Columbus Family Law Attorneys Serving Franklin County

All Franklin County services

Tap a service to open its Franklin County guide — filing steps, local forms, fees, and what to expect.

• Divorce — Ending a marriage when you and your spouse don't agree on everything.
• Dissolution — Ending a marriage when you both agree on all the terms.
• Custody — Deciding legal custody and parenting time for your child.
• Child Support — Setting up, calculating, or collecting child support.
• Paternity — Establishing legal fatherhood when parents were never married.
• Shared Parenting — Building a joint parenting plan both parents follow.
• Post-Decree Modifications — Changing an existing custody, support, or parenting order.
• Post-Decree Contempt — Enforcing a court order the other side is ignoring.
• Emergency Custody — Protecting a child who is in immediate danger right now.
• Grandparent / Non-Parent Custody — Seeking custody or visitation as a grandparent or relative.
• Civil Protection Orders — Court protection from abuse, threats, or stalking.
• Legal Separation — Living apart with court-ordered terms while staying married.
• Annulment — Treating a marriage as if it never legally happened.

Two ways to be represented

Match the cost to the complexity of your Franklin County case. Hire an attorney for your whole case, or for just the specific tasks you need.

Full representation

Your attorney manages the entire case from the first consultation through final orders — strategy, every filing, all court appearances, and negotiation. You have ongoing access the whole way through. Best for contested or complex cases, high-conflict situations, and anything that may go to trial. Billed as a retainer plus hourly fees. Learn about full representation.

Limited-scope (flat fee)

You hire us for specific tasks at a flat fee per service — document drafting and filing, a single hearing, legal advice, or document review. Predictable cost, focused on the task you need. Best for uncontested matters, simple modifications, and tighter budgets. Not recommended for high-conflict cases that need ongoing advocacy. Learn about limited scope.

Find my service

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Division of Domestic Relations

Franklin County Court Costs, Itemized

• Divorce (with or without minor children): $275
• Dissolution of marriage: $225
• Legal separation: $200
• Annulment: $200
• Custody / visitation / support: $175
• Post-judgment motion: +$150
• Counterclaim: +$43

Filing fees are deposits paid to the Franklin County Clerk of Courts and are subject to additional statewide surcharges, including the mandatory $32 Ohio Revised Code § 2303.201 domestic violence shelter surcharge and a $5.50 decree fee. Service costs are billed separately. Poverty affidavits are available.

Inside a Franklin County Domestic Relations Case

• Franklin County requires both parents in cases involving minor children to complete the court's TAPP – Putting the Children First parenting seminar before final decree.
• Local Rule 27 mandates good-faith mediation in most contested custody and parenting time cases before a trial date is assigned.
• Most Franklin County dissolutions are finalized in 30–90 days after filing if all paperwork is properly prepared.
• Contested divorces follow a structured pretrial → final pretrial → trial calendar, typically 9–15 months from filing.

Parenting Class Requirement

The court-approved parenting class for Franklin County is administered through Franklin County Children Services partners and several online providers. We help every Columbus client register and complete the class on schedule.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations & Juvenile Division (Never-Married Parents)

373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 525-3600
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Franklin County combines Domestic Relations and Juvenile under one Division at the same downtown address. Juvenile cases involve minors, so case information is not publicly available — only authorized parties may access it.

Franklin County is one of the few Ohio counties where Domestic Relations and Juvenile are combined into a single Division at 373 South High Street. Married couples file divorce, dissolution, and related custody/support there; never-married parents file paternity, custody, parenting time, and child support in the same building's Juvenile Branch.

Who We Help Across Columbus

• Franklin County: ~1.32 million residents (largest in Ohio)
• Greater Columbus metro: ~2.18 million
• Median age: ~34 (one of Ohio's youngest metros)

Serving Short North, German Village, Clintonville, Bexley, Upper Arlington, Dublin, Westerville, Powell, New Albany, Worthington, Grandview Heights, Hilliard, Gahanna, Grove City, Reynoldsburg.

Columbus Family Law Questions, Answered

Where do I file for divorce in Columbus?

Columbus divorce, dissolution, and custody cases are filed at the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Division of Domestic Relations, located at 373 South High Street, Floor 4, Columbus, OH 43215. We e-file all documents on behalf of our clients.

How much does it cost to file for divorce in Franklin County?

Franklin County's 2026 filing fee is $275 for a divorce (with or without minor children) and $225 for a dissolution. There is also a mandatory $32 statewide domestic violence shelter surcharge and a $5.50 decree fee. Service of process and court reporter fees are additional.

How long does a Franklin County divorce take?

A Franklin County dissolution is typically finalized 30–90 days after filing. A contested Franklin County divorce usually takes 9 to 15 months, depending on how complex property division and custody issues are.

Do I have to go to mediation in a Columbus custody case?

Under Franklin County Local Rule 27, the court requires good-faith mediation in most contested custody and parenting time cases before scheduling a trial. Mediators are court-appointed or privately retained.

Is the parenting class required in Franklin County?

Yes. The Franklin County Court of Domestic Relations requires both parents in any case involving minor children to complete the TAPP – Putting the Children First seminar before final decree. The class is offered both in person and online.

Do you handle Delaware, Fairfield, and Licking County cases?

Yes. We file in all of Central Ohio's surrounding counties — Delaware (Delaware), Fairfield (Lancaster), Licking (Newark), Madison, Pickaway, and Union — each with their own local rules and judges that we know well.

Columbus Divorce Guide

Focused specifically on divorce in Franklin County? See our in-depth guide: Columbus Divorce Lawyers — Franklin County divorce guide.

Columbus Family Law Practice Areas

• Divorce & Dissolution — End your marriage through a contested divorce or an amicable dissolution.
• Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
• Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Columbus Divorce & Custody Attorneys Serving Franklin, Delaware & Licking Counties

We represent clients across the Columbus metro area and surrounding counties.

• Franklin County divorce & family law — Columbus, Dublin, Westerville, Worthington, Grove City, Hilliard, Gahanna, Upper Arlington, Reynoldsburg
• Delaware County divorce & family law — Delaware, Powell, Lewis Center, Sunbury, Galena
• Fairfield County divorce & family law — Lancaster, Pickerington, Canal Winchester, Baltimore
• Licking County divorce & family law — Newark, Pataskala, Heath, Granville, Reynoldsburg (partial)

Transparent Pricing & Payment Options in Columbus

Columbus families shouldn't have to guess what legal help will cost. Gavvl Law uses transparent pricing — flat fees for many uncontested and limited-scope matters, so you know the full cost before you commit, and clearly-scoped retainers for complex or contested cases. We offer several ways to pay so you can get help now and choose what fits your budget: pay in full by card through Confido Legal, finance through third-party providers like Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later, or spread a flat fee over time with a Gavvl Direct in-house payment plan that requires no credit check. Not sure which service or payment path fits your situation? Take our Find My Divorce Service quiz for a personalized recommendation, or review all of our payment options and financing details.

What Divorce & Dissolution Really Cost in Columbus

Before you decide on a path, see the real filing fees, court costs, and timelines for Columbus — and how the different ways to end a marriage compare.

• Cost of Divorce in Franklin County — Real filing fees, court costs, timeline, and flat-fee options for a divorce in Franklin County.
• Cost of Dissolution in Franklin County — Real filing fees, court costs, timeline, and flat-fee options for a dissolution in Franklin County.
• Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio — How the two paths compare on agreement, timeline, and cost.
• Uncontested vs. Contested Divorce in Ohio — What each path means for your timeline and total cost.
• Ohio Divorce Cost & Timeline by Path — Compare cost and timeline across every path to ending a marriage.

Attorneys Serving Columbus

Meet the Gavvl Law attorneys who represent Columbus and Franklin County families.

• Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner & Co-Founder
• Kimberly Lawrence — Of Counsel Attorney
• Matthew Ameer — Of Counsel Attorney
• Lindsey Hutchinson — Of Counsel Attorney
• Richard Furnish — Of Counsel Attorney
• Erin Schultz — Finance Manager & Legal Assistant
• Sheldon Goodrum — Of Counsel Attorney
• Madeline Wampler — Certified Paralegal

Meet the full Gavvl Law team.

Related guides

Attorney-written guides covering the Ohio family law issues Columbus clients ask about most.

• 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.
• Ohio Child Custody Laws: What Every Parent Should Know — Ohio custody law turns on one principle: the best interest of the child. This guide explains sole custody, shared parenting, the statutory factors, and how courts decide.
• Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.
• Spousal Support in Ohio: How Alimony Is Decided — Ohio has no fixed alimony formula. Courts weigh 14 statutory factors to decide whether spousal support is appropriate, how much, and for how long. Here's how it works.

Legal Disclaimer

This page is for general information about Ohio family law and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney–client relationship. Every case is different; outcomes, timelines, and costs depend on your specific facts and the county where your case is filed. An attorney–client relationship with Gavvl Law begins only after a written representation agreement is signed by both you and the firm. Financing through Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later is subject to separate third-party terms and approval, and Gavvl Direct payment plans carry 19% interest compounded monthly on the financed amount. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This page may be considered attorney advertising under Ohio law.