Filing for Divorce with Children in Columbiana County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated May 27, 2026

File for divorce with minor children in the Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas. Step-by-step guidance, 11 required forms, $300 filing fee, parenting class requirements, and Ohio attorney help.

Columbiana County's Court of Common Pleas sits at 105 South Market Street in Lisbon, and it runs on a mix of local and Ohio Supreme Court forms: a local Financial Affidavit replaces OSC Affidavit 1, and a local UCCJEA Custody Affidavit replaces OSC Affidavit 3. The filing fee is a flat $300 whether or not children are involved. Two procedural details catch self-represented filers off guard: parenting time defaults to the local Companionship Schedules (Rules 9.4, 9.41, 9.42), and you must file a separate Request for Hearing form to get a contested matter on the calendar — the complaint alone does not schedule one. The 42-day waiting period after service applies before any final divorce hearing.

Ohio Divorce by the Numbers

6 months Ohio residency required before you can file Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03
90 days Residency in the county of filing (venue) Source: Ohio Civ. R. 3
30–90 days Typical time to finalize an uncontested dissolution Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.64
1 year Living separate and apart that qualifies as no-fault grounds Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.01

Compare Your Options for Ending a Marriage in Ohio

Path	Ends the marriage?	Agreement required?	Best when
Dissolution	Yes	Yes — on every term before filing	Both spouses agree on everything and want the fastest, lowest-cost path
Divorce (contested)	Yes	No	Spouses disagree on property, support, or parenting and need a judge to decide
Divorce (uncontested / default)	Yes	No	One spouse will not respond or cannot be located
Legal separation	No — you stay married	Optional	You need court orders but must stay married (religion, insurance, or benefits)
Annulment	Treated as never valid	No	The marriage was never legally valid (fraud, bigamy, underage, or incapacity)

Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas

105 South Market Street, Lisbon, OH 44432
Phone: (330) 424-7777
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: Court website

Columbiana County Clerk of Courts, Court of Common Pleas, 105 South Market Street, Lisbon, OH 44432 — (330) 424-7777.

Filing Fees

$300 flat — charged whether or not children are involved

Columbiana County Procedure Quirks

Columbiana uses a local Financial Affidavit in place of OSC Affidavit 1, and a local UCCJEA Custody Affidavit in place of OSC Affidavit 3.
Local Companionship Schedules (Rules 9.4, 9.41, 9.42) govern parenting time by default.
$300 flat filing fee whether or not children are involved; Answer & Cross-Complaint with service is $60, out-of-county Sheriff service is $60, and service by publication is $650.
A Request for Hearing form must be filed to put a contested matter on the calendar — filing the complaint alone does not auto-schedule a hearing.
42-day waiting period after service before a final divorce hearing — it cannot be waived.

Parenting Class

Confirm the current Columbiana County parenting-class requirement with the Clerk — Columbiana County Clerk of Courts (Register / learn more)
Call (330) 424-7777 to confirm the current required parenting class and provider before your final hearing.

Columbiana County Juvenile Court — Charles A. Pike Juvenile Center

260 West Lincoln Way, Lisbon, OH 44432
Phone: (330) 424-7777

Juvenile Court operates from a separate facility from the Common Pleas Court. Hears never-married-parent custody, parenting time, child support, and paternity, plus juvenile delinquency, unruly, and abuse/neglect/dependency matters.

Domestic Relations vs. Juvenile

Columbiana County splits its family cases across two Lisbon facilities: married and divorcing couples file divorce, dissolution, and related custody/support at the Court of Common Pleas (105 South Market Street); never-married parents file custody, parenting time, child support, and paternity at the Charles A. Pike Juvenile Center (260 West Lincoln Way).

Free Local Resources in Columbiana County

Columbiana County Clerk of Courts — Forms & Local Rules. ccclerk.org — local Case Designation Sheet, Personal Information Form, Financial Affidavit, UCCJEA Custody Affidavit, and the Common Pleas Court Rules.
Ohio Supreme Court Standardized DR Forms. supremecourt.ohio.gov/forms — the standardized Complaint, property, health-insurance, and parenting-plan forms used alongside Columbiana's local forms.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov — run and print the Child Support Worksheet required at filing.

Required divorce-with-children packet (11 forms)

Case Designation Sheet (DR — local) — Required with every new DR filing.
Personal Information Form (local) — Required with every new DR filing.
Complaint for Divorce With Children — Opens your Columbiana County divorce. Pleads custody, parenting time, and child support.
Columbiana County Financial Affidavit (local — replaces OSC Affidavit 1) — Each party files their own. Columbiana uses this in place of OSC Affidavit 1.
Affidavit of Property — Lists every asset and debt.
Custody Affidavit (UCCJEA — local) — Local UCCJEA affidavit required in any DR case with minor children.
Health Insurance Affidavit — Discloses whether children's health insurance is available through either parent's employer.
Application for Child Support Services (IV-D — local) — Required when the court will issue a child-support order.
Child Support Worksheet — Run on the Ohio Child Support Calculator and print.
Parenting Plan (Form 20 or 21) — Form 20 for shared parenting (notarized); Form 21 for sole-residential.
Decree of Divorce With Children — Proposed final order.

Temporary orders while your case is pending

Under Ohio Civil Rule 75(N), Columbiana County may decide temporary-orders motions on the affidavits or set a hearing. File the motion with a current local Financial Affidavit and Affidavit 2. The 42-day waiting period after service applies before any final divorce hearing.

Motion for Temporary Orders (Civ. R. 75(N)) — Requests temporary custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, or exclusive use of the home while the case is pending.
Columbiana County Financial Affidavit (local) — current — Required attachment to any temporary-orders motion in Columbiana — replaces OSC Affidavit 1.
Affidavit 2 (Property) — current — Required attachment to any temporary-orders motion.

Related guides

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

How to File for Divorce in Ohio: A Step-by-Step Guide — Filing for divorce in Ohio follows a defined path: confirm residency, choose your grounds, file the complaint, serve your spouse, and work toward temporary orders and a final decree. Here is how each step works.
Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio: Which Path Is Right for You? — Divorce and dissolution both end an Ohio marriage, but they work very differently. Dissolution is a no-fault, agreed process; divorce is a lawsuit for couples who can't agree. Here's how to choose.
How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Ohio? — The cost of an Ohio divorce ranges widely depending on conflict and complexity. Here's what drives the price — court fees, attorney fees, experts — and how to keep it manageable.
How Long Does a Divorce Take in Ohio? — There is no single answer to how long an Ohio divorce takes — an agreed dissolution can finish in a couple of months, while a contested divorce may run a year or more. Here's what drives the timeline.

Related to your divorce

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.

Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.