Columbiana County Post-Decree Modification Attorneys

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

Columbiana County, Ohio · Lisbon

After a Columbiana 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 105 S. Market Street, Lisbon — usually one of the Ohio Supreme Court Forms 26, 27, or 28, with a proposed Judgment Entry attached (Local Rule 9.0).

Hire Gavvl for your Columbiana County post-decree modifications case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Columbiana 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.

How do I modify a Columbiana County divorce or dissolution decree?

File the right Ohio Supreme Court motion at the Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas at 105 South Market Street, Lisbon. 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. Attach a proposed Judgment Entry (Local Rule 9.0), plus a child-support worksheet and Financial Affidavit for support changes. 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. The filing fee for any post-decree motion is $100. Property division is final and cannot be modified.

Columbiana County post-decree modifications, handled by Gavvl Law

After a Columbiana County decree is final, the court keeps continuing jurisdiction over child support, custody, and parenting time — but property division is permanent. To change an order you file the right Ohio Supreme Court motion at 105 South Market Street in Lisbon (Form 27 for custody, Form 28 for support, Form 26 for parenting time) with a proposed Judgment Entry attached under Local Rule 9.0, for a $100 filing fee. Gavvl Law matches your facts to the correct form and standard and approves one flat fee up front.

The right form for the right change. A custody change (Form 27) demands a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent plus best interest, while a parenting-time-only change (Form 26) uses the lower R.C. 3109.051 standard. We file the motion whose burden you can actually meet, so "I want more time" isn't argued as a full custody fight.
Every motion needs a proposed Judgment Entry. Local Rule 9.0 requires a proposed Judgment Entry with each post-decree motion, and support changes also need a child-support worksheet and current local Financial Affidavit under Local Rule 9.1B. We attach the full set so the DR Magistrate can rule without sending it back.
The free CSEA review as a first step. Before a Form 28, either parent can ask CSEA for a free administrative review every 36 months or on a 10%-or-more change. We tell you when that free route beats a $100 court motion and when the court filing is the faster path to a new number.

Contested modifications go before DR Magistrates J. Bradley Allison and Lynsey Lyle-Opalenik, and either party has 14 days to file objections to a Magistrate's Decision before it reaches a Judge. We document the change of circumstances with paystubs, tax returns, and the local Financial Affidavit and preserve that objection deadline so a bad ruling isn't locked in.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the motion to modify an existing custody, parenting-time, or support order. You appear at any hearing.

Modify custody or parenting time: $1,450
Modify child support: $950

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 post-decree modifications case or see payment plans & financing.

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: Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas (Domestic Relations)

105 South Market Street, Lisbon, OH 44432
Phone: (330) 424-7777
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Website: Court website

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Columbiana County Juvenile Court (Charles A. Pike Juvenile Center)
260 West Lincoln Way, Lisbon, OH 44432
Phone: (330) 424-4071
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (filings before 3:30 PM)

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 Columbiana County post-decree contempt.

Filing Fees

$100 per post-decree motion · CSEA administrative review is free · Proposed Judgment Entry required (Local Rule 9.0)

Forms & Filing Packets

Change of custody / parental rights — Form 27 — $100

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 change of circumstances and best interest under R.C. 3109.04(E).
Columbiana County Custody Affidavit (UCCJEA — local) — Local UCCJEA affidavit required in any DR case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC 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, and sign.

Change of child support — Form 28 — $100

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.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign.
Columbiana County Financial Affidavit (local — replaces OSC Affidavit 1) — Columbiana County uses its own local Financial Affidavit in place of the Ohio Supreme Court Affidavit 1. Both parties must file their own.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.

Change of parenting time — Form 26 — $100

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.

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Columbiana 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 a current local Financial Affidavit.
Run a current child-support worksheet. Use ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov. Required for any Form 28 motion and recommended for Form 27.
File at 105 South Market Street, Lisbon, with a proposed Judgment Entry. Pay the $100 filing fee. Attach a proposed Judgment Entry (Local Rule 9.0); for support changes, include the worksheet and Financial Affidavit.
Attend the hearing in front of the Judge or DR Magistrate. DR Magistrates J. Bradley Allison and Lynsey Lyle-Opalenik hear most contested matters. Either party has 14 days to file Objections to a Magistrate's Decision, which then go to a Judge.

Columbiana County Practice Notes

Property division is final. Columbiana County 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.
Attach a proposed Judgment Entry. Local Rule 9.0 requires a proposed Judgment Entry with every post-decree motion. For support modifications, also attach a child-support worksheet and a current Financial Affidavit (Local Rule 9.1B).
CSEA review is free. Before filing a Form 28, 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

Should I file a modification or a contempt motion?: 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 (Form 24) plus the Show Cause Order (Form 25) when the existing order is being violated and you want the court to enforce it. The two can be filed together when both apply.
Can I modify the property division from my Columbiana County decree?: No. Once the property and debt allocation is made final in your decree, it cannot be modified. You can still go back to court on child support, custody, parenting time, and (if the decree expressly reserved jurisdiction) spousal support.
Who hears Columbiana County DR cases?: The General Division judges are Hon. Scott Washam and Hon. Megan L. Bickerton. The DR Magistrates are J. Bradley Allison and Lynsey Lyle-Opalenik, who hear most contested matters and motions. Anthony J. Dattilio is the Clerk of Courts.
How much does it cost to file in Columbiana County DR?: Dissolution, divorce, legal separation, and annulment are all $300 flat. Post-decree motions are $100. A QDRO filing is $60. An Answer and Cross-Complaint with a service request is $60. Out-of-county Sheriff service is $60. Service by publication is $650. CPO petitions have no filing fee.
When do I file in Juvenile Court instead of DR?: If the parents were never married, custody, parenting time, and child support are filed in the Columbiana County Juvenile Court at the Charles A. Pike Juvenile Center, 260 West Lincoln Way, Lisbon — (330) 424-4071, Judge Thomas M. Baronzzi. All juvenile filings must be made before 3:30 p.m. If you were married, those issues travel with the divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in DR.

Free Local Resources in Columbiana County

Columbiana County Clerk of Courts (Anthony J. Dattilio). 105 South Market Street, Lisbon, OH 44432. Phone (330) 424-7777.
Columbiana County Local Rules. ccclerk.org/common-pleas-court-rules — Local Rules 9.4, 9.41, 9.42 and DR procedure.
Ohio Supreme Court Standardized Forms. supremecourt.ohio.gov — used for the complaint, decree, parenting plans, and post-decree motions.
Columbiana County Local Forms (ccclerk.org). Case Designation Sheet, Personal Information Form, Financial Affidavit, UCCJEA, IV-D Application.
Local Companionship Schedules. Rule 9.4 (Uniform), Rule 9.41 (Long Distance), Rule 9.42 (Transitional) — linked from ccclerk.org.
Charles A. Pike Juvenile Center. 260 West Lincoln Way, Lisbon — (330) 424-4071. Judge Thomas M. Baronzzi. Filings before 3:30 p.m.
Columbiana County Law Library. columbianacountylawlibrary.org — research and self-help resources.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov — run the worksheet and print it for filing.
Ohio Legal Help. ohiolegalhelp.org — plain-language guides and form walkthroughs.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on post-decree modifications and related Ohio family law topics.

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.
How to Modify Child Support in Ohio — Child support orders aren't permanent. When income or circumstances change substantially, Ohio lets you modify support — through a CSEA review or a court motion. Here's how.
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.

Keep exploring Columbiana County family law

Ohio Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications in Ohio.
Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
Columbiana County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Columbiana 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.

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