Filing for Dissolution in Fairfield County, Ohio
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated May 27, 2026
Fairfield County hears dissolutions in its dedicated Domestic Relations Division on the 4th floor of the Hall of Justice at 224 East Main Street in Lancaster, in front of Hon. Laura B. Smith. Three local quirks shape every Fairfield dissolution: the Clerk closes midday from 12:00–1:00 p.m., the Clerk will not accept any document printed on both sides of the page, and the Standard Mutual Restraining Order goes into effect automatically the moment your DR case is filed. Use Fairfield's published Dissolution & Divorce Document Checklist to confirm your packet is complete before walking in. Parents with minor children must complete the Children In Between® online program ($25) before the final hearing. Final hearings are typically set 30 to 90 days after filing and both spouses must appear. Filing fees are $300 without minor children or $350 with minor children — call the DR Clerk's filing line at (740) 652-7357 for the exact current amount.
Fairfield County dissolution: one flat fee, no hourly surprises
Traditional firms bill dissolution by the hour, and the final total is anyone's guess. We do it differently for Fairfield County families: one flat fee, quoted up front, with financing available and full representation on the table when it's warranted. Below you'll also find the Fairfield County court information — contacts in Lancaster, the forms you need, and local fee details.
- One flat fee, agreed up front. See the exact flat-fee options below and approve them before we start — no open-ended hourly bills.
- Payments that fit your budget. A payment plan lets you break the dissolution flat fee into manageable installments, and financing is an option too — start now, pay over time.
- Why Fairfield County families choose us. A flat fee keeps us focused on finishing your dissolution case, not billing more hours. Our licensed Ohio attorneys handle matters across Fairfield County and the whole state.
Flat-fee options
Flat-fee limited scope: we prepare your full dissolution petition and separation agreement for an agreed, no-court split.
- Dissolution: $1,750
- Dissolution with children: $2,300
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.
Start your dissolution case or see payment plans & financing.
Ohio Divorce by the Numbers
- 6 months Ohio residency required before you can file Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03
- 90 days Residency in the county of filing (venue) Source: Ohio Civ. R. 3
- 30–90 days Typical time to finalize an uncontested dissolution Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.64
- 1 year Living separate and apart that qualifies as no-fault grounds Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.01
Compare Your Options for Ending a Marriage in Ohio
| Path | Ends the marriage? | Agreement required? | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissolution | Yes | Yes — on every term before filing | Both spouses agree on everything and want the fastest, lowest-cost path |
| Divorce (contested) | Yes | No | Spouses disagree on property, support, or parenting and need a judge to decide |
| Divorce (uncontested / default) | Yes | No | One spouse will not respond or cannot be located |
| Legal separation | No — you stay married | Optional | You need court orders but must stay married (religion, insurance, or benefits) |
| Annulment | Treated as never valid | No | The marriage was never legally valid (fraud, bigamy, underage, or incapacity) |
Fairfield County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division
Hall of Justice, 224 East Main Street, 4th Floor, Lancaster, OH 43130 • (740) 652-7440 • Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (closed midday)
Filing fee: $300 — call the DR Clerk's filing line (740) 652-7357 to confirm–$350 — call the DR Clerk's filing line (740) 652-7357 to confirm. Fee waiver available.
Important things to know about Fairfield County
- Single-sided documents only — Clerk rejects anything printed on both sides.
- Midday Clerk closure 12:00–1:00 p.m. daily — plan filings for the morning or afternoon session.
- Standard Mutual Restraining Order goes into effect automatically the moment your DR case is filed (Fairfield local).
- Fairfield publishes a Dissolution & Divorce Document Checklist — use it to confirm every form is complete before filing.
- Children In Between® parent-education required for parents with minor children — $25 online at divorce-education.com/OH/fairfield. File the certificate of completion with the Clerk before the final hearing.
- Accessible HTML versions of nearly every local form alongside the PDFs.
Required forms (all cases)
- Petition for Dissolution (Ohio SC Form 17) — Joint petition; both spouses sign.
- Separation Agreement (Ohio SC Form 19) — Full settlement on property, debt, and spousal support. Both spouses sign in front of a notary.
- Financial Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each spouse files their own.
- Dissolution & Divorce Document Checklist (Fairfield local) — Use Fairfield's checklist to confirm every form is complete before filing.
- Personal Identifier Form (Fairfield local) — Lists SSNs, DOBs, and other personal identifiers separately from the public docket — required at filing.
- Notice of Filing for Family File (Fairfield local) — Required intake notice creating the case's family file.
- Decree of Dissolution (Ohio SC Form 18) — Proposed final order ending the marriage; incorporates the Separation Agreement.
- Notice of Dismissal (Fairfield local) — Use if you decide to withdraw the joint petition before the final hearing.
Additional forms with minor children
- Custody Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3 — UCCJEA) — Required in any DR case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years.
- Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
- Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) — Use if both parents will share legal custody. Must be notarized.
- Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 21) — sole custody — Outlines parenting time when one parent is residential parent and legal custodian.
- Ohio Child Support Worksheet — Run on the Ohio Child Support Calculator and print.
- SETS Child Support Information Form (Fairfield local) — Required SETS intake for any case involving a child-support order.
Related to your dissolution
- 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.
Related guides
In-depth, attorney-written guides on dissolution, divorce, and related Ohio family law topics.
- Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio: Which Path Is Right for You? — Divorce and dissolution both end an Ohio marriage, but they work very differently. Dissolution is a no-fault, agreed process; divorce is a lawsuit for couples who can't agree. Here's how to choose.
- How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Ohio? — The cost of an Ohio divorce ranges widely depending on conflict and complexity. Here's what drives the price — court fees, attorney fees, experts — and how to keep it manageable.
- How Long Does a Divorce Take in Ohio? — There is no single answer to how long an Ohio divorce takes — an agreed dissolution can finish in a couple of months, while a contested divorce may run a year or more. Here's what drives the timeline.
- Dividing Property in an Ohio Divorce — Ohio divides marital property equitably — meaning fairly, not always equally. The first step is classifying every asset and debt. Here's how the process works.
Understand the cost
- Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio — How the two paths compare on agreement, timeline, and cost.
- Ohio Divorce Cost & Timeline by Path — Compare cost and timeline across every path to ending a marriage.
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