Clark County Family Law Guide
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated May 27, 2026
Gavvl Law helps Clark County, Ohio families with divorce, dissolution, custody, child support, paternity, and more. Find the right Clark County court, filing fees, and parenting resources below, or book a $25 first consultation to talk through your options with a local-focused attorney.
How we can help in Clark County
Ending a Marriage
- Divorce
Domestic Relations Court Filing fees vary — confirm with the Clerk
Best for: You and your spouse don't agree on everything (custody, parenting time, money, property, debt, or support).
View guide - Dissolution
Domestic Relations Court $350 DEPOSIT (not flat) — balance refunded after final hearing
Best for: You and your spouse agree on every term — property, debts, support, and (if applicable) custody and parenting time.
View guide - Legal Separation
Domestic Relations Court Filing fees vary — confirm with the Clerk
Best for: Religious beliefs prevent divorce, but you need court-ordered support, parenting time, or property division.
View guide - Annulment
Domestic Relations Court Filing fees vary — confirm with the Clerk
Best for: One party was under the legal age to marry without the required consent.
View guide
Parents & Children
- Custody
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court Married parents: custody is part of the divorce or dissolution deposit (dissolution is a $350 deposit; the divorce deposit is set by the Clerk at (937) 521-1753) · Court-appointed counsel: $25 non-refundable application fee.
Best for: You need a court order setting who the children live with and how parenting time and decision-making are divided.
View guide - Child Support
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court Court-appointed counsel (Juvenile): $25 non-refundable application fee.
Best for: You need a new child-support order set inside a divorce, dissolution, or a Juvenile Section case.
View guide - Paternity
Juvenile Court Court-appointed counsel: $25 non-refundable application fee.
Best for: You and the other parent were not married when the child was born.
View guide - Shared Parenting
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court Filing tracks the underlying case — dissolution is a $350 deposit; divorce and Juvenile deposits are set by the Clerk (call (937) 521-1753 for Adult Section amounts; contact the Juvenile Section for Juvenile amounts).
Best for: You and the other parent can share major decisions and follow a written schedule.
View guide
Changing or Enforcing Orders
- Post-Decree Modifications
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court Filing fees vary — confirm with the Clerk
Best for: Your income or the other parent's income has changed by 10% or more since the support order was entered.
View guide - Contempt
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court Filing fees vary — confirm with the Clerk
Best for: The other party isn't paying child support or spousal support as ordered.
View guide
Emergency & Safety
- CPO
Domestic Relations Court Filing fees vary — confirm with the Clerk
Best for: You are a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking and need court protection.
View guide
The Clark County family-law guide
Verified June 25, 2026
Download our free Clark County family-law guide (PDF) — a plain-language walkthrough of which court hears each matter, the current filing fees, the required parenting class, and e-filing — checked against the county's own court rules and fee schedules.
Download the Clark County family-law guide (PDF)
Talk to a Clark County family-law attorney
Sources we checked
- Clark County base-hub FAQ cc-deposit (filing deposits; Clerk (937) 521-1753)
- Clark County base-hub FAQ cc-payment (dissolution deposit applied to costs, balance refunded)
- Clark County base-hub FAQ cc-cpo (CPO petitions free; filed at A.B. Graham Building)
What we confirmed for 2026
- 2026-06-25: Verified Clark County dissolution deposit ($350) and the free CPO petition against the base-hub FAQs. Confirmed divorce/legal-separation/annulment/post-decree deposits are Clerk-set — call (937) 521-1753 — and added no unsourced amount. Recorded the $25 juvenile court-appointed-counsel application fee. No parenting-class fact exists in the source, so none was added.
Clark County family-law courts
Domestic Relations Court
Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and spousal support for married spouses
Clark County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations (Adult Section)
101 North Limestone Street, Springfield, OH 45502
Springfield, OH 45502
Phone: (937) 521-1753
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Court divisions, filing fees, and local requirements can change. Confirm the correct court, current fees, and required forms with the Clark County Clerk of Courts before you file.
Why Clark County is different
Hearings split across two buildings
Cases are assigned to Judge Thomas J. Capper at 101 N. Limestone Street, but Magistrates hold most hearings in the A.B. Graham Building at 31 N. Limestone Street — confirm your location on the hearing notice. (Clark County base-hub FAQ cc-magistrates)
Protection orders are filed at the Title Office
CPO petitions are not filed at the main courthouse. File at the Clark County Title Office in the A.B. Graham Building, 55 East Columbia Street, Springfield. There is no filing fee, and the court can issue an ex parte order the same day. (Clark County base-hub FAQ cc-cpo / cc-cpo-types)
Confirm Clerk-set deposits before filing
Only the dissolution deposit ($350) is fixed in the FAQs. Divorce, legal separation, annulment, and post-decree deposits are set by the Clerk — call (937) 521-1753 for the current amount before filing. (Clark County base-hub FAQ cc-deposit)
Court filing fees in Clark County
Domestic Relations Court
- Dissolution filing deposit: $350 — Deposit, not a flat fee — the unused balance is refunded after costs are deducted at the final hearing.
- Civil Protection Order petition: Free
- Divorce, legal separation, annulment & post-decree motions: Set by the Clerk — Deposits are set by the Clerk — call (937) 521-1753 for the current amount before filing.
Juvenile Court
- Juvenile court-appointed counsel application: $25 — Non-refundable application fee for court-appointed counsel.
These are court deposits and can change. Confirm current amounts with the Clark County Clerk of Courts before you file.
Free local resources in Clark County
- Clark County DR Clerk — 101 N. Limestone Street, Springfield, OH 45502. Phone (937) 521-1753 for filing-fee deposits, copy requirements, and procedural questions.
- Ohio Supreme Court Standardized Forms — Clark County uses these forms for every DR case type — divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and post-decree modifications. Available at supremecourt.ohio.gov.
- Clark County Public Library (Main Branch, S. Fountain Ave.) — LawPak Ohio Dissolution forms at the Reference Desk and access to the Cengage Legal Forms Database (library card required).
- Clark County Mediation Referral — Court-connected mediation for custody, parenting time, and post-decree disputes. Referral form linked from clarkcountyohio.gov DR forms page.
- Legal Aid of Western Ohio — Free civil legal assistance for income-qualifying Clark County residents. Call (877) 894-4599.
- Clark County Bar Association — Lawyer referral service. clarkcobar.com.
- United Way 2-1-1 (Clark, Champaign & Madison Counties) — Free 24/7 referral line for local shelter, advocacy, and social services.
Frequently asked questions
Does Gavvl Law serve Clark County, Ohio?
Yes. Gavvl Law represents families across all 88 Ohio counties, including Clark County and Springfield. We handle divorce, dissolution, custody, child support, paternity, and other family law matters for Clark County residents.
Which Clark County court handles my family law case?
Most Clark County family law cases are heard at Clark County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations (Adult Section). The right division depends on your case type — for example, custody and support for unmarried parents is often handled in a separate juvenile division from divorce. Confirm where to file and any local requirements with the Clark County Clerk of Courts before you start.
How much does it cost to file a family law case in Clark County?
Court filing fees in Clark County are deposits that vary by case type — for example, the deposit for Divorce, legal separation, annulment & post-decree motions is about Set by the Clerk. These deposits can change and do not include attorney fees. Confirm the current schedule with the Clark County Clerk of Courts, and ask Gavvl Law about flat fees and payment plans for representation.
Do I have to take a parenting class in Clark County?
Most Ohio courts require divorcing or separating parents to complete a short parenting or co-parenting class before a judge will finalize the case. Confirm Clark County's current requirement and approved providers with the Clerk of Courts.
Can I file Clark County family law forms online?
It depends on the court. Some Ohio courts accept e-filing while others require paper filing in person or by mail. Check the Clark County Clerk of Courts website for the current options before you prepare your documents.
How long does a divorce or dissolution take in Clark County?
It depends on the path. An Ohio dissolution — used when both spouses agree on every issue — is generally finalized within about 30 to 90 days of filing, because the law sets the final hearing in that window. A contested divorce takes longer, often several months to more than a year, depending on the issues and the court's schedule. Clark County's docket affects timing, so ask about current wait times at your consultation.
What family law services does Gavvl Law offer in Clark County?
Gavvl Law offers divorce, dissolution, legal separation, custody, shared parenting, child support, paternity, post-decree modifications, and more for Clark County families. Choose a service below to see the local process and forms.
Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.
