Enforcing Orders in Cuyahoga County

Where to File: Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Division (Juvenile Justice Center)
9300 Quincy Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106
Phone: (216) 443-8400
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• The other parent isn't following the custody or parenting-time order.
• Child support, spousal support, or court-ordered fees aren't being paid.
• Property or debt terms of the decree are being ignored.
• You need the court to enforce an order it already made.

If you want to change the terms of the order rather than enforce them, file a modification instead. See modifications in Cuyahoga County.

Filing Fees

File a Motion to Show Cause in the division that issued the order · confirm the current motion/filing fee with the Clerk · the court can order purge conditions, make-up time, arrears, attorney fees, or jail for willful violations

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Cuyahoga County

1. Confirm there's a clear order being violated. Contempt enforces an existing, specific order. Have the journalized order in hand and identify exactly which term is being violated.
2. Document each violation. Write down the dates and details of each violation and gather proof — payment records, texts, emails, and a parenting-time log.
3. File a Motion to Show Cause in the issuing division. File in the Domestic Relations Court (1 W. Lakeside Ave.) or Juvenile Division (9300 Quincy Ave.). Confirm the current motion/filing fee with the Clerk.
4. Attend the hearing with your evidence. Be ready to prove the violations. The court can set purge conditions, order make-up time, and award arrears and attorney fees.

Cuyahoga County Practice Notes

• Contempt enforces an existing order. A Motion to Show Cause asks the court to order the other party to appear and explain why they should not be punished for violating a custody, parenting-time, or support order. It does not change the order — to change terms, file a modification instead.
• Purge conditions and consequences. If the court finds contempt, it can set purge conditions (steps to fix the violation), order make-up parenting time, require payment of arrears and attorney fees, and even impose jail until the party complies. Bring proof — the order, the dates of each violation, and payment or communication records.
• Free help at the court. The Cuyahoga County DR Help Center in Room 114 walks self-represented parties through Navigation Services — call (216) 443-8880. The Clerk's Filing Desk is (216) 443-7955, and the Juvenile Division is (216) 443-8400. For legal help, contact the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland at (216) 687-1900.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do if the other parent ignores a Cuyahoga County court order?

File a Motion to Show Cause (contempt) in the division that issued the order. The court orders the other party to appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt for violating a custody, parenting-time, or support order. If the court finds contempt, it can impose purge conditions, make-up parenting time, payment of arrears, attorney fees, and even jail until the party complies.

Where do I file to change a custody or support order in Cuyahoga County?

File your post-decree motion in the same division that issued the order — the Domestic Relations Court at 1 W. Lakeside Avenue for orders from a divorce or dissolution, or the Juvenile Division at 9300 Quincy Avenue for orders in a never-married case. To change the residential parent you must show a change in circumstances since the last order and that the change serves the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(E)); child support generally requires about a 10% change or a substantial change of circumstances.

Where can I get free help filing in Cuyahoga County?

The Cuyahoga County DR Help Center in Room 114 walks self-represented parties through Navigation Services — call (216) 443-8880. The Clerk's Filing Desk is (216) 443-7955, and Parenting / Mediation coordination is in Room 7 at (216) 443-8805. For child-support payment questions, call Ohio Child Support Payments at 1-800-860-2555.

Free Local Resources in Cuyahoga County

• Cuyahoga County DR Help Center (Room 114). Walks self-represented parties through Navigation Services. (216) 443-8880.
• Clerk's Filing Desk. (216) 443-7955
• Parenting / Mediation (Room 7). (216) 443-8805 — required parenting seminar coordination and court-connected mediation.
• Children in Between Online. online.divorce-education.com — the only court-approved online parenting seminar for Cuyahoga County.
• Ohio Child Support Payments. 1-800-860-2555
• Ohio Child Support Calculator. ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov — run the worksheet and print it for filing.
• Ohio Legal Help. ohiolegalhelp.org — plain-language guides and interactive court forms.

Other Family-Law Topics in Cuyahoga County

• Cleveland Divorce Lawyers — Standalone guide to divorce in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County — fees, the daily filing cutoff, and attorney help.
• Ohio Child Support Calculator — Run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet before you file.
• Statewide Divorce Guide — How divorce works anywhere in Ohio — grounds, timing, and the forms.

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.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
• Cleveland family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cleveland metro.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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