Post-Decree Modifications in Erie County

How do I modify an Erie County divorce or dissolution decree?

Use Ohio SC Form 27 to change custody (residential parent / legal custodian), Form 28 to change child support, or Form 26 to change the parenting-time schedule. Custody changes require a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent plus best interest under R.C. 3109.04(E). Child support can also be reviewed administratively by CSEA every 36 months or on a 10%+ change. File at the Clerk of Courts on the 1st Floor, 323 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky. Filing fee set by Clerk's Schedule of Costs — call (419) 627-7732 or DR Commissioner Amanda Tubbs at (419) 627-7777. Property division is final and cannot be modified.

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 Modifications is the right path if…

• Your income or the other parent's income has changed by 10% or more since the support order was entered.
• It has been 36 months or longer since the last child-support review.
• There has been a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent affecting custody.
• The parenting-time schedule is no longer working — a job, school, relocation, or the child's needs have changed.
• The decree expressly reserved jurisdiction to modify spousal support and a change has occurred.

If the other party is violating the existing order, you may want a contempt motion instead — or alongside. See Erie County post-decree contempt.

Filing Fees

Filing fee set by Clerk's Schedule of Costs · CSEA administrative review is free · Schedule contested hearings through DR Commissioner Amanda Tubbs at (419) 627-7777

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Erie County

1. Identify what you need to change. Custody (Form 27), child support (Form 28), or parenting time only (Form 26). You can combine them in one filing — bring all three forms if multiple issues apply.
2. Document the change of circumstances. For custody, the change must be of the child or residential parent — not the moving parent. For support, document the income change with paystubs, tax returns, and a current Affidavit 1.
3. Run a current child-support worksheet. Use ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov. Required for any Form 28 motion and recommended for Form 27.
4. File at the Clerk on the 1st Floor, 323 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky. Pay the cost deposit (or file an Affidavit of Indigency). The case is heard by the General Division.
5. Schedule through DR Commissioner Amanda Tubbs. Call (419) 627-7777 to set any contested hearing.

Erie County Practice Notes

• Property division is final. Erie DR will not modify the property/debt allocation in a final decree. Once divided, it stays divided. Only support, custody, parenting time, and (if expressly reserved) spousal support are modifiable.
• Custody change has a high bar. R.C. 3109.04(E)(1)(a) requires a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent (not the moving parent) AND best interest AND harm-vs-benefit. "I want more time" is not enough — file a Form 26 parenting-time motion instead.
• CSEA review is free. Before filing a Form 28, consider requesting a CSEA administrative review — it's free, takes about 60-90 days, and the result is enforceable like a court order. Either party can object and trigger a court hearing.
• Schedule through Amanda Tubbs. Erie does not have a DR Division calendar separate from the General Division. All contested hearings are scheduled by DR Assignment Commissioner Amanda Tubbs at (419) 627-7777.
• Juvenile Court for never-married parents. If the parties were never married, modifications go to the Erie Juvenile Court on the 4th Floor (Hon. Robert C. DeLamatre) — and use Erie's local juvenile forms (Motion for Change of Custody $65, Motion for Change of Parenting Time $35, Motion for Change of Child Support $35) instead of the OSC DR forms.

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.

How much does it cost to file in Erie County DR?

Erie County publishes its DR filing fees through the Clerk's Schedule of Costs rather than as a flat-rate fee table. Call the Clerk of Courts at (419) 627-7732 (or DR Assignment Commissioner Amanda Tubbs at (419) 627-7777) for the current cost deposit. An Affidavit of Indigency (Erie local form) is available if you cannot afford the fee. Court costs can be paid online through PayGov.

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).

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.

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 post-decree modifications case

• 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.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications 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.