Civil Protection Orders in Delaware County

How do I get a protection order in Delaware County, Ohio?

File a Petition for a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Ohio Supreme Court Form 10.01-D) at the Delaware County Clerk of Courts, 117 N. Union Street, Delaware, OH 43015, with no filing fee. The petition must allege domestic violence, your relationship to the respondent, and the relief requested; add a Parenting Proceeding Affidavit if you share children. If you file before 2:30 p.m., the ex parte hearing is the same day (otherwise the next business day). If an ex parte order is granted, the full hearing is set within 7 court days when the respondent must vacate a shared home, or within 10 court days otherwise. A final CPO can last up to 5 years and may grant exclusive use of the home, temporary custody, and support. Help is available through the Delaware County Prosecutor's Office of Victim's Services.

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.

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 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.

Keep exploring

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