Defiance County Annulment Attorneys

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

Defiance County, Ohio · Defiance

An annulment treats the marriage as if it never happened. Ohio courts grant annulments only on the limited grounds in R.C. 3105.31. Defiance County annulment cases are filed at the Common Pleas Court at 221 Clinton Street, Third Floor, Defiance, and follow the same complaint-and-service process as divorce. Contact the Clerk at (419) 782-1936 to confirm any case-specific filing requirements.

Hire Gavvl for your Defiance County annulment case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Defiance 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 file for annulment in Defiance County, Ohio?

File a Complaint for Annulment at the Defiance County Court of Common Pleas, 221 Clinton Street, Third Floor, Defiance, OH 43512. Defiance does not publish a separate annulment form — use Ohio Supreme Court Form 6 (no children) or Form 7 (with children) and change the caption to "Annulment." The body must plead one of the five R.C. 3105.31 grounds: underage at marriage, bigamy, mental incompetency, fraud or duress in obtaining consent, or non-consummation. Include Affidavit 1 (Financial) and Affidavit 2 (Property). The filing fee is $325 without children and $400 with children.

Hire Gavvl Law for a Defiance County annulment

An annulment treats the marriage as if it never happened, and Ohio grants one only on the five narrow grounds in R.C. 3105.31 — underage marriage, bigamy, mental incompetency, fraud or duress, or non-consummation. Defiance County files these at the Common Pleas Court on the Third Floor of 221 Clinton Street using a relabeled Form 6 or Form 7, and several grounds carry strict timing limits. Gavvl Law confirms a ground actually fits, drafts the pleading, and quotes one flat fee before any work begins.

Making sure a ground actually applies. The court dismisses an annulment that does not plead one of the five R.C. 3105.31 grounds — "we made a mistake" is not enough. We test your facts against the statute first so you do not pay to file a case that gets thrown out.
Watching the statute's clock. R.C. 3105.31 puts timing limits on grounds like being underage or non-consummation, which generally must be raised before majority or before continued cohabitation. We read those deadlines carefully before you file.
Protecting the children either way. Even if the court annuls the marriage, R.C. 3111.03 still presumes a child born during it is the couple's child. We file the UCCJEA and health-insurance affidavits, worksheet, and parenting plan so custody and support are handled properly.

We confirm current annulment forms with the Defiance County Clerk at (419) 782-1936, exactly as the county's own guidance directs, then file the complaint and affidavits at 221 Clinton Street, Third Floor, in front of Hon. Joseph N. Schmenk — the same Domestic Relations judge who hears Defiance divorces and dissolutions.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file your complaint for annulment to have the marriage declared void. You appear at any hearings yourself.

Complaint for annulment: $1,750

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 annulment case or see payment plans & financing.

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)

Where to File: Defiance County Court of Common Pleas (General & Domestic Relations Division)

221 Clinton Street, Third Floor, Defiance, OH 43512
Phone: (419) 782-5931
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM (closed for lunch)
Website: Court website

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Defiance County Probate and Juvenile Court
221 Clinton Street, Second Floor, Defiance, OH 43512
Phone: (419) 782-4181
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM (closed for lunch 12:00-1:00 PM, no electronic filings)

Annulment is the right path if…

One party was under the legal age to marry without the required consent.
One spouse was already legally married to someone else when the ceremony took place (bigamy).
One spouse was mentally incompetent at the time of the marriage.
Consent to marry was obtained by fraud or duress.
The marriage was never consummated.

If none of the R.C. 3105.31 grounds applies, you cannot annul the marriage in Ohio — file a Divorce or Dissolution instead. See Defiance County divorce.

Filing Fees

$325 without children · $400 with children · Five R.C. 3105.31 grounds only · Strict timing limits apply to some grounds

Forms & Filing Packets

Core annulment packet (no minor children) — $325

Complaint for Annulment Without Children (Form 6 — relabel caption) — Defiance does not publish an annulment form. Use Form 6 with the caption changed to "Annulment" and the body pleading one of the R.C. 3105.31 grounds.
Financial Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own.
Affidavit of Property (Ohio SC Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt. Required at filing.

Core annulment packet (with minor children) — $400

Even if the marriage is annulled, children born during the alleged marriage are presumed legitimate and the court must allocate parental rights and child support.

Complaint for Annulment With Children (Form 7 — relabel caption) — Use Form 7 with the caption changed to "Annulment" when minor children were born during the alleged marriage.
Financial Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own.
Affidavit of Property (Ohio SC Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt. Required at filing.
Custody Affidavit / UCCJEA (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — 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.
Parenting Plan (Supreme Court Form 21) — Used when one parent will be designated residential parent and legal custodian.

How to File Annulment in Defiance County

Verify a R.C. 3105.31 ground applies. Underage at marriage, bigamy, mental incompetency, fraud or duress, or non-consummation. If none fits, annulment is not available.
Check the statute's timing limits. Several grounds must be raised within a fixed period after discovery or before continued cohabitation. Read R.C. 3105.31 carefully or consult an attorney.
Draft the complaint. Use Ohio SC Form 6 (no children) or Form 7 (with children) and change the caption to "Annulment." Plead the specific R.C. 3105.31 ground and the supporting facts.
File at 221 Clinton Street, Third Floor, Defiance. Include Affidavit 1 (Financial) and Affidavit 2 (Property). Pay the $325 / $400 filing fee.
Plan for children even if annulled. If children were born during the alleged marriage, file Affidavit 3 (UCCJEA), Affidavit 4 (Health Insurance), the child support worksheet, and a proposed parenting plan — the court still has to resolve those issues.

Defiance County Practice Notes

Grounds are strictly limited. Ohio courts will dismiss an annulment that does not plead one of the five R.C. 3105.31 grounds. "We made a mistake" is not a ground — file a divorce or dissolution instead.
Watch the timing limits. R.C. 3105.31 imposes specific timing limits on certain grounds — for example, the underage and non-consummation grounds must generally be raised before a party reaches majority or starts cohabiting. Read the statute carefully or call us before filing.
Children are still legitimate. Even if the court grants annulment, R.C. 3111.03 presumes a child born during the alleged marriage is the child of both parties. Custody, parenting time, and child support are allocated just like in a divorce.
Confirm with the Clerk. Defiance's published guidance directs filers to contact the Clerk at (419) 782-1936 for annulment forms. Confirm any case-specific requirements before filing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the residency requirements to file in Defiance County?: For divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you or your spouse must have lived in Ohio for at least 6 months and in Defiance County for at least 90 days before filing. Dissolution only requires the 6-month Ohio residency.
How much does it cost to file in Defiance County DR?: Dissolution and divorce are both $325 without children and $400 with children — a consistent $75 gap. Post-decree motions are $280. A motion with a consent judgment is $50. Service by publication is $500. Service by a foreign-county Sheriff is $25. Appeals are $150. CPO petitions have no filing fee.
Who hears Defiance County DR and Juvenile cases?: Hon. Joseph N. Schmenk is the Common Pleas Judge (DR Division). Hon. Jeffrey A. Strausbaugh is the Probate and Juvenile Judge. Unusually, Magistrate Carson L. Slade serves BOTH divisions — providing rare continuity for families whose case moves between DR and Juvenile.
When do I file in Defiance County Juvenile Court instead of DR?: If the parents were never married, custody, parenting time, and child support are filed in the Defiance County Juvenile Court at 221 Clinton Street, Second Floor — (419) 782-4181. Judge Jeffrey A. Strausbaugh presides; Magistrate Carson L. Slade hears matters. All filings must be made in person or by mail (no electronic filings). If you were married, those issues travel with the divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in DR.

Free Local Resources in Defiance County

Defiance County Common Pleas Court. 221 Clinton Street, Third Floor, Defiance, OH 43512. Phone (419) 782-5931. Clerk (419) 782-1936. Court Administrator Alyson M. Hageman.
Four-County Local Rules (Defiance/Fulton/Henry/Williams). defiance-county.com — uniform local rules covering all four Northwest Ohio counties.
Defiance County Probate and Juvenile Court. 221 Clinton Street, Second Floor — (419) 782-4181. Judge Jeffrey A. Strausbaugh. Magistrate Carson L. Slade. Email probatecourt@defiancecounty.oh.gov.
Defiance County Juvenile Probation Department. 1300 East Second Street, Suite 203, Defiance, OH 43512. Phone (419) 782-0226. Hours M-F 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.
Ohio Supreme Court Standardized Forms. supremecourt.ohio.gov — Defiance County uses Ohio SC standardized DR and Juvenile forms for all filings.
Defiance County Child Support Enforcement Agency. Handles paternity, support establishment, modification, and enforcement.
Legal Aid of Western Ohio. Serves Defiance County. Phone 1-888-534-1432.
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.

Related to your annulment case

Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.
Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

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

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 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.

Continue your Defiance County research

Ohio Annulment guide — Statewide overview of annulment in Ohio.
Toledo family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Toledo metro.
Defiance County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Defiance 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.