Child Support in Defiance County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green, Esq. · Managing Partner, Gavvl Law · Last updated May 27, 2026

Defiance County, Ohio · Defiance

Ohio sets child support with the 2024 Income Shares model, run through the official Ohio Child Support Worksheet. In Defiance County, support for married or divorcing parents is decided inside the divorce or dissolution at the Common Pleas Court (Domestic Relations Division). For never-married parents, support is set in the Defiance County Juvenile Court. The Defiance County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) handles paternity, support establishment, modification, and enforcement.

How is child support set in Defiance County, Ohio?

Child support is calculated on the Ohio Child Support Worksheet using the state's 2024 Income Shares model and filed with a Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4). If the parents were married, support is set inside the divorce or dissolution at the Common Pleas Court (Domestic Relations Division) — the divorce or dissolution fee is $400 with children. If the parents were never married, support is set in the Defiance County Juvenile Court along with the Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Form 23 / Juv. Form 2). The Defiance County CSEA handles support establishment, modification, and enforcement. To change an order, file a Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28 / Juv. Form 7) — a post-decree Domestic Relations motion costs $280, or $50 with a consent judgment.

Ohio Child Support by the Numbers

2024 Year Ohio's updated Income Shares support schedule took effect Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.021
10% Change in the calculated amount that justifies a modification Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.79
3 years How often either parent can request an administrative review Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.60
Age 18 When support normally ends — or high-school graduation, whichever is later Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.86

What Counts in an Ohio Child Support Calculation

What the worksheet counts	Counts toward support?	Notes
Both parents' gross income	Yes	Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and self-employment earnings
Health insurance for the children	Yes	Credited to the parent who pays the premium
Work-related childcare	Yes	Daycare and after-school costs are added in
Parenting time	Yes	Adjustments apply for substantial or equal parenting time
Imputed income	Sometimes	Added when a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed
A new spouse's income	No	Only the two parents' incomes are counted

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

221 Clinton Street, Third Floor, Defiance, OH 43512, 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: www.defiance-county.com/common-pleas-court/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Defiance County Probate and Juvenile Court
221 Clinton Street, Second Floor, Defiance, OH 43512, 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)

Child Support is the right path if…

You need the court to set, change, or enforce a child-support order.
You want to run the official Ohio Child Support Worksheet to see what support should be.
Circumstances have changed, or 36 months have passed since your order was last reviewed.
You need the Defiance County CSEA to establish or enforce support.

Filing Fees

Married parents: support is part of the divorce/dissolution deposit ($325 without children, $400 with children). Never-married parents: the county fee schedule does not list a separate juvenile support fee — confirm with the Juvenile Court at (419) 782-4181. Post-decree Domestic Relations support motions cost $280, or $50 with a consent judgment.

Forms & Filing Packets

Support inside a divorce or dissolution (married parents) — Included in the divorce/dissolution deposit ($400 with children)

Filed at the Defiance County Common Pleas Court, Domestic Relations Division. Support is decided inside the divorce or dissolution.

Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.

Support for never-married parents (Juvenile Court) — Fee not listed in the county schedule — confirm with the Juvenile Court at (419) 782-4181

Filed at the Defiance County Juvenile Court, Second Floor. Parentage must be established first — through the Defiance County CSEA or the Complaint for Parentage. All filings are by mail or in person.

Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Form 23 / Juv. Form 2) — Opens a Defiance County Juvenile Court case for never-married parents to establish parentage and allocate custody and parenting time. File in person or by mail at 221 Clinton Street, Second Floor.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.

Changing an existing support order — Domestic Relations post-decree motion: $280 ($50 with a consent judgment)

File the modification motion in the division that issued the order. Support can be reviewed after a change of circumstances or once 36 months have passed since the last review.

Motion for Change of Child Support (Supreme Court Form 28) — Asks the court to modify an existing child-support order.
Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28 / Juv. Form 7) — Asks the Juvenile Court to modify a never-married parent's child-support order.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign.

How to File Child Support in Defiance County

Run the Ohio Child Support Worksheet. Use the official Ohio Child Support Calculator (2024 Income Shares model) to compute support, then print and sign the worksheet.
Pick the right court. Married or divorcing parents set support inside the divorce or dissolution at the Common Pleas Court (Domestic Relations Division). Never-married parents set support in the Defiance County Juvenile Court, or open a case with the Defiance County CSEA.
File the worksheet and Health Insurance Affidavit. File the Ohio Child Support Worksheet and the Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4) with your packet. Juvenile filings must be made in person or by mail to 221 Clinton Street, Second Floor.
To change an order, file a modification motion. File a Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28 / Juv. Form 7) when circumstances have changed or 36 months have passed since the last review. A post-decree Domestic Relations motion costs $280, or $50 with a consent judgment.

Defiance County Practice Notes

Support runs on the Ohio Child Support Worksheet. Defiance County uses the statewide Ohio Child Support Worksheet (2024 Income Shares model). Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print it, and sign it. A Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4) is filed alongside it to show whether either parent has coverage available for the children.
The CSEA establishes, modifies, and enforces support. The Defiance County Child Support Enforcement Agency handles paternity, support establishment, modification, and enforcement. Contact the CSEA to open a support case, request a review, or pursue unpaid support.
Married vs. never-married decides the court. Support for married or divorcing parents is set inside the divorce or dissolution at the Common Pleas Court (Domestic Relations Division). Never-married parents have support set in the Juvenile Court, which accepts filings only in person or by mail.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Defiance County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) do?: The Defiance County Child Support Enforcement Agency handles paternity, support establishment, modification, and enforcement. It is the agency to contact when you need to establish parentage, set up a new child-support order, request a review of an existing order, or enforce unpaid support.
How do I modify a Defiance County juvenile custody, parenting time, or support order?: File the matching motion in the Juvenile Court: Motion for Change of Parental Rights (Form 27 / Juv. Form 6), Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Form 26 / Juv. Form 5), or Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28 / Juv. Form 7). Child support can be reviewed after a change of circumstances or once 36 months have passed since the last review. The Defiance County CSEA also handles support modification and enforcement. All juvenile filings are by mail or in person.
What forms do never-married parents file for custody and support in Defiance County?: File the Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Form 23 / Juv. Form 2), the Custody Affidavit / UCCJEA (Affidavit 3), the Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4), and the Ohio Child Support Worksheet at the Defiance County Juvenile Court, 221 Clinton Street, Second Floor. Additional fillable forms are posted on the county's Juvenile Court Forms page. All filings are by mail or in person — there is no e-filing.
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.
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.

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 child support case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Keep exploring

Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney 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.