Child Support in Fairfield County

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, 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, 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.

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

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Fairfield County Juvenile and Probate Court
Hall of Justice, 224 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Lancaster, OH 43130, 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.
• There's been roughly a 10%+ change in the support amount or a substantial change of circumstances.
• You want CSEA to collect support 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 · Single-sided only · CSEA wage withholding

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Child Support in Fairfield County

1. Run the Ohio Income Shares worksheet. Use ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov, then print and sign the worksheet.
2. Complete Fairfield's SETS form. Attach the local SETS Child Support Information Form to the worksheet.
3. File in the correct division single-sided. Married parents: DR Division with the divorce. Never-married: Juvenile Court, 3rd Floor. Print everything single-sided.
4. 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 order needs the local SETS Child Support Information Form filed alongside the Ohio Child Support Worksheet.
• 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 of circumstances.
• Income Shares, not a flat percentage. Ohio sets support with the 2024 Income Shares worksheet — it combines both parents' gross incomes, parenting-time, health-insurance, and child-care costs. 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?

Filing fees are approximately $300, though the exact amount may vary by case type (with or without children). Call the Clerk of Courts at (740) 652-7440 for the current fee. An Affidavit of Indigency is available to waive fees for qualifying low-income filers. Fax filings are accepted at (740) 652-7399.

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. Phone (740) 652-7440 · Fax (740) 652-7399. Hon. Laura B. Smith presides.
• 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.

Other Family-Law Topics in Fairfield County

• Fairfield County Dissolution — Joint petition filed at the 4th Floor Clerk. ~$300 filing fee. Single-sided only. Final hearing 30-90 days after filing.
• Fairfield County Divorce — DR Division (Hon. Laura B. Smith). 42-day waiting period. Standard Mutual Restraining Order auto-effective on filing.
• Fairfield County Divorce With Children — Add Parenting Proceeding Affidavit, Health Insurance Affidavit, child support worksheet, SETS form, and Children In Between® ($25).
• Fairfield County Legal Separation — Same mandatory initial pleadings as divorce. Fairfield does not publish a separate form — use Ohio SC Complaint with the caption changed.
• Fairfield County Annulment — Limited R.C. 3105.31 grounds. Use the Ohio SC divorce Complaint with the caption changed.
• Fairfield County Post-Decree Modifications — Ohio SC Forms 26, 27, and 28 paired with Fairfield's General Motion cover.
• Fairfield County Post-Decree Contempt — Ohio SC Forms 24 and 25 paired with Fairfield's General Motion cover.

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.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support 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.