Filing for Divorce with Children in Delaware County

File for divorce with minor children in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division. Step-by-step guidance, 13 required forms, $485 (effective Jan 2, 2026) filing fee, parenting class requirements, and Ohio attorney help.

Delaware County's DR Court sits at 117 N. Union Street in downtown Delaware — the court itself on Level 400, the Clerk of Courts on Level 300 (you file at the Clerk, not the court). Two structural features make Delaware different from most Ohio counties: (1) a dedicated Domestic Relations Division with its own judge (Hon. Randall D. Fuller, the county's first DR judge, seated 2017) and multiple magistrates, and (2) downloadable form packets organized by case type with matching filing checklists. The 2026 filing fee for a divorce with children is $485 ($385 without children), among the higher end of Ohio's range. Cases with children require the Successful Co-Parenting Program for Divorcing Parents, registered through OSU Extension Delaware County. The court's Virtual Resource Center has video walkthroughs designed for self-represented filers.

Delaware County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

117 N. Union Street, Level 400, Delaware, OH 43015
Phone: (740) 833-2025
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Website: domestic.co.delaware.oh.us

Clerk of Courts on Level 300, 117 North Union Street. Clerk: (740) 833-2500.

Filing Fees

$485 divorce with children ($385 without children, 2026)

Payment methods: Cash, check, or credit/debit card (processing fee applies to card payments).

Delaware County Procedure Quirks

  • Dedicated Domestic Relations Division — Delaware is one of the few Ohio counties with its own DR Judge (Hon. Randall D. Fuller, seated 2017) and multiple magistrates, separate from the General Division.
  • Downloadable form packets by case type — Delaware publishes a ZIP file with every form for dissolution-with-children, dissolution-without-children, divorce-with-children, divorce-without-children, modification, parentage, dating-violence CPO, and DV CPO.
  • Filing checklist for every case type tells self-represented filers exactly which forms to include.
  • Virtual Resource Center: domestic.co.delaware.oh.us/virtual-resource-center publishes video walkthroughs and self-help guidance for pro se litigants.
  • Successful Co-Parenting Program — Delaware's required parenting class for divorce/dissolution with children. Registration runs through OSU Extension Delaware County (delaware.osu.edu).
  • DR Court on Level 400; Clerk of Courts on Level 300 — file at the Clerk, not the court.
  • Local Rules updated June 27, 2025 — review before filing.

Parenting Class

Successful Co-Parenting Program for Divorcing Parents — OSU Extension — Delaware County (https://delaware.osu.edu/news/2025-successful-co-parenting-program-registration)
Required for parents with minor children in divorce or dissolution before the final hearing. Registration through OSU Extension.

Judges

  • Hon. Randall D. Fuller (first dedicated DR Judge, seated 2017)

Delaware County Court of Common Pleas — Probate/Juvenile Division

145 N. Union Street, P.O. Box 8006, Delaware, OH 43015
Phone: (740) 833-2600 (main) • (740) 833-2595 (Juvenile Traffic) • (740) 833-2607 (Public Records)
Website: juvenile.co.delaware.oh.us

Combined Probate and Juvenile Division — separate building one block from the Courthouse. Email filings to juvenilefilings@co.delaware.oh.us.

Domestic Relations vs. Juvenile

Delaware splits across two downtown buildings on N. Union Street: DR Court at 117 N. Union (Level 400, Clerk on Level 300) for divorces and dissolutions; Probate/Juvenile Court at 145 N. Union (Ground Floor) for never-married-parent cases and juvenile matters.

Free Local Resources in Delaware County

  • Virtual Resource Center. Online walkthroughs, video guidance, and downloadable forms for self-represented parties.
  • Form Packets by Case Type (ZIPs). Complete form packets for every case type, downloadable as ZIP files from domestic.co.delaware.oh.us.
  • DR Local Rules (June 27, 2025). Updated June 2025 — current version published as PDF on the DR website.
  • Successful Co-Parenting Program — Register through OSU Extension. Required parenting class for parents with minor children. Registration through delaware.osu.edu.

Related to your divorce

  • Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
  • Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
  • Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Call +1-844-694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.