Child Support in Delaware County

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, and it is collected through the Delaware County CSEA — 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.

Where to File: Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Delaware County Juvenile Court
145 N. Union Street, Delaware, OH 43015, 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.
• Your income, the other parent's income, or parenting time has changed substantially.
• 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.

Filing Fees

Worksheet-based · Modification reactivation deposit $200 · Automatic 10% reduction with a standard parenting-time schedule (Local Rule 17.01(E))

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Child Support in Delaware County

1. Gather both parents' income. Collect pay statements, three years of tax returns, and childcare and health-insurance costs to run the Ohio worksheet.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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 support 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. 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.
• 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.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
• Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus 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.