Delaware County Child Support Attorneys
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 4, 2026
Delaware County, Ohio · Delaware
Delaware County handles calculating child support with the legislatively adopted Ohio Child Support Worksheet, basing child support on each parent's income, and collects it through the Delaware County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Support can be established inside a divorce, dissolution, or parentage case in the DR Division, and the order is reviewed for modification when there is a significant change in circumstances.
Hire Gavvl for your Delaware County child support case
Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Delaware 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 is child support set and changed in Delaware County, Ohio?
Support is calculated on the official Ohio Child Support Worksheet (ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov) using both parents' gross incomes and the number of children — these child support calculations set each parent's child support obligation — and it is collected through the Delaware County CSEA, so direct payments to the other parent count as gifts, not support. File the JFS 07076 Application for Child Support Services when an order is established, and the Health Insurance Affidavit (Uniform DR Affidavit 4). A court will modify support when a recalculation differs by more than 10%, when health-care coverage is inadequate, or after an unforeseen event (Local Rule 14.01). A standard parenting-time schedule triggers an automatic 10% reduction.
Hire Gavvl Law for Delaware County child support
Delaware County sets support on the legislatively adopted Ohio Child Support Worksheet, using both parents' gross incomes, and collects it through the Delaware County CSEA — so money handed straight to the other parent counts as a gift, not credited support. A court modifies when a recalculation differs by more than 10%, when health coverage is inadequate, or after an unforeseen event (Local Rule 14.01). Gavvl Law runs the numbers, files the JFS 07076, and represents you when the guideline figure is in dispute.
- The worksheet, run correctly. Support turns on gross income, health-insurance cost, and childcare on the official Ohio Income Shares worksheet, and Local Rule 14.01 requires current pay statements, three years of tax returns, social-security income, and daycare verification. We build the calculation on complete proof so it holds up instead of getting sent back.
- Modifications that clear the 10% gate. Delaware modifies support only on a substantial change — most often a recalculation differing by more than 10% — filed on Form 28 with a $200 post-decree reactivation deposit. We test whether your numbers actually clear that threshold first, and add the county's Findings of Fact for a deviation under R.C. 3119.23 when the guideline result is unfair.
- CSEA collection set up from day one. Support in Delaware flows through CSEA wage withholding, and the JFS 07076 IV-D application opens that case so payments are tracked and enforceable. We file it with your order so nothing you are owed slips through as an uncredited direct payment.
Because CSEA generally reviews orders only every 36 months, waiting for the administrative cycle can cost you months of the wrong amount — so we file promptly when your income or the children's needs change, and pair the standard parenting-time schedule with its automatic 10% reduction under Local Rule 17.01(E) when it applies. One flat fee approved up front, with payment plans, and full representation if support goes to a contested hearing.
Flat-fee options
Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the support motion (establish, modify, or terminate). The court filing fee is billed separately and this does not include in-court representation.
- Establish child support: $950
- Modify child support: $950
- Terminate 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.
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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: Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division
117 N. Union Street, Level 400, Delaware, OH 43015Phone: (740) 833-2025
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Website: Court website
e-Filing: Online e-filing portal
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Delaware County Juvenile Court
145 N. Union Street, Delaware, OH 43015
Phone: (740) 833-2600
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Child Support is the right path if…
- You need a child-support order established, enforced, or recalculated as part of your child support matters.
- A substantial change in circumstances — your income, the other parent's income, or parenting time — has shifted what is owed.
- Health-insurance or childcare costs have changed and need to be reallocated.
- More than 36 months have passed and you want a CSEA administrative review of your child support obligation.
Filing Fees
Worksheet-based for calculating child support · Modification reactivation deposit $200 · Automatic 10% reduction with a standard parenting-time schedule (Local Rule 17.01(E))
Forms & Filing Packets
Establish a new child-support order
Support is established within a divorce, dissolution, or parentage case in the DR Division and collected through CSEA.
- Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.
- Health Insurance Affidavit — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
- IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Delaware County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.
- Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses (Uniform DR Affidavit 1) — Income disclosure the court uses to run the worksheet.
Modify an existing child-support order — $200 post-decree reactivation deposit
Show a substantial change in circumstances — a recalculation differing by more than 10%, inadequate health care, or an unforeseen event (Local Rule 14.01).
- Motion for Change of Child Support / Medical / Tax (Uniform DR Form 28) — Asks the court to recalculate support, the health-care order, or the tax-exemption designation.
- Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.
- Findings of Fact for Child Support Deviation (Local) — Required when you ask the court to deviate from the guideline amount under R.C. 3119.23.
How to File Child Support in Delaware County
- Gather both parents' income. Collect pay statements, three years of tax returns, and childcare and health-insurance costs to run the Ohio worksheet.
- Open or update your CSEA case. File the JFS 07076 Application for Child Support Services so the Delaware County CSEA can collect and enforce the order.
- File the right motion. For a new order, support is set in your DR case; to change an order, file Form 28 with an updated worksheet and pay the $200 reactivation deposit.
- Address health care and tax exemptions. The court reviews the health-care order and tax-exemption designation along with the support amount (R.C. 3119.30, 3119.82).
Delaware County Practice Notes
- Pay through CSEA — direct payments are gifts. Delaware County requires child support payments to flow through CSEA wage withholding. Money handed directly to the other parent is treated as a gift, not credited support, so always route payments through CSEA.
- Bring complete financial proof. The Delaware County Domestic Relations Court's Local Rule 14.01 requires current pay statements, three years of tax returns, social-security income, daycare verification, and out-of-pocket health-insurance costs for any modification — the records used for calculating child support based on each parent's income when there is a substantial change in circumstances.
- Best-interest standard governs. R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) lists 10+ factors: each parent's wishes, the child's wishes (when of sufficient age), the child's interaction with parents/siblings, adjustment to home/school/community, mental and physical health of all involved, the parent more likely to facilitate court-approved parenting time, child support compliance, criminal history, residence outside Ohio, and any history of abuse.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How is child support handled in Delaware County?
- Support is set with the legislatively adopted Ohio Child Support Worksheet and collected through the Delaware County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA); direct payments to the other parent are treated as gifts, not support. File the JFS 07076 Application for Child Support Services when a support order is established. CSEA generally reviews orders every 36 months, and a court will modify when a recalculation differs by more than 10%. A standard parenting-time schedule triggers an automatic 10% support reduction (Local Rule 17.01(E), R.C. 3119.051).
- How much does it cost to file in the Delaware County DR Court?
- Clerk of Courts deposits are: divorce $385 without children / $485 with children; dissolution $355 without children / $455 with children; parentage complaint $200; post-decree reactivation $200. Counterclaims and amended complaints are $150 each. If you cannot afford the deposit, file the Fee Waiver Affidavit (Local Rule 4.03).
- How long does a Delaware County case usually take?
- Dissolution: 30–90 days — Local Rule 7.03 sets the final hearing between 30 and 90 days after filing. Uncontested (default) divorce: roughly 4–6 months, with the uncontested final hearing held at least 42 days after service is completed (Local Rule 8.01). Contested divorce: 6–18 months depending on discovery, custody disputes, and trial scheduling.
- What is a IV-D application and why do I need one?
- A IV-D Application opens a child-support case with your county's Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Once opened, CSEA collects support through automatic wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and can enforce the order through license suspension, federal tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals. Filing a IV-D Application is standard whenever a child-support order is issued.
Free Local Resources in Delaware County
- Delaware County DR Court Forms Page. Every Domestic Relations form, the case-type ZIP packets (divorce, dissolution, parentage, modification, CPO), and the filing checklists are posted free at domestic.co.delaware.oh.us/forms.
- Delaware County DR Virtual Resource Center. The DR Division's self-help hub links the general-information pages, FAQs, common-terms glossary, the For the Children parenting seminar, and the Co-Parenting Program at domestic.co.delaware.oh.us/virtual-resource-center.
- Delaware County eAccess / E-Services Portal. Self-represented and represented parties can e-file and check dockets at court.co.delaware.oh.us/eservices. Payment is processed through LexisNexis — confirm the amount before authorizing.
Other Family-Law Topics in Delaware County
- Delaware County Divorce — Contested and default divorce filing guide for the DR Division.
- Delaware County Dissolution — Both-parties-agree route — faster and cheaper than divorce.
- Delaware County Custody — Married parents file inside divorce; never-married parents file parentage in the DR Division.
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.
Related guides
In-depth, attorney-written guides on child support and related Ohio family law topics.
- 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.
- 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.
More Delaware County family-law resources
- Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
- Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
- Delaware County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Delaware 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 (380) 205-3899 or email support@gavvl.com.
