Butler County Contempt & Enforcement Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Butler County contempt case

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

Enforce a Butler County order — hire Gavvl Law for contempt

When the other party withholds parenting time or stops paying support, a contempt or show-cause motion asks the court to enforce its own order. In Butler County you file in the court that issued it, and Domestic Relations requires a DR821 Summons in Contempt with the motion because contempt is quasi-criminal. Gavvl Law files the DR726 motion with the DR722 codes and the DR821 summons, or the Juvenile Motion for Contempt at $165 plus service, and works on a flat fee for the enforcement.

• The summons the DR court requires. Butler County Domestic Relations will not move a contempt motion without a DR821 Summons in Contempt attached, because the alleged violator is entitled to notice and, if indigent and facing jail, appointed counsel. We file the summons with the motion so the case does not stall on a defect.
• Arrearage documented before the hearing. For support contempt we ask CSEA for the arrearage affidavit about three weeks before the hearing, so the exact amount owed is proven rather than argued. That documentation is what lets the court order make-up payments, fees, or jail if the violation continues.
• Filed and routed correctly. We send the Domestic Relations motion through Case Management before the Clerk and file the Juvenile Motion for Contempt at the Justice Center for never-married orders. Getting the venue and route right turns a paper complaint into an enforceable hearing.

Because contempt in Butler County can end in make-up parenting time, attorney fees, or jail, we prepare the record the court needs to impose real consequences. A flat fee for the show-cause motion keeps enforcement worthwhile even when the other side has ignored the order for months.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the motion for contempt / show cause to enforce an order the other party is violating. You appear at any hearing.

• Contempt (single issue): $950
• Contempt (multiple issues): $1,450

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 contempt case or see payment plans & financing.

Where to File: Butler County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Butler County Juvenile Justice Center
280 N. Fair Ave., Hamilton, OH 45011
Phone: (513) 887-3317
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (Clerk 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.)

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• The other party is violating a current custody, parenting time, or support order.
• You have a final, enforceable order in place.
• You can document the violations (missed exchanges, unpaid support).
• You want the court to compel compliance and possibly award fees.

Filing Fees

DR motion: deposit set by the Clerk · Juvenile motion: $165 + service · CSEA arrearage affidavit requested ~3 weeks before the hearing

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Butler County

1. Confirm there is an enforceable order. Contempt enforces an existing order. Identify the court that issued it — DR or the Juvenile Justice Center.
2. Document the violations. Gather dates of missed parenting-time exchanges or a CSEA payment history showing unpaid support.
3. Prepare the motion and summons. DR: DR726 motion, DR722 codes, and DR821 summons through Case Management. Juvenile: Motion for Contempt with the Face Sheet and relief codes.
4. Attend the hearing. Bring your documentation; the court can order make-up parenting time, fees, a purge plan, and jail for willful violations.

Butler County Practice Notes

• A summons in contempt is required at DR. Butler County DR requires a DR821 Summons in Contempt with the motion; contempt is a quasi-criminal proceeding, so the alleged violator is entitled to notice and, if indigent and facing jail, appointed counsel.
• Request the CSEA arrearage affidavit early. For support contempt, ask CSEA for the arrearage affidavit about three weeks before the hearing so the exact amount owed is documented for the court.
• Guardian ad Litem in contested cases. In a contested custody case, the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem — a court-appointed attorney — to investigate and recommend a parenting plan in the child's best interest. The GAL does not represent the child's wishes; the GAL represents what is best for the child. GAL fees are typically allocated between the parents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my filing have to go through Case Management first?

Butler County DR is Case-Management-driven. Almost every filing — complaints, answers, counterclaims, motions, agreed entries, decrees, separation agreements, and shared parenting plans — must be submitted to the Case Management Office and approved for Local Rules compliance before you file it with the Clerk of Courts. Filing directly with the Clerk without approval can get your case dismissed. Submit non-DV documents through the E-Submission portal at drcsubmit.bcohio.gov.

Do I file in Domestic Relations or the Juvenile Justice Center?

If you are married to the other parent (or were married when the children were born), custody, parenting time, and child support travel with your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment at the Domestic Relations Court, 315 High Street, Hamilton. If you were never married, paternity and custody go to the Butler County Juvenile Justice Center at 280 N. Fair Ave., a separate building. Grandparent and non-parent custody is always Juvenile.

How much does it cost to file in Butler County?

Domestic Relations filing deposits are set by the Butler County Clerk of Courts and posted at clerkofcourts.bcohio.gov; you pay them after the Case Management Office approves your packet. Juvenile Justice Center filings are $165 plus $50 clerk service for a custody, support, allocation, or visitation complaint ($165 plus service for paternity; $45 for a relocation notice). If you cannot pay, file Form DR824 to proceed in forma pauperis at DR, or an indigency affidavit at Juvenile.

What does Butler County CSEA do?

The Butler County Child Support Enforcement Agency at the Gov't Services Center, 315 High Street, 7th Floor, Hamilton (health-insurance line (513) 887-3362) opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio child-support calculation, collects support by wage withholding, distributes it, and enforces orders. Pay in person by Visa, MasterCard, ATM, or cash (no personal checks), by mail through Ohio Child Support Payment Central in Columbus, or online via ExpertPay.

How long does a case take in Butler County?

Dissolution: about 30–90 days — Butler County requires the final hearing within 90 days of filing or the petition is dismissed. Uncontested (default) divorce: roughly 4–6 months once the 28-day answer window passes with no Answer filed. Contested divorce: 6–18 months depending on temporary-orders activity and the trial calendar. Civil Protection Orders: an ex parte order can issue the same day, with the full hearing in 7–10 business days.

Free Local Resources in Butler County

• Butler County DR Court Forms & E-Submission. All Domestic Relations forms, instructions, and completed packets are posted at drcourt.bcohio.gov/forms. Non-DV documents are submitted through the E-Submission portal at drcsubmit.bcohio.gov; DV/CPO documents use the Document Submission portal.
• Butler County Juvenile Justice Center Forms. Custody, visitation, support, contempt, and emergency-custody complaints and motions (PDF and DOC) are at juvenilejusticecenter.bcohio.gov/forms___downloads. CSEA e-filing is at bcjjcefile.bcohio.gov/EFile.
• Butler County Bar Association. Attorney referral and general legal information at (513) 896-6671 / butlercountybar.org. Court staff cannot give legal advice.
• Women Helping Women (24-hour DV hotline). Confidential domestic-violence support and victim advocacy at (513) 381-5610. The Butler County Sheriff's Victim Assistance Program is at (513) 887-3430.

Other Family-Law Topics in Butler County

• Butler County Divorce — Contested and uncontested divorce filing at the Domestic Relations Court.
• Butler County Dissolution — The both-parties-agree path — faster and cheaper than divorce.
• Butler County Custody — Married parents file at DR; never-married parents at the Juvenile Justice Center.
• Butler County Civil Protection Orders — Walk-in DV/CPO filing with same-day ex parte review.

Related to your contempt case

• Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
• Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Related guides

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

• 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.
• 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.

More Butler County family-law resources

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
• Cincinnati family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cincinnati metro.
• Butler County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Butler 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.