Clark County Contempt & Enforcement Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Clark County contempt case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Clark 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 your Clark County order with Gavvl Law

When the other party ignores a Clark County order — skipping support, breaking the parenting schedule, or refusing to transfer property — a Motion for Contempt asks the Domestic Relations Court to enforce it. Clark publishes no fill-in contempt form, so the motion must name the exact order and violation, attach a certified copy and a sworn affidavit of facts, and request a show-cause hearing. Gavvl Law drafts that motion to Clark's caption requirements and quotes one flat fee approved up front, with attorney fees often recoverable from the party who violated the order.

• Built to Clark's caption, not a generic form. Because Clark County does not publish a contempt form, self-filers guess at the caption and get bounced. We confirm the Clerk's requirements at (937) 521-1753, name the specific paragraph being violated, and attach the certified order and sworn affidavit the court expects — so the show-cause hearing gets set.
• Purge conditions that force real compliance. Civil contempt is coercive: the court usually finds contempt but stays the penalty behind purge conditions like paying arrears, restoring missed parenting time, or transferring the asset. We frame purge terms that actually fix the problem and trigger the suspended sentence if the violator still refuses.
• Fees documented so you can recover them. Ohio lets the prevailing party recover reasonable attorney fees in a successful family-law contempt action. We keep contemporaneous records and a clean timeline of every violation — CSEA payment history for support, a dated log for denied parenting time — so a fee award is on the table.

For chronic parenting-time friction that falls short of clear contempt, Clark County's court-connected mediation referral can resolve things faster than a hearing, and contempt motions are heard by the same magistrates at the A.B. Graham Building on 31 N. Limestone Street. We pick the tool that fits and offer a flat fee approved up front with financing.

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: Clark County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations (Adult Section)

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• The other party isn't paying child support or spousal support as ordered.
• The other party isn't following the parenting-time schedule in the decree.
• The other party hasn't transferred property (house, vehicle, retirement, account) as ordered.
• The other party let court-ordered health insurance lapse.
• Any willful violation of any clear, specific provision in the court's order.

If circumstances have changed and you need a new order going forward, you may want a modification motion instead — or alongside. See post-decree modifications.

Filing Fees

Filing fee set by Clerk · Civil contempt purge conditions can include payment plans, make-up parenting time, or property transfer · Criminal contempt carries fines and possible jail

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Clark County

1. Pull the specific order language. Find the exact paragraph in the decree (or post-decree entry) the other party is violating. Vague orders rarely support contempt.
2. Document the violations. For support, attach the CSEA payment history or your own ledger. For parenting time, attach a contemporaneous log (date, time, what was denied, how). For property, attach proof the transfer didn't happen.
3. Draft the Motion for Contempt. Identify the specific order, the specific violation, and the relief sought. Attach a certified copy of the order and a sworn affidavit of facts. Call (937) 521-1753 for the Clark County caption requirements.
4. File at 101 N. Limestone Street and pay the filing fee. Once the court sets a hearing, complete and serve the Clark DR Notice of Hearing local form on the other party.
5. Attend the show-cause hearing prepared with exhibits. Bring marked exhibits (payment history, parenting log, transfer documents) and any witnesses. If the court finds contempt, expect purge conditions, fines, attorney-fee award, or — in serious cases — a suspended jail sentence with purge.

Clark County Practice Notes

• The order must be clear and specific. Clark County DR will not hold a party in contempt for violating a vague or ambiguous order. If the decree language is fuzzy, you may need a modification motion to clarify it first.
• Purge conditions are the heart of civil contempt. Civil contempt is coercive — the court usually finds the violator in contempt but stays the penalty if they comply with specific purge conditions (pay the arrears, restore missed parenting time, transfer the asset). Failure to purge triggers the suspended sentence.
• Attorney fees are recoverable. Ohio law allows the prevailing party in a successful family-law contempt action to recover reasonable attorney fees. Keep contemporaneous billing records and a clear timeline of the violations.
• Consider mediation for parenting disputes. For repeated parenting-time conflicts that don't rise to clear contempt, Clark County's mediation referral can be more effective than contempt — especially when both sides have communication breakdowns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Modification versus contempt — which one do I file?

File a modification motion (Forms 26, 27, or 28) when circumstances have changed and you want a new order going forward. File a Motion for Contempt when the existing order is being violated and you want the court to enforce it — possible remedies include fines, jail, purge conditions, attorney fees, and make-up parenting time. The two motions can be filed together when both apply.

Where do hearings actually take place?

Cases are assigned to Hon. Thomas J. Capper at 101 N. Limestone Street, but Magistrates Ann Ringler and Patrick Phillips hold most hearings in the A.B. Graham Building at 31 N. Limestone Street (a separate building one block away). Confirm your location on the hearing notice before you arrive.

Is mediation available in Clark County?

Yes. Clark County offers court-connected mediation for custody, parenting time, and other family-law disputes — including post-decree motions. Either party can request a referral using the Clark County Mediation Referral Form, or the Magistrate can refer sua sponte. Mediation is generally not used in CPO cases involving domestic violence.

How much does it cost to file in Clark County DR?

Dissolution is a $350 deposit (not a flat fee — the balance is refunded after costs). For divorce, legal separation, annulment, and post-decree motions, deposits are set by the Clerk — call (937) 521-1753 for the current amount before filing. CPO petitions are free. Juvenile court charges a $25 non-refundable application fee for court-appointed counsel.

When do I file in the Juvenile Section instead of DR?

If you were never married to the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are filed in the Clark County Juvenile Section (clarkohiojuvcourt.us), not in DR. If you were married, those issues travel with the divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in DR at 101 N. Limestone Street.

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.

Other Family-Law Topics in Clark County

• Clark County Dissolution — Cooperative path — $350 deposit, 30-90 days to final hearing.
• Clark County Divorce — Full filing guide with Ohio SC standardized forms and the 42-day waiting period.
• Clark County Legal Separation — Same forms as divorce — marriage stays legally intact at the end.
• Clark County Annulment — Limited grounds under R.C. 3105.31 — treats the marriage as if it never happened.
• Clark County Post-Decree Modifications — Change child support, custody, or parenting time after the decree.
• Clark County Post-Decree Contempt — Enforce an order the other party is violating.
• Clark County Custody — Allocation of parental rights — Adult Section or Juvenile Section, with the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest test.
• Clark County Child Support — Set, modify, or enforce support under the Ohio 2024 Income Shares Model.
• Clark County Paternity — Establish a father, custody, and support for never-married parents with Form 23.
• Clark County Shared Parenting — Both parents as residential parent under a notarized Form 20 plan.
• Clark County Civil Protection Orders — Same-day ex parte protection — no filing fee, filed at the Title Office.

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 Clark County family-law resources

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