Franklin County Annulment Attorneys

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

Franklin County's Domestic Relations Court sits at 373 South High Street in downtown Columbus and runs the second-largest family-law docket in Ohio. Two procedural quirks matter most: (1) under Local Rule 43, a Standard Mutual Temporary Restraining Order issues in every divorce, legal separation, and annulment — the filer signs and presents it at filing and serves the other spouse, binding both against draining accounts, dropping insurance, or hiding assets — and (2) temporary orders take an extra step here: instead of ruling on the motion, the court sets a conference to try for agreement, then orders supplemental affidavits and a hearing only if needed, so they take longer than the typical 14 days (file a counter affidavit within 14 days of service). Filing deposits are set by the court for divorce (with or without children) and for dissolution, and the required parenting class is "TAPP – Putting the Children First."

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)

File for annulment in the Franklin County Court of Domestic Relations in Columbus. Six statutory grounds under R.C. 3105.31, statutes of limitation, forms, and attorney help.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations

373 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 525-4410
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Website: Court website
e-Filing: Franklin County DR e-Filing

Franklin County DR Clerk, 373 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215 — or e-file at drj.fccourts.org/efiling.

Franklin County Procedure Quirks

Franklin County DR issues a Standard Mutual Temporary Restraining Order in every divorce, legal separation, and annulment under Local Rule 43. The filer signs the proposed order and presents it at filing, then serves a copy on the other spouse; it binds both spouses against draining accounts, canceling insurance, or hiding assets until the court modifies it or the decree is filed.
Temporary orders work differently in Franklin: the court does not just rule on the motion — it sets a conference where both sides try to agree, then orders supplemental affidavits by a set date if there is no agreement and schedules a hearing only if you are still stuck. File a counter affidavit within 14 days of service (Civ.R. 75(N)); expect temporary orders to take longer here than in most counties.
Affidavits of Property and Income/Expenses must be current and complete. Franklin DR Magistrates routinely deny temporary-orders motions that aren't supported by current financial affidavits.
Court address is 373 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215 — Domestic Relations is on the upper floors. The Juvenile Branch is a separate intake at 399 South Front Street.
Franklin DR's parenting seminar is "TAPP – Putting the Children First" — both parents in any case with minor children must complete it and file the Certificate before the final hearing.

Parenting Class

TAPP – Putting the Children First — Franklin County DR — court-approved parenting seminar (Register / learn more)
Required for both parents under R.C. 3109.053 in every divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment with minor children. File the Certificate of Completion with the Clerk before the final hearing.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Branch

399 South Front Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 525-4411
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Website: Juvenile court website

Hears custody, parenting time, child support, and paternity for never-married parents — plus delinquency, unruly, juvenile traffic, and abuse/neglect/dependency cases.

Domestic Relations vs. Juvenile

In Franklin County, the Division of Domestic Relations and Juvenile Branch is administratively unified, but the two intakes are physically separate: Domestic Relations (divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment for married couples) at 373 South High Street; Juvenile Branch (custody, parenting time, child support for never-married parents and all juvenile matters) at 399 South Front Street.

Free Local Resources in Franklin County

Franklin County DR Self-Help Resource Center (373 South High Street). Self-represented filers can access forms, computer terminals, and limited procedural information. Cannot give legal advice. Open Mon–Fri during regular court hours.
Legal Aid Society of Columbus. (614) 241-2001 — income-qualified family law representation and advice clinics in central Ohio.
Columbus Bar Lawyer Referral Service. (614) 221-0754 — paid 30-minute consultation referrals to vetted Franklin County family-law attorneys.
Franklin County CSEA (Child Support Enforcement Agency). (614) 525-3275 — opens IV-D cases and collects/distributes child support through wage withholding.

Other Franklin County Court Services

Domestic Violence & Dating Violence Protection Orders

A Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (DVCPO) under R.C. 3113.31 is filed at the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations, 373 South High Street, Columbus. There is no filing fee, the court reviews ex parte requests the same day, and a Dating Violence CPO is available for people in a dating relationship who are not family or household members.

Free domestic-violence advocates are available on site to help complete the petition and prepare for the full hearing, which is set within 7–10 court days of an ex parte order. A final CPO can last up to 5 years.

Franklin County Probate Court

373 South High Street, 22nd Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 525-3894
Email: probate@franklincountyohio.gov
Judge Mackey
Website: Court website

e-Filing: e-Filing portal

Forms: All probate forms

Adoptions, name changes, guardianships, and marriage licenses are handled by Probate Court — a separate division from Domestic Relations. The Small Estate Resource Center is open Tuesdays/Wednesdays 10:30am–4pm at (614) 525-7251.

Guardian ad Litem, Parenting Coordinator & Mediation

When a case involves children or high conflict, the Domestic Relations Court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem to investigate the children's best interest, appoint a Parenting Coordinator to manage ongoing disputes, or refer the parties to court mediation.

Guardian ad Litem (GAL)

Under Local Rule 15, a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is a court-appointed attorney who investigates and makes recommendations on the children's best interest. GALs are chosen from a court-approved list, bill in tenths of an hour, and must file any fee motion within 7 days after the final hearing. Indigent parties can ask the court to waive the deposit and fees.

Deposit: Set by the Clerk of Courts — confirm the current filing fee before filing

Local Rule 15

Entry/Magistrate's Order Appointing GAL

Parenting Coordinator (PC)

Under Local Rule 42, a Parenting Coordinator (PC) helps high-conflict parents implement their parenting plan, resolve day-to-day disagreements, and reduce repeat court filings. The PC is appointed by court order and selected from the court's approved list.

Local Rule 42

Franklin County DR Mediation Services

Court mediation under Local Rule 22 (and R.C. 3109.052) gives parents a confidential, lower-cost way to resolve custody and parenting-time disputes with a neutral mediator instead of a contested hearing.

373 S. High Street, 3rd Floor, Columbus, OH 43220
Phone: (614) 525-6640

Mediation Services

Local Rule 22

Model Parenting-Time Schedule

Franklin County publishes a Model Parenting Time Schedule (Local Rule 27) that becomes the default when parents cannot agree on a schedule. It is a guideline only — liberal, agreed parenting time is encouraged.

Two versions exist depending on when the order was journalized: Rule 27.1 applies to orders journalized on or after January 1, 2015; the older Rule 27 applies to orders journalized before January 1, 2015. A separate over-90-mile (long-distance) schedule applies when parents live more than 90 miles apart.

Option A — Equal alternating weeks. Children reside equally with both parents on an alternating weekly basis, transitioning every Sunday at 6:00 p.m.; the non-exercising parent gets one weekday evening (Wednesday by default) 5:00–8:00 p.m.
Option B — Alternating weekends + weekday split. Alternating weekends Friday 6 p.m.–Monday 6 p.m., with the school-week split between parents around Wednesday.
Option C — Alternating weekends + one weekday overnight. Alternating weekends Friday 6 p.m.–Monday 6 p.m., plus one weekday overnight (Wednesday by default) for one parent, who handles all transportation.
Option D — Alternating weekends + one weekday evening. Alternating weekends Friday 6 p.m.–Sunday 6 p.m., plus a Wednesday evening 5–8 p.m. for one parent, who handles pickup and return.

Holidays rotate by odd/even year and prevail over the regular schedule; Mother's Day and Father's Day go to the appropriate parent.
Each parent generally gets up to two weeks of uninterrupted summer vacation with 30 days' advance notice and an itinerary.
The non-possessory parent is entitled to reasonable phone/electronic contact at least three times per week.
A parent who is more than 30 minutes late without contact forfeits that parenting time; cancellations need 24 hours' notice.
Moving requires immediate written notice (minimum 60 days, except as provided by R.C. 3109.051(G)); car seats are required by law.

Read Local Rule 27

Dividing Retirement & Pension Benefits

Dividing retirement and pension benefits in an Ohio divorce requires a separate court order, drafted to match the specific plan. The right instrument depends on whether the account is a private, public, federal, or military plan. The Franklin County Law Library publishes sample model orders.

QDRO — Private pensions (ERISA). A Qualified Domestic Relations Order divides private employer pensions and 401(k)-type plans governed by ERISA. Sample order / resource
DPO — Ohio public pensions. A Division of Property Order divides Ohio public retirement accounts (OPERS, STRS, SERS, etc.). The official form may be reproduced but NOT altered — alterations are a basis for the retirement system rejecting it. Sample order / resource
COAP — Federal civil service. A Court Order Acceptable for Processing divides federal civil-service pensions under FERS or CSRS. Sample order / resource
TSP — Federal Thrift Savings Plan. The TSP Court Ordered Center provides model language for Retirement Benefits Court Orders. Sample order / resource
DFAS — Military pensions. Military pensions are divided under the Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act using DFAS sample order language. Sample order / resource

The U.S. Department of Labor publishes a plain-English QDRO guide. Because a defective order can be rejected by the plan administrator, most parties have these orders prepared or reviewed by an attorney. See the DOL guide: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/publications/qdros

What it costs — two ways to hire us

Limited scope, flat fee — Flat fee $2,015

You hire us for a defined piece of the work — drafting and filing your annulment paperwork, a single hearing, a specific motion — at a fixed, published price. The court's filing fee is paid to the Clerk of Courts separately. The number you see is the number you pay at checkout. What each flat fee covers.

Full representation — $3,500 retainer to start

An attorney manages the whole case — strategy, filings, hearings, negotiation. The retainer is known before you sign and is a deposit against work, not the total cost; the total depends on how contested your case becomes. You watch every dollar of it in real time. How full representation is billed.

Is there financing? Yes.

On limited-scope services of $2,000 or more, Gavvl Direct — our in-house plan with no interest and no credit check — takes 60% down to start, then the balance in three monthly payments, the first due 28 days after your initial payment. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay. See every financing option.

Real people — with direct lines

Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
Niva Elgin — Director of Attorney Relations · Licensed New Mexico Attorney
Richard Furnish — Of Counsel Attorney

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — Niva Elgin, our Director of Attorney Relations and a licensed New Mexico attorney — or Richard Furnish, an Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Franklin County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Director of Attorney Relations. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

95+ five-star Google reviews
60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained — and every step after

Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, Niva Elgin, or Richard Furnish about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder

Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Can I do this without an attorney?

sometimes, yes. Ohio lets you represent yourself, and for a genuinely agreed dissolution or a simple motion, some people do. Every Ohio county's forms and local rules are linked from our county pages, and our free tools will draft a parenting plan or estimate child support before you spend anything.

Here's what the online-divorce platforms leave out: most Ohio counties require their own forms and language on top of the statewide ones, and a rejected filing is the most common reason people call us after trying it alone. A $25, 30-minute call tells you whether you can do this yourself — and if you can, we'll say so.

Schedule Your $25 Consultation

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Columbus divorce lawyers — Ohio-licensed attorneys, limited-scope flat fees, payment plans, and a $25 consultation.

Related to your divorce

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.

Call (380) 205-3899 or email support@gavvl.com.