Filing for Divorce with Children in Butler County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated May 27, 2026
File for divorce with minor children in the Butler County Domestic Relations Court. Step-by-step guidance, 9 required forms, ~$410 filing fee, parenting class requirements, and Ohio attorney help.
Butler County's DR Court uses a two-step filing that catches mistakes before you pay: you submit your documents to the Case Management Office at 315 High Street in Hamilton, they review and tell you what to fix, then you take the corrected documents to the Clerk of Courts and pay the $410 fee. The parenting class is held at the Forensic Evaluation Services Center — register at (513) 869-4014.
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) |
Butler County Domestic Relations Court
Government Services Center, 315 High Street, 2nd Floor, Hamilton, OH 45011Phone: (513) 887-3100 ext. 2
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 p.m.)
e-Filing: Butler County DR E-Submission Portal
315 High Street, 2nd Floor, Hamilton. Case Management: (513) 887-3113 • eFiling questions: (513) 887-3278 • Fax: (513) 785-5337
Filing Fees
$410 divorce with children (paid only after Case Management approves your documents)
Butler County Procedure Quirks
- Two-step process: submit documents to Case Management first; they contact you with any corrections; pay the $410 fee at the Clerk of Courts only after approval.
- Add DRCourtNoReply@bcohio.gov to your safe-sender list to receive review notifications.
- Forms are available as PDF Fillable (computer/laptop only — not mobile) or Printout Handwritten.
- Use the Butler-specific filing checklist for your scenario (with/without children, with/without separation agreement, with/without shared parenting).
Parenting Class
Parenting During Divorce Class — Forensic Evaluation Services Center (FESC) (Register / learn more)
Required for all parents with minor children. Both parties must register and attend before the final hearing. Register: (513) 869-4014 • parentingclass@fesc-oh.org.
Judges
- Judge Barbara Schneider Carter
- Judge Margot Halcomb
Butler County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Division (Juvenile Justice Center)
280 North Fair Avenue, Hamilton, OH 45011Phone: (513) 887-3317
Website: Juvenile court website
Jurisdiction includes delinquent, unruly, support, paternity, juvenile traffic, abuse, neglect, dependency, custody, visitation, and adult criminal cases related to children.
Domestic Relations vs. Juvenile
Butler keeps DR and Juvenile in separate Hamilton buildings: DR Court at 315 High Street (2nd Floor, Government Services Center) for divorces and dissolutions; Juvenile Justice Center at 280 N. Fair Avenue for never-married-parent cases and juvenile matters.
Free Local Resources in Butler County
- Butler County Bar Association — Attorney Referral. (513) 896-6671 • butlercountybar.org
- Court Procedural Help. Use the court's administration contact form for procedural questions (court staff cannot give legal advice).
Other Butler County Court Services
Domestic Violence & Dating Violence Protection Orders
A Civil Protection Order (CPO) under R.C. 3113.31 can order an abuser to stay away, leave the home, and surrender weapons. In Butler County, domestic and dating-violence CPOs are filed on a walk-in basis at the Domestic Relations Court, 315 High Street, 2nd Floor, Hamilton. There are no filing fees, and the court tries to hold an ex parte hearing the same day.
- Petition for Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Packet)
- Petition for Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (Packet)
- Praecipe / Request for Service
- DV004 Motion for Confidential Address
File on the walk-in schedule, Monday–Friday 8:30–10:30 a.m. or 1:00–3:00 p.m., with a photo ID. After an ex parte order, the full hearing is set in 7–10 business days and the Sheriff must serve the respondent first. A final CPO can last up to five years. Women Helping Women offers a 24-hour hotline at (513) 381-5610.
Required divorce-with-children packet (9 forms)
- Complaint for Divorce with Children — The main document that starts your case and lists what you're asking the court to decide.
- Family Information Sheet — Full names, DOBs, addresses, and contact info for both parties and the children.
- Motion & Affidavit for Temporary Orders — Requests temporary parenting time, support, and other rules while the case is pending.
- Information for Parenting Proceeding Affidavit — The children's history — where they've lived for the past 5 years and with whom.
- Health Insurance Affidavit — Who provides insurance for the family and the cost.
- Title IV-D Application (Child Support Services) — Opens your case with the child support enforcement agency.
- Withholding Order / QMCSO Information Sheet — Sets up automatic child-support withholding and qualified medical coverage info.
- Child Support Computation Worksheet — Online calculator — print the result and file it with your other documents.
- Guidelines for Parents Living in Different Homes — Court's standard guidance for co-parenting after separation.
Temporary orders while your case is pending
DR 301 lets you request parenting time, support, and other rules while the case is pending. In Butler County you submit it through Case Management for review first; once approved you file with the Clerk and the Magistrate rules on the affidavits.
- Motion & Affidavit for Temporary Orders — Requests temporary parenting time, support, and other rules while the case is pending.
Related guides
In-depth, attorney-written guides on divorce, custody, 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.
Related to your 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.
- Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.
Call (513) 643-1969 or email support@gavvl.com.
