Post-Decree Modifications in Clark County
Clark County, Ohio · Springfield
After a Clark County divorce or dissolution is final, the court keeps continuing jurisdiction over child support, custody, parenting time, and (sometimes) spousal support. To change any of those, you file a post-decree motion at the Clark County DR at 101 N. Limestone Street — usually one of the Ohio Supreme Court Forms 26, 27, or 28, paired with the local Notice of Hearing.
How do I modify a Clark County divorce or dissolution decree?
File the right Ohio Supreme Court motion at the Clark County DR, 101 North Limestone Street, Springfield. Use Form 27 to change custody (residential parent / legal custodian), Form 28 to change child support, or Form 26 to change the parenting-time schedule. Pair the motion with the Clark DR Notice of Hearing local form. Custody changes require a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent plus best interest under R.C. 3109.04(E). Child support can also be reviewed administratively by CSEA every 36 months or on a 10%+ change. Property division is final and cannot be modified.
Where to File: Clark County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations (Adult Section)
101 North Limestone Street, Springfield, OH 45502, Springfield, OH 45502Phone: (937) 521-1753
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Website: www.clarkcountyohio.gov/
Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…
- Your income or the other parent's income has changed by 10% or more since the support order was entered.
- It has been 36 months or longer since the last child-support review.
- There has been a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent affecting custody.
- The parenting-time schedule is no longer working — a job, school, relocation, or the child's needs have changed.
- The decree expressly reserved jurisdiction to modify spousal support and a change has occurred.
If the other party is violating the existing order, you may want a contempt motion instead — or alongside. See Clark County post-decree contempt.
Filing Fees
Filing fee set by Clerk · CSEA administrative review is free · Mediation referral available for parenting-time disputes
Forms & Filing Packets
Change of custody / parental rights — Form 27
Requires a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent since the prior decree AND that modification is in the child's best interest AND that the harm of changing is outweighed by the benefits (R.C. 3109.04(E)(1)(a)).
- Motion for Change of Parental Rights (Supreme Court Form 27) — Asks the court to reallocate parental rights and responsibilities. Requires a showing of change of circumstances and best interest under R.C. 3109.04(E).
- Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3 — UCCJEA, R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom. Confirms Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
- Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
- Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, sign. Required any time the court is being asked to set support.
- Clark DR Notice of Hearing (local form) — Local DOCX template the moving party uses to notify the other side of any scheduled hearing date on a post-decree motion.
Change of child support — Form 28
Free administrative CSEA review is available every 36 months or earlier on a 10%+ change. You can also file the court motion below at any time.
- Motion for Change of Child Support (Supreme Court Form 28) — Asks the court to modify an existing child-support order. CSEA also offers free administrative reviews every 36 months or on a 10%+ change.
- Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, sign. Required any time the court is being asked to set support.
- Affidavit of Income, Expenses & Financial Disclosure (Affidavit 1) — Must be notarized. Required at filing in every Clark DR case. Both parties file their own.
- Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
- Clark DR Notice of Hearing (local form) — Local DOCX template the moving party uses to notify the other side of any scheduled hearing date on a post-decree motion.
Change of parenting time — Form 26
Lower bar than a custody change. Best-interest standard applies; no "change of circumstances" required for parenting-time-only modifications under R.C. 3109.051.
- Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Supreme Court Form 26) — Asks the court to change the parenting-time schedule. Best-interest standard applies; no "change of circumstances" required for parenting-time-only modifications.
- Clark DR Notice of Hearing (local form) — Local DOCX template the moving party uses to notify the other side of any scheduled hearing date on a post-decree motion.
If you need a continuance
Clark County requires the local Motion to Continue for any DR hearing continuance — letters and emails are not enough.
- Clark DR Motion to Continue (local form) — Clark County local form. Required to formally request continuance of any DR hearing. Include opposing counsel's position if known.
How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Clark County
- Identify what you need to change. Custody (Form 27), child support (Form 28), or parenting time only (Form 26). You can combine them in one filing — bring all three forms if multiple issues apply.
- Document the change of circumstances. For custody, the change must be of the child or residential parent — not the moving parent. For support, document the income change with paystubs, tax returns, and the new Affidavit 1.
- Run a current child-support worksheet. Use ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov. Required for any Form 28 motion and recommended for Form 27.
- File at 101 N. Limestone Street with the Notice of Hearing. Pay the filing fee set by the Clerk at (937) 521-1753. Once the court sets a hearing date, complete the Clark DR Notice of Hearing local form and serve it on the other party.
- Attend the hearing in front of the Judge or Magistrate. Magistrate hearings are usually held in the A.B. Graham Building at 31 N. Limestone Street. The Magistrate issues a decision; either party has 14 days to file Objections, which go to the Judge.
Clark County Practice Notes
- Property division is final. Clark County DR will not modify the property/debt allocation in a final decree. Once divided, it stays divided. Only support, custody, parenting time, and (if expressly reserved) spousal support are modifiable.
- Custody change has a high bar. R.C. 3109.04(E)(1)(a) requires a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent (not the moving parent) AND best interest AND harm-vs-benefit. "I want more time" is not enough — file a Form 26 parenting-time motion instead.
- Use the local Notice of Hearing. Clark DR has a local DOCX Notice of Hearing template the moving party must serve on the other side once a hearing date is set. Letters or emails are not a substitute.
- CSEA review is free. Before filing a Form 28 in court, consider requesting a CSEA administrative review — it's free, takes about 60-90 days, and the result is enforceable like a court order. Either party can object and trigger a court hearing.
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.
- Can I modify the property division from my Clark County decree?
- No. Once a Clark County DR judge divides marital property and debts in the final decree, that allocation is final and not subject to post-decree modification. You can still go back to court on child support, custody, parenting time, and (if the decree expressly reserved jurisdiction) spousal support.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Related to your post-decree 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.
Keep exploring
- Ohio Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications in Ohio.
- Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
- Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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