Fairfield County Child Support Attorneys

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated May 27, 2026

Fairfield County, Ohio · Lancaster

Fairfield County child support runs on Ohio's statewide 2024 Income Shares Model, which handles calculating child support based on each parent's income. Support can be set inside a divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the DR Division, or in the Juvenile Court for never-married parents. Every Fairfield support case also requires the local SETS Child Support Information Form. The Fairfield County CSEA collects child support payments and enforces orders through automatic wage withholding once they are journalized.

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Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Fairfield County local forms, the court strategy, and the hearings — and you know the price before we start.

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How do I get a child-support order in Fairfield County, Ohio?

Run the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov using both parents' incomes — that is the core of calculating child support and fixing each parent's child support obligation — then file it with Fairfield's SETS Child Support Information Form. For married parents, support is set inside the divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the DR Division, 4th Floor, Hall of Justice, Lancaster. For never-married parents, support is set in the Juvenile Court on the 3rd Floor. To change an existing order after a significant change in circumstances, file the Ohio uniform Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28) — paired with Fairfield's General Motion cover — in the division that issued the order, or request a CSEA administrative review. Print everything single-sided. The Fairfield County CSEA collects and enforces support through wage withholding; payment questions go to Ohio Child Support Payments at 1-800-860-2555.

Fairfield County child support, calculated on the Income Shares worksheet

Fairfield County runs child support on Ohio's statewide 2024 Income Shares Model, and every local case pairs the signed Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet from ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov with Fairfield's own SETS Child Support Information Form. Married parents set support inside a divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the DR Division on the 4th floor of the Hall of Justice in Lancaster; never-married parents set it in the Juvenile Court on the 3rd floor. Gavvl Law runs the worksheet, files the SETS form in the right division single-sided, and offers a flat fee to establish or modify your order.

The worksheet and SETS form the Clerk expects. Ohio bases child support on both parents' incomes through the 2024 Income Shares worksheet, and Fairfield adds its local SETS Child Support Information Form on top. We run the calculation at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov, print and sign the worksheet, and attach the SETS form so the support request is complete when it reaches the counter.
CSEA review or a Form 28 court motion. To change an existing order you can ask the Fairfield County CSEA for a free administrative review — usually available every 36 months or on a 10%-plus change — or file the Ohio uniform Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28) paired with Fairfield's General Motion cover in the division that issued the order. We pick the faster route for your numbers and prepare either one.
Set in the division that decides custody. Support rides with the case that decides parenting: the DR Division for married parents, the Juvenile Court for never-married parents. We file in the correct court, keep everything single-sided so the Clerk accepts it, and hold the work to one flat fee approved up front.

Once the order is journalized, the Fairfield County CSEA collects and enforces it through automatic wage withholding, with payment questions going to Ohio Child Support Payments at 1-800-860-2555. We file through the DR Clerk's line at (740) 652-7357, set health-insurance and uninsured-medical responsibility at the same time, and offer payment plans so getting the number right is never out of reach.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the support motion (establish, modify, or terminate). The court filing fee is billed separately and this does not include in-court representation.

Establish child support: $950
Modify child support: $950
Terminate child support: $950

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, or full financing where work begins once 60% is paid. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

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Ohio Child Support by the Numbers

2024 Year Ohio's updated Income Shares support schedule took effect Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.021
10% Change in the calculated amount that justifies a modification Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.79
3 years How often either parent can request an administrative review Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.60
Age 18 When support normally ends — or high-school graduation, whichever is later Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.86

What Counts in an Ohio Child Support Calculation

What the worksheet counts	Counts toward support?	Notes
Both parents' gross income	Yes	Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and self-employment earnings
Health insurance for the children	Yes	Credited to the parent who pays the premium
Work-related childcare	Yes	Daycare and after-school costs are added in
Parenting time	Yes	Adjustments apply for substantial or equal parenting time
Imputed income	Sometimes	Added when a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed
A new spouse's income	No	Only the two parents' incomes are counted

Where to File: Fairfield County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

Hall of Justice, 224 East Main Street, 4th Floor, Lancaster, OH 43130
Phone: (740) 652-7440
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (closed midday)
Website: Court website
e-Filing: Online e-filing portal

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Fairfield County Juvenile and Probate Court
Hall of Justice, 224 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Lancaster, OH 43130
Phone: (740) 652-7463
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Child Support is the right path if…

You need a first child-support order, or your current order no longer fits your incomes or parenting time and you want help with these child support matters.
There's been roughly a 10%+ change in the support amount or a substantial change in circumstances that affects the child support obligation.
You want CSEA to collect child support payments automatically by wage withholding.
Health-insurance or uninsured-medical responsibility needs to be set or updated.

Filing Fees

Establish: filed with the custody/divorce case + SETS form · Modify: Ohio Form 28 + Fairfield General Motion · Ohio 2024 Income Shares Model for calculating child support · Single-sided only · CSEA wage withholding

Forms & Filing Packets

Establish a new support order

Support is set with the case that decides custody — inside the divorce/dissolution/legal separation for married parents, or in the Juvenile Court for never-married parents. File the SETS form with the worksheet.

Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign.
SETS Child Support Information Form (Fairfield local) — Required SETS intake form for any case involving a child-support order.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.

Modify an existing support order

File the Ohio uniform Form 28 motion paired with Fairfield's General Motion cover in the division that issued the order, or request a CSEA administrative review.

Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) — Asks the court to modify an existing child-support order.
General Motion (Fairfield local) — Fairfield's local cover-page general motion — typically paired with the relevant Ohio SC standardized motion form.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign.

How to File Child Support in Fairfield County

Run the Ohio Income Shares worksheet. Use ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov, then print and sign the worksheet.
Complete Fairfield's SETS form. Attach the local SETS Child Support Information Form to the worksheet.
File in the correct division single-sided. Married parents: DR Division with the divorce. Never-married: Juvenile Court, 3rd Floor. Print everything single-sided.
Open your CSEA case. The Fairfield County CSEA collects and enforces the order through wage withholding once it is journalized.

Fairfield County Practice Notes

Fairfield requires the SETS form. Any Fairfield case involving a child support obligation needs the local SETS Child Support Information Form filed alongside the Ohio Child Support Worksheet used for calculating child support.
CSEA administrative review vs. court motion. You can ask the Fairfield County CSEA for an administrative review of support, or file a court motion (Form 28 with Fairfield's General Motion cover) in the division that issued the order. A review is usually available every 36 months, or sooner with a substantial change in circumstances that affects the child support obligation.
Income Shares, not a flat percentage. Ohio bases child support on each parent's income with the 2024 Income Shares worksheet — it combines both parents' gross incomes, parenting-time, health-insurance, and child-care costs when calculating child support. Run it at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov and file the signed worksheet with every support request.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is child support calculated in Fairfield County?: Fairfield County uses Ohio's statewide 2024 Income Shares Model — there is no county formula. Run the official worksheet at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov with both parents' gross incomes, parenting-time, health-insurance, and child-care figures, then file the signed worksheet along with Fairfield's SETS Child Support Information Form. The Fairfield County CSEA collects and enforces the order through wage withholding once it is journalized.
How much does it cost to file in Fairfield County?: Fairfield's Domestic Relations filing fees depend on the case type (Clerk of Courts schedule, rev. 2/2026): divorce is $350 without children or $400 with children; dissolution is $300 without children or $350 with children; annulment or legal separation is $300 without children or $350 with children; a complaint for custody and/or support is $300; a post-decree motion or a motion for contempt is $200; and registering a foreign order is $150. Call the DR Clerk's filing line at (740) 652-7357 to confirm, or view the official fee schedule at fairfieldcountyclerk.com/filing-fees-costs.html. Ohio's Civil Fee Waiver (Affidavit of Indigency) is available for filers who cannot afford the deposit. New cases and other fee-bearing pleadings cannot be filed by fax or email — file in person, by mail, or through the e-filing portal at eservices.fairfieldcountycpcourt.org.
When do I file in Fairfield Juvenile Court instead of DR?: If the parents were never married, custody, parenting time, child support, and paternity are filed in the Fairfield County Juvenile Court on the 3rd Floor of the same Hall of Justice in front of Hon. Terre L. Vandervoort. If you were married, those issues travel with the divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in the DR Division on the 4th Floor (Hon. Laura B. Smith). Judge Vandervoort uniquely serves as both Judge and Clerk of the Juvenile/Probate Courts.
Why won't the Clerk accept my paperwork?: Fairfield County Clerk will NOT accept forms printed on both sides of the paper. Every page must be single-sided. This is one of the most common reasons filings get rejected at the counter — reprint anything that's double-sided before you go in.
How long does a Fairfield County divorce take?: Ohio's mandatory 42-day waiting period after service applies before any final hearing. Uncontested divorces typically run 4-6 months; contested cases routinely run 8-18 months depending on discovery and the court's calendar. The defendant has 28 days to file an Answer after service. Parents with minor children must complete Children In Between® before the final hearing.

Free Local Resources in Fairfield County

Fairfield County DR Division. Hall of Justice, 224 East Main Street, 4th Floor, Lancaster, OH 43130. DR Division (740) 652-7440 · Clerk filing line (740) 652-7357 · Fax (740) 652-7399. Hon. Laura B. Smith presides; Magistrates Lora H. Cleary and Sandra S. Miller. Clerk of Courts: Branden C. Meyer.
Fairfield County e-Filing Portal. eservices.fairfieldcountycpcourt.org — the Common Pleas e-filing system for Domestic Relations cases.
Fairfield County Clerk Fee Schedule. fairfieldcountyclerk.com/filing-fees-costs.html — the official, current Clerk of Courts filing-fee schedule by case type.
Fairfield County DR Forms Hub (HTML + PDF). co.fairfield.oh.us/dr/DR-Court-Forms-FC.html — accessible HTML and printable PDF versions of every local DR form.
Fairfield County DR Local Rules. co.fairfield.oh.us/dr/FC-Local-Rules-of-Court-DR.html — including Local Rule 17 Standard Parenting Time Order.
Local Rule 17 — Standard Parenting Time Order (rev. 2023). co.fairfield.oh.us/dr/pdf/Local-Rule-17-rev-2023.03.01.pdf — current standard order.
Children In Between® (online, $25). divorce-education.com/OH/fairfield — required parent-education for parents with minor children. 24/7 online; 30-day account.
Dissolution & Divorce Document Checklist. co.fairfield.oh.us/dr/documents/Dissolution-and-Divorce-Document-Checklist.pdf — work through it before filing.
Standard Mutual Restraining Order (auto-effective on filing). co.fairfield.oh.us/dr/documents/restraining_order.pdf
Fairfield County Visitation Center. 407 East Main Street, Lancaster — supervised visitation and exchange services.
Fairfield County Juvenile & Probate Court. Hall of Justice, 224 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Lancaster. Juvenile (740) 652-7463 · Probate (740) 652-7485. Hon. Terre L. Vandervoort (also serves as Clerk). Magistrates Michelle L. Edgar and Troy M. Sitzmann.
Juvenile Resource Center (Connexion West). 625 Garfield Avenue, Lancaster · (740) 652-7374 — diversion services, behavioral health, and youth programming.
The Lighthouse, Inc. (CPO advocacy). 136 West Main Street, 2nd Floor, Lancaster · (740) 687-6778 ext. 3027 — free CPO advocacy (not legal advice).
SEOLS Virtual Legal Clinics. 4th Tuesday of every month, 5:00–7:00 p.m. Call 844-302-1800 Mon–Fri to register.
Court Appointed Counsel Application (Ohio OPD). opd.ohio.gov/appointed-counsel/reimbursement/05-financial-disclosure-form-opd-206r
Ohio Supreme Court Standardized Forms. supremecourt.ohio.gov — Fairfield DR uses Ohio SC standardized forms alongside Fairfield 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.

Related to your child support case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on child support and related Ohio family law topics.

Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.
How to Modify Child Support in Ohio — Child support orders aren't permanent. When income or circumstances change substantially, Ohio lets you modify support — through a CSEA review or a court motion. Here's how.