's needs, or safety.
You want to change the residential parent, the schedule, or the support amount.
You have records and dates documenting the change since the last order.

Filing Fees

Post-decree DR motion (modify / relief from judgment): $100 · objection to a magistrate's decision: $150 · Juvenile reactivation: $90 · combined motions capped per Local Rule 4 — confirm with the Clerk at (937) 378-3100

Forms & Filing Packets

Change custody (residential parent) — $100 DR motion / $90 Juvenile reactivation

In a Juvenile case use the Motion for Custody and/or Visitation packet; in a DR case file a post-decree motion. Attach the UCCJEA Parenting Proceeding Affidavit. The court applies the R.C. 3109.04(E) change-in-circumstances standard.

Juvenile Filing Packet — Motion for Custody and/or Visitation (Brown County) — The Brown County Juvenile Division motion packet used to modify or add custody, parenting time, or companionship in an existing Juvenile case (reactivation fee applies).
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom, confirming Ohio's jurisdiction over custody under the UCCJEA. Required in any case involving minor children.
Directions for All Filings (Brown County Juvenile Division) — The Brown County Juvenile Division's general filing instructions — what to attach, how to serve, and how to pay (cash, money order, or credit card with a 3% fee).

Change the parenting-time schedule — $100 DR motion / $90 Juvenile reactivation

Parenting time modifies on a best-interest basis. The Local Rule 31.6 standard schedule is the fallback if you can't agree.

Juvenile Filing Packet — Motion for Custody and/or Visitation (Brown County) — The Brown County Juvenile Division motion packet used to modify or add custody, parenting time, or companionship in an existing Juvenile case (reactivation fee applies).
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom, confirming Ohio's jurisdiction over custody under the UCCJEA. Required in any case involving minor children.

Change child support — $100 DR motion / $90 Juvenile reactivation

File a Motion for Change of Child Support (UDRF 28) with a fresh Ohio worksheet under R.C. 3119.79, or request a CSEA administrative review. Verify any arrearage with CSEA first (Local Rule 31.2).

Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) — The Ohio uniform motion to change child support, medical support, or the tax exemption after a change of circumstances. File in the division that issued the order.
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.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Brown County

Identify what you're changing. Decide whether you need to change the residential parent, the parenting-time schedule, or support — each has a different standard.
Document the change. Gather records and dates showing the change in circumstances since the last order: income, a move, school or health needs, or safety concerns.
Complete the right motion. Use the Brown County Juvenile Motion for Custody and/or Visitation packet (Juvenile cases) or a DR post-decree motion (UDRF 28 for support), with the parenting or income affidavits.
File in the issuing court and pay the deposit. File in the court that entered the order ($100 DR / $90 Juvenile) and serve the other party; verify any support arrearage with CSEA first.

Brown 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 findings that the change serves the child's best interest and that its benefit outweighs the harm of disruption — a higher bar than adjusting the schedule. School placement is a parenting-time/decision-making issue, not the same as changing custody.
File in the court that issued the order. Route divorce, dissolution, and legal-separation decrees to the General & Domestic Relations Division and unmarried-parent orders to the Juvenile Division. For a relocation, the residential parent must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate before moving (R.C. 3109.051(G) and Local Rule 31.6); the court mails a copy to the other parent and may set a hearing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I file a post-decree motion in Brown County?: File in the court that issued the underlying order. Divorce, dissolution, and legal-separation decrees are modified or enforced in the General & Domestic Relations Division; orders entered between unmarried parents are modified or enforced in the Juvenile Division. A post-decree DR motion (modify, contempt, or relief from judgment) carries a $100 deposit; objections to a magistrate's decision are $150. In the Juvenile Division, reactivating a previous case is $90 (versus $120 for a new complaint).
Do I have to give notice before moving with my child in Brown County?: Yes. Under R.C. 3109.051(G) and Local Rule 31.6, a residential parent who intends to move from the address of record must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate. The court mails a copy to the other parent and may set a hearing on whether to revise the parenting schedule. File the notice in the same court that issued the underlying order.
How is child support calculated in Brown County?: Brown County uses Ohio's statewide Income Shares guidelines — there is no county-specific formula. Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator with both parents' gross incomes, parenting time, health-insurance, and child-care figures, then print and sign the worksheet. The Brown County CSEA (510 E. State St., Georgetown; (937) 378-6414) collects and enforces the order through automatic wage withholding once it is journalized.
What is the standard parenting-time schedule in Brown County?: In Domestic Relations cases, Common Pleas Local Rule 31.6 sets the standard schedule unless modified for good cause: alternate weekends (Friday 7 p.m. to Sunday 7 p.m.), a detailed holiday rotation that includes a Brown County Fair block, and up to four weeks of summer parenting time (no more than two weeks at a time, with notice by May 15). The Juvenile Division applies its own Standard Parenting Time Guidelines (Local Rule 23.1) and often references the Local Rule 31.6 schedule as a starting point.

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 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.
Cincinnati family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cincinnati metro.
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