Emergency & Temporary Orders in Champaign County

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

Champaign County, Ohio · Urbana

When a child is at risk or you need to hold the status quo, Champaign County offers temporary orders while a case is pending. In a DR divorce or custody case you can request interim custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, and use of property with the Motion/Affidavit for Temporary Orders. For domestic violence or immediate danger, the faster tool is a Civil Protection Order — and for a same-day ex parte hearing you must file before 3:00 p.m.

How do I get an emergency custody order in Champaign County, Ohio?

In a Champaign County DR divorce or custody case, file the Motion/Affidavit for Temporary Orders with your financial affidavits to ask for interim custody, parenting time, support, or use of the home; the court can issue temporary orders on the affidavits and may set a hearing. The other party can respond with a counter-affidavit. Temporary orders keep things stable but are not the final custody decision, which is made in the decree under R.C. 3109.04. If the concern is domestic violence or immediate danger, the faster tool is a Domestic Violence (or Dating Violence) Civil Protection Order — file as early in the day as possible for a same-day ex parte hearing, because petitions filed after 3:00 p.m. are heard the next business day. Call 911 if you are in immediate danger.

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: Champaign County Family Court (Domestic Relations–Juvenile–Probate Division)

200 North Main Street, 3rd Floor, Urbana, OH 43078, Urbana, OH 43078
Phone: (937) 484-1027
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (closed holidays)
Website: www.ccfamct.us
e-Filing: https://eservices.champaigncountyfamilycourt.com

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Champaign County Family Court (Juvenile side)
200 North Main Street, 3rd Floor, Urbana, OH 43078, Urbana, OH 43078
Phone: (937) 484-1027
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (closed holidays)

Emergency Custody is the right path if…

A child faces immediate danger or a serious risk of harm.
You need temporary parenting time, support, or use of the home right now.
You can swear to specific facts showing why the relief can't wait for a full hearing.
There is a pending or newly filed Family Court case the temporary orders can attach to.

Filing Fees

Temporary orders ride the underlying DR case deposit · Civil Protection Orders are free (R.C. 3113.31) · file before 3:00 p.m. for a same-day ex parte hearing — confirm with the Clerk at (937) 484-1027

Forms & Filing Packets

Motion/Affidavit for Temporary Orders

File the local Motion/Affidavit for Temporary Orders with your income and property affidavits to set interim custody, parenting time, support, or use of the home while the case is pending.

Family Court Cover Sheet — Required cover sheet for every initial Champaign County Family Court filing. Must be printed single-sided.
Confidential Disclosure of Personal Identifiers — Required in every case so personal identifiers stay out of the public record (the filer must redact under Sup. R. 45). Printed single-sided.
Motion/Affidavit or Counter Affidavit for Temporary Orders — Asks the court for interim custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, or use of property while a DR case is pending. The other party can respond with a counter-affidavit.
Affidavit of Income and Expenses (Champaign County local) — Champaign County's local income, expense, and financial-information affidavit. Each party files their own.
Affidavit of Property (Champaign County local) — Lists every asset and debt of the marriage. Required at filing.

Add child-related affidavits

In any case involving children, add the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit and the Ohio child-support worksheet so the court can address temporary parenting time and support.

Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Champaign County local) — Required in any DR case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
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.

Protection order for immediate danger

If the concern is domestic or dating violence, file a Civil Protection Order and ask for an ex parte hearing — file before 3:00 p.m. for a same-day hearing. There is no filing fee.

Petition for Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (R.C. 3113.31) — Opens a DV CPO case against a family or household member. There is no filing fee, and the petition may be sworn before a deputy clerk of the Family Court.
Petition for Dating Violence Civil Protection Order — Opens a Dating Violence CPO case against a person in a dating relationship with the petitioner. No filing fee.

How to File Emergency Custody in Champaign County

Confirm it's truly urgent. Identify the immediate risk to the child or the need to preserve support, parenting time, or use of the home while the case is pending.
Prepare the motion and affidavit. Complete the Motion/Affidavit for Temporary Orders with your income and property affidavits, setting out the specific facts.
Choose the faster tool if there's danger. If the concern is domestic or dating violence, file a Civil Protection Order instead (or in addition) and ask for an ex parte hearing — file before 3:00 p.m.
Attend the hearing. The court can issue temporary orders on the affidavits and may set a hearing; a protection order gets a full hearing where both sides can be heard.

Champaign County Practice Notes

Temporary orders are not permanent. The Motion/Affidavit for Temporary Orders sets interim rules while a divorce, legal separation, or custody case is pending; the other party can respond with a counter-affidavit. Final allocation of parental rights happens in the decree under the best-interest factors of R.C. 3109.04 — temporary orders do not decide final custody.
Protection orders are the faster safety tool — file before 3:00 p.m.. For domestic or dating violence, a Civil Protection Order is faster than a custody motion. For a same-day ex parte hearing, file as early in the day as possible; petitions filed after 3:00 p.m. are heard as soon as possible the next business day. A DV CPO petition may be sworn before a deputy clerk. Call 911 in immediate danger.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get temporary orders while my Champaign County case is pending?: Yes. In a DR divorce or custody case, file the Motion/Affidavit for Temporary Orders with your financial affidavits to ask for interim custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, or use of property. The other party can respond with a counter-affidavit. Temporary orders keep things stable but are not the final decision on custody, which is made in the decree under R.C. 3109.04.
How fast can I get a protection order in Champaign County?: If you ask for an ex parte (same-day) hearing, file as early in the day as possible — petitions filed after 3:00 p.m. are heard as soon as possible the next business day. The court can issue a temporary ex parte order immediately if the situation warrants, and a full hearing follows where both sides can be heard before any longer-term order issues.
Does a protection order cost anything in Champaign County?: No. There is no filing fee for the petitioner on a Domestic Violence or Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (R.C. 3113.31). Petitions are filed on the Domestic Relations side of the Family Court, and a DV CPO petition may be sworn before a deputy clerk. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Where do I file a family-law case in Champaign County?: All Champaign County family-law cases — divorce, dissolution, custody, support, paternity, protection orders, and adoption — are filed at one combined court: the Champaign County Family Court (Domestic Relations–Juvenile–Probate Division), 200 North Main Street, 3rd Floor, Urbana, OH 43078, Clerk's Office (937) 484-1027. This is separate from the General Division of Common Pleas, which handles felonies and general civil cases and is not where family law is filed.

Free Local Resources in Champaign County

Champaign County Family Court Clerk's Office. 200 North Main Street, 3rd Floor, Urbana, OH 43078. Phone (937) 484-1027 / (937) 484-1028; fax (937) 484-1026; email clerks@ccfamct.us. Hours Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Clerks can check that the right blanks are filled in but cannot give legal advice. Online records (eServices): https://eservices.champaigncountyfamilycourt.com.
Champaign County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Champaign County Department of Job & Family Services / CSEA, 1512 S. US Hwy 68, Ste. N100, Urbana, OH 43078. Phone (937) 484-1500; website https://www.champaigndjfs.org. Establishes, collects, and enforces support and can establish paternity administratively.
Champaign County Law Library. Located on the basement level of the Champaign County Court of Common Pleas, open Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Self-represented parties can research the law there.
Children Services (abuse / neglect). Report concerns during business hours at (937) 484-1500 (ask for Children Services Intake); after hours/holidays call the Champaign County Dispatch Center at (937) 653-3409. Call 911 if a child is in immediate danger.

Related to your emergency custody case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Grandparents' Rights — Seek visitation or custody when it serves the child's best interest.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.

Related guides

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

Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.
Ohio Child Custody Laws: What Every Parent Should Know — Ohio custody law turns on one principle: the best interest of the child. This guide explains sole custody, shared parenting, the statutory factors, and how courts decide.
Civil Protection Orders in Ohio: How to Get a CPO — An Ohio civil protection order can provide fast, court-ordered protection from domestic violence — including no-contact terms, exclusive home use, and temporary custody. Here's how to get one.

Keep exploring

Ohio Emergency Custody guide — Statewide overview of emergency custody in Ohio.
Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
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