Post-Decree Contempt in Erie County

How do I file a contempt motion in Erie County, Ohio?

For divorce/dissolution decrees, file Ohio SC Form 24 (Motion for Contempt) together with Form 25 (Show Cause Order) at the Clerk of Courts on the 1st Floor, 323 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky. Attach a certified copy of the order being violated and a sworn affidavit of facts. Filing fee set by Clerk's Schedule of Costs. For never-married-parent cases, file Erie Juvenile Court's local Motion for Contempt and Affidavit + Show Cause Order on the 4th Floor — juvenile contempt filing fee is $20. Possible remedies include fines, jail (often suspended), purge conditions, attorney fees, and make-up parenting time.

Where to File: Erie County Court of Common Pleas — General Division (Domestic Relations)

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Erie County Juvenile Court
323 Columbus Avenue, 4th Floor, Sandusky, OH 44870, Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: (419) 627-7782
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• The other party isn't paying child support or spousal support as ordered.
• The other party isn't following the parenting-time schedule in the decree.
• The other party hasn't transferred property (house, vehicle, retirement, account) as ordered.
• The other party let court-ordered health insurance lapse.
• Any willful violation of any clear, specific provision in the court's order.

If circumstances have changed and you need a new order going forward, you may want a modification motion instead — or alongside. See post-decree modifications.

Filing Fees

DR contempt fee set by Clerk's Schedule of Costs · Juvenile contempt only $20 · Civil contempt purge conditions can include payment plans, make-up parenting time, or property transfer · Criminal contempt carries fines and possible jail

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Erie County

1. Identify the specific order being violated. Quote the paragraph and page of the decree or post-decree order that the other party is not following. Vague allegations get dismissed.
2. Document the violations in writing. Keep a contemporaneous log: dates, missed payments, denied parenting time, missed exchanges. Save texts, emails, and CSEA payment histories.
3. Pick DR or Juvenile court. Married parents — DR (General Division, Ohio SC Forms 24/25). Never-married parents — Juvenile Court (4th Floor, Erie local Motion for Contempt and Affidavit + Show Cause Order, $20 fee).
4. Draft the forms. The Motion for Contempt describes the order, the violations, and the relief sought. The Show Cause Order is what the court signs directing the other party to appear and show why they should not be held in contempt.
5. File at the Clerk on the 1st Floor (DR) or with Juvenile (4th Floor). Include the certified copy of the order being violated and a sworn affidavit of facts. DR scheduling runs through Amanda Tubbs at (419) 627-7777; juvenile scheduling runs through the Juvenile Court at (419) 627-7782.
6. Attend the show-cause hearing. The other party will be served and ordered to appear. Bring your documentation. The court may find civil contempt, set purge conditions, impose fines or jail (often suspended), and order attorney fees.

Erie County Practice Notes

• Form 24 + Form 25 together (DR cases). Erie DR contempt filings need both the OSC Motion for Contempt (Form 24) and the Show Cause Order and Notice (Form 25). The Show Cause Order is what the court signs to direct the other party to appear.
• Use Erie's local forms for juvenile contempt. For never-married-parent cases, use Erie Juvenile Court's local Motion for Contempt and Affidavit plus the local Show Cause Order — both downloadable from eriecounty.oh.gov. The juvenile filing fee is just $20, among the lowest in Ohio.
• The order must be clear and specific. Erie will not hold a party in contempt for violating a vague or ambiguous order. If the decree language is fuzzy, you may need a modification motion to clarify it first.
• Purge conditions are the heart of civil contempt. Civil contempt is coercive — the court usually finds the violator in contempt but stays the penalty if they comply with specific purge conditions (pay the arrears, restore missed parenting time, transfer the asset). Failure to purge triggers the suspended sentence.
• Attorney fees are recoverable. Ohio law allows the prevailing party in a successful family-law contempt action to recover reasonable attorney fees. Keep contemporaneous billing records and a clear timeline of the violations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Erie County have a dedicated Domestic Relations Court?

No. Erie County hears DR cases through its General Division judges — Hon. Judge Binette presides — rather than through a separate DR division. All DR scheduling and coordination runs through Domestic Relations Assignment Commissioner Amanda Tubbs at (419) 627-7777. For any scheduling question, call Amanda Tubbs directly rather than the general Clerk line.

Who is the DR Assignment Commissioner and what does she do?

Amanda Tubbs is Erie County's Domestic Relations Assignment Commissioner. She handles scheduling for all DR cases — divorces, dissolutions, post-decree motions, and contempt hearings — and is the right point of contact for setting and resetting hearings. Direct line (419) 627-7777.

What are the Erie County Juvenile Court filing fees?

Erie's juvenile filing fees are among the lowest in Ohio: Paternity Complaint $50, Custody/Visitation Complaint $65, Support Complaint $35, Change of Custody $65, Modify Visitation/Support $35, Contempt $20, Miscellaneous Motions $20, Subpoena (per person) $25, Recording Fee $5, Publication Fee $200, Copies $0.10/page, Certified Copies $1.00 each, CD Hearing Audio $3.00. CPO petitions have no filing fee.

Does Erie Juvenile Court have its own local forms?

Yes, and they are unusually complete. Erie publishes its own Complaint for Parentage, Motion for Change of Custody (with memorandum in support), Motion for Change of Parenting Time, Motion for Change of Child Support, Motion for Contempt and Affidavit, Show Cause Order, Parenting Proceeding Affidavit, Affidavit of Income and Expenses, Request for Service, Affidavit of Indigency, Waiver of Counsel, Caregiver Form, and both Standard Order of Visitation and Standard Long-Distance Visitation Schedule. Use these Erie locals — not the Ohio SC versions — when filing in juvenile court.

When do I file in Erie County Juvenile Court instead of General Division?

If the parents were never married, custody, parenting time, child support, and paternity are filed in Erie County Juvenile Court (4th Floor of the same Courthouse) in front of Hon. Robert C. DeLamatre. If you were married, those issues travel with the divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in the General Division (2nd Floor).

Free Local Resources in Erie County

• Erie County DR Division. 323 Columbus Avenue, 2nd Floor, Sandusky, OH 44870. Phone (419) 627-7732. Toll-free 1 (888) 399-6065. Hon. Judge Binette presides (General Division).
• DR Assignment Commissioner — Amanda Tubbs. Direct line (419) 627-7777. Handles all DR scheduling and coordination.
• Erie County Clerk of Courts. 323 Columbus Avenue, 1st Floor, Sandusky, OH 44870. Phone (419) 627-7732.
• Erie County DR Forms Hub. eriecounty.oh.gov/FormsforDomesticRelations.aspx — local Application/Instructions packet, Affidavit of Indigency, DR Injunctions JE, Voluntary Dismissal, and more.
• Erie County DR Local Rules (PDF, 2025). eriecounty.oh.gov/Downloads/DR_RULES20253.pdf — current as of 2025.
• PayGov — Pay Court Costs Online. pay.paygov.us — civil, criminal, and domestic case court costs.
• Public Case Search. clerkofcourts.eriecounty.oh.gov/eservices/home.page.2 — public docket search.
• Erie County Juvenile Court. 323 Columbus Avenue, 4th Floor, Sandusky. Phone (419) 627-7782. Hon. Robert C. DeLamatre.
• Erie County Juvenile Justice Center. 1338 Tiffin Avenue, Sandusky — 24-hour Juvenile Detention + Northern Ohio Juvenile Community Corrections.
• Juvenile Probation / Mediation / Diversion. 221 West Parish Street, Sandusky. Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
• Legal Aid Line of Western Ohio. 1-888-534-1432 · legalaidline.org — free civil legal help.
• Erie County Bar Association. Phone (419) 627-2009 — lawyer referral.
• Erie County Public Defender. Phone (419) 627-6620.
• Safe Harbour. Domestic violence assistance — contact Erie County Prosecutor's Office for connection.
• Ohio Supreme Court Standardized Forms. supremecourt.ohio.gov — Erie DR uses Ohio SC standardized forms alongside Erie locals.
• Ohio Child Support Calculator. ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov — run the worksheet and print it for filing.
• Ohio Legal Help. ohiolegalhelp.org — plain-language guides and interactive court forms.

Other Family-Law Topics in Erie County

• Erie County Dissolution — Joint petition — fee deposit set by Clerk's Schedule of Costs. Final hearing 30-90 days after filing. Both spouses must attend.
• Erie County Divorce — General Division (Judge Binette). 42-day waiting period. Erie's local Application packet and DR Injunctions JE required at filing.
• Erie County Divorce With Children — Add Parenting Proceeding Affidavit, Health Insurance Affidavit, child support worksheet, and a parenting plan.
• Erie County Legal Separation — Same mandatory initial pleadings as divorce. Erie does not publish a separate form — use Ohio SC Complaint with the caption changed.
• Erie County Annulment — Limited R.C. 3105.31 grounds. Use the Ohio SC divorce Complaint with the caption changed.
• Erie County Post-Decree Modifications — Ohio SC Forms 26, 27, and 28. Schedule through DR Commissioner Amanda Tubbs.
• Erie County Post-Decree Contempt — Ohio SC Forms 24 and 25 in DR; Erie local Motion for Contempt and Show Cause in Juvenile Court ($20).

Related to your contempt case

• Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
• Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
• Cleveland family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cleveland 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.