Delaware County Protection Order Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Delaware County protection orders 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.

A Delaware County protection order attorney at your side

A civil protection order shields you and your children from a family or household member who has threatened or harmed you. In Delaware County (Local Rule 15) a petition on Ohio Supreme Court Form 10.01-D filed at the Clerk of Courts before 2:30 p.m. is heard the same day, and CPO petitions are exempt from filing fees under Local Rule 4.01. A final order can last up to 5 years and can grant exclusive use of the home, temporary custody, and support. Gavvl Law helps you file safely and stands with you at the full hearing.

• A petition that earns same-day protection. Delaware hears an ex parte petition the same day when it is filed before 2:30 p.m. (Local Rule 15.02), and the order turns on specific, recent facts. We help you set out the abuse and your relationship to the respondent clearly so the court has what it needs to act immediately.
• Ready for the full hearing that follows. If an ex parte order is granted, Delaware sets the full hearing within 7 court days when the respondent must vacate a shared home, or 10 court days otherwise. We prepare your witnesses and evidence for that hearing, where a final CPO can run up to 5 years and address custody, the home, and support.
• An order that holds through a divorce. A final Delaware CPO stays in effect even if you later file for divorce or dissolution, and the county does not send active domestic-violence cases to mediation. We keep the protection order and any family-law case coordinated so your safety terms are never quietly traded away in negotiations.

Help is available through the Delaware County Prosecutor's Office of Victim's Services, and the CPO packet is exempt from filing fees under Local Rule 4.01, so protection does not depend on what you can pay to file. We work alongside those advocates, handle the full-hearing representation, and — because a CPO often sits next to custody or divorce issues — keep the whole picture aligned so you are protected now and going forward.

Flat-fee options

Flat fee: we file your DV civil protection order petition and represent you at the ex parte and full hearings — or, if you are the responding party, defend you at the full hearing.

• Defend a protection order (full hearing): $2,900
• File a DV protection order (petition + hearings): $3,500

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. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your protection orders case or see payment plans & financing.

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
Phone: (740) 833-2600
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Civil Protection Orders is the right path if…

• A family or household member has harmed, threatened, or stalked you.
• You need immediate court protection for yourself or your children.
• You want exclusive use of the home or temporary custody as part of the order.
• You can describe the abuse and the relationship in a sworn petition.

Filing Fees

No filing fee — CPO petitions are exempt (Local Rule 4.01) · Final CPO valid up to 5 years

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Delaware County

1. Get the petition. Use Ohio Supreme Court Form 10.01-D or the Delaware County DV CPO packet; the Prosecutor's Office of Victim's Services can help you complete it.
2. File before 2:30 p.m. for a same-day hearing. File at the Delaware County Clerk of Courts, 117 N. Union Street — there is no filing fee. Filing after 2:30 p.m. means a next-business-day ex parte hearing.
3. Attend the ex parte hearing. Testify under oath about the abuse. If the order is granted, the clerk arranges personal service on the respondent and police notification.
4. Return for the full hearing. The full hearing is within 7 or 10 court days. Bring witnesses and evidence; a final CPO can last up to 5 years. If you miss it without a continuance, the case may be dismissed.

Delaware County Practice Notes

• Same-day ex parte protection. A petition filed with the Delaware County Domestic Relations Court before 2:30 p.m. is heard the same day under Local Rule 15.02. If granted, the full hearing follows within 7 court days (respondent ordered to vacate) or 10 court days otherwise.
• A final CPO can last up to 5 years. Under Local Rule 15.05 a full-hearing CPO can run to a date certain not later than 5 years out, and it remains in effect even if you later file for divorce or dissolution.
• No mediation in active DV cases. Delaware County does not refer active domestic-violence matters to mediation. DV screening is mandatory in every mediation, and a session is terminated if safety concerns arise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast can I get a protection order in Delaware County?

If you file a Petition for a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Ohio Supreme Court Form 10.01-D) at the Delaware County Clerk of Courts before 2:30 p.m., the ex parte hearing is held the same day; petitions filed after 2:30 p.m. are heard the next business day. If an ex parte order is granted, the full hearing is set within 7 court days when the respondent is ordered to vacate a shared residence, or within 10 court days otherwise. A final CPO can last up to 5 years (Local Rule 15).

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.

How do temporary orders work in Delaware County?

Under Local Rule 9, temporary-orders motions are considered 14 days after service and are generally decided on the filed affidavits (capped at 10 pages without prior approval). If a Civ.R. 75 oral hearing is held, each party is allotted 20 minutes and initial discovery must be exchanged first. File the Affidavit for Temporary Orders Without Oral Hearing (Uniform DR Affidavit 5) to request support, parenting time, or use of the home now.

What settlement programs does the Delaware County DR Court offer?

Delaware County runs a trauma-informed dispute-resolution model: court-approved Mediation (Local Rule 31), twice-yearly Settlement Weeks with reduced-fee 3-hour sessions, Neutral Evaluation by a magistrate plus an outside specialist (82%+ full-settlement rate), and Co-Parent Coaching. Domestic-violence screening is mandatory, and no mediation is ordered in active DV cases.

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 protection orders case

• Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
• Divorce & Dissolution — End your marriage through a contested divorce or an amicable dissolution.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

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

• Civil Protection Orders in Ohio: How to Get a CPO — An Ohio civil protection order can provide fast, court-ordered protection from domestic violence — including no-contact terms, exclusive home use, and temporary custody. Here's how to get one.
• Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.

Continue your Delaware County research

• Ohio Civil Protection Orders guide — Statewide overview of civil protection orders 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.