Post-Decree Modifications in Carroll County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026
Carroll County, Ohio · Carrollton
Life changes, and Carroll County orders can change with it. File the motion in the division that issued the order: divorce, dissolution, legal-separation, and annulment decrees are modified in the General & DR Division, while orders between unmarried parents are modified in the Probate & Juvenile Division. Continuing jurisdiction matters — if a married couple's decree already allocates parental rights, later modification stays in the General & DR case. 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 Carroll County, Ohio?
File a motion in the division that issued the order. Changing the residential parent requires showing 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, and support changes use the applicable standard with an updated Ohio worksheet and income affidavit. A General & DR post-decree motion costs $150 ($100 with an agreed judgment entry); the Probate & Juvenile equivalent is $100. For a move, a residential parent must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate at least 60 days before the move (Local Rule 10.09); the relocation-motion deposit is $40.
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: Carroll County Court of Common Pleas, General & Domestic Relations Division
119 S. Lisbon St., Suite 401, Carrollton, OH 44615, Carrollton, OH 44615Phone: (330) 627-4886
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Website: carrollcountyohio.us/agencies-and-departments/court
e-Filing: https://carrollcountyclerk.org/eservices
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Carroll County Probate & Juvenile Division
119 S. Lisbon St., Suite 202, Carrollton, OH 44615, Carrollton, OH 44615
Phone: (330) 627-2323
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…
- There is an existing Carroll 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
General & DR post-decree motion: $150 ($100 with an agreed judgment entry) · Probate & Juvenile motion / new action: $100 · Motion for intent to relocate: $40 · register a foreign support order: $250 (no fee to register a foreign custody/parenting order) — confirm with the Clerk at (330) 627-4886
Forms & Filing Packets
Change custody (residential parent) — $150 General & DR ($100 agreed entry) / $100 Probate & Juvenile
File the standardized post-decree motion in the division that issued the order, with the UCCJEA Parenting Proceeding Affidavit. Changing the residential parent requires a change in circumstances (R.C. 3109.04(E)).
- Domestic Relations Case Designation Form (Carroll County) — Required county cover sheet filed with every new Domestic Relations case. You choose the filing category (A–K), list any open or closed cases involving the children, and flag whether the case is appropriate for mediation.
- 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.
- Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Change the parenting-time schedule — $150 General & DR ($100 agreed entry) / $100 Probate & Juvenile
Parenting time modifies on a best-interest basis. The county Standard Parenting Order (General & DR) or Standard Child Companionship Schedule (Probate & Juvenile) is the fallback if you can't agree.
- 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.
- Standard Parenting Order and Rules Governing Companionship Time (Carroll County) — The General & DR Division's age-based default parenting schedule — equal parenting time is presumed for children ages 3–13 — applied unless the parents agree otherwise or the judge orders differently.
Change child support — $150 General & DR ($100 agreed entry) / $100 Probate & Juvenile
File a post-decree motion with a fresh Ohio worksheet and an updated income affidavit, or request a CSEA administrative review.
- 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 Carroll 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 standardized post-decree motion with the parenting or income affidavits; for a Probate & Juvenile matter, contact the deputy clerk for a hearing date before filing.
- File in the issuing court and pay the deposit. File in the division that entered the order ($150 General & DR, $100 with an agreed entry; $100 Probate & Juvenile) and serve the other party.
Carroll 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. Changing the residential parent for school-placement purposes is an administrative designation, separate from a change of custody.
- File in the division that issued the order. Route General & DR decrees to the General & DR Division and unmarried-parent orders to the Probate & Juvenile Division. If a married couple's decree already allocates parental rights, later modification stays in the General & DR case even though a brand-new case between never-married parents would start in the Probate & Juvenile Division.
- Relocation has its own 60-day notice rule. In a General & DR case, a residential parent intending to move must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate at least 60 days before the move (Local Rule 10.09; R.C. 3109.051(G)). The Clerk mails a copy to the non-residential parent unless the residential parent objects, in which case the court sets a hearing. The relocation-motion deposit is $40.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where do I file a post-decree motion in Carroll County?
- File in the division that issued the order. Divorce, dissolution, legal-separation, and annulment decrees are modified or enforced in the General & DR Division; orders entered between unmarried parents are modified or enforced in the Probate & Juvenile Division. Continuing jurisdiction matters: if a married couple's decree already allocates parental rights, later modification stays in the General & DR Division case. A General & DR post-decree motion costs $150 (or $100 with an agreed judgment entry); the Probate/Juvenile equivalent is $100.
- Do I have to give notice before moving with my child in Carroll County?
- Yes. In a General & DR Division case, a residential parent intending to move must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate at least 60 days before the move (or as soon as they know it will occur), per Local Rule 10.09 and R.C. 3109.051(G). The Clerk mails a copy to the non-residential parent unless the residential parent objects, in which case the court sets a hearing. The fee schedule lists a Motion for intent to relocate at $40.00.
- How is child support calculated in Carroll County?
- Carroll County uses Ohio's statewide 2024 Income Shares guidelines — there is no county-specific formula. Run the official worksheet on the Ohio Child Support Calculator using both parents' gross incomes, parenting time, health-insurance, and child-care figures, then print and sign it. A Child Support Computation Worksheet is required in any case with minor children (General & DR Division Local Rule 10.08), and the CSEA enforces the order through wage withholding once it is journalized.
- Does every Carroll County court use the same parenting schedule?
- No — and this is an important local quirk. The General & DR Division (married-couple cases) presumes equal parenting time for children ages 3–13 under its Standard Parenting Order, while the Probate & Juvenile Division (unmarried-parent and non-parent cases) uses a more traditional alternate-weekend-plus-midweek Standard Child Companionship Schedule (Probate/Juvenile Local Rule 18, Appendices F & G). Which default applies depends on which court hears your case.
Free Local Resources in Carroll County
- Carroll County Clerk of Courts. Provides current filing fees, local forms, and filing instructions for custody, divorce, and dissolution cases. Call (330) 627-2450 or visit https://carrollcountyohio.us/agencies-and-departments/courts/court-of-common-pleas/ before filing to confirm deposits and packet requirements.
- Carroll County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Carroll County's IV-D agency opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. File a IV-D Application when establishing or modifying support.
Other Family-Law Topics in Carroll County
- Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
- Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Carroll County custody attorney for help with your case.
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.
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