Franklin County Divorce & Family Law Attorneys
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated May 27, 2026
Gavvl Law represents Columbus and Franklin County families in divorce, dissolution, custody and shared parenting, child support, paternity, and civil protection orders. Choose flat-fee, limited-scope help or full representation, and start with a $25 consultation — backed by our verified Franklin County court guide.
What clients say
Ohio families rate Gavvl Law 4.8/5 across 90+ Google reviews.
How we can help in Franklin County
Ending a Marriage
- Divorce
Domestic Relations Court ~$300 without children · ~$350 with children
Best for: You and your spouse don't agree on everything (custody, money, property, debt, or support).
View guide - Dissolution
Domestic Relations Court Filing fees vary — confirm with the Clerk
Best for: Both spouses agree on every issue — property, debt, support, and parenting — and will sign and appear together.
View guide
Parents & Children
- Custody
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court ~$100-$150 Juvenile deposit
Best for: You need a court order for who the children live with, who makes the major decisions, and the parenting time schedule.
View guide - Child Support
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court Court motions: $175 Juvenile filing fee (custody or support under ORC 2151.233; modification or enforcement of an existing order is also $175 under DR Local Rule 2)
Best for: You need a new child-support order set, or an existing order modified or enforced in child support matters.
View guide - Paternity
Juvenile Court ~$100-$150 Juvenile deposit
Best for: You and the other parent were not married when the child was born.
View guide - Shared Parenting
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court Filing fee tracks the underlying case (divorce ~$300-$350; Juvenile ~$100-$150)
Best for: You and the other parent communicate well enough to share major decisions.
View guide - Non-Parent Custody
Juvenile Court Standard Juvenile filing fee ~$100-$150
Best for: You are a grandparent, relative, or caregiver — not a parent — seeking legal custody.
View guide
Changing or Enforcing Orders
- Modifications
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court ~$100-$150 filing fee
Best for: Something material has changed since the last order (income, schedule, relocation, child's needs).
View guide - Contempt
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court $175 enforcement deposit (Local Rule 2)
Best for: The other party isn't paying child support or spousal support as the order requires.
View guide
Emergency & Safety
- Emergency Custody
Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court Standard Juvenile filing fee ~$100-$150
Best for: The child faces immediate danger or imminent risk of harm RIGHT NOW.
View guide - CPO
Domestic Relations Court Filing fees vary — confirm with the Clerk
Best for: You and the respondent are family or household members: spouse / ex / co-parent / intimate partner / blood relative / current or former cohabitant.
View guide
The Franklin County family-law guide
Verified June 20, 2026
Download our free Franklin County family-law guide (PDF) — a plain-language walkthrough of which court hears each matter, the current filing fees, the required parenting class, and e-filing — checked against the county's own court rules and fee schedules.
Download the Franklin County family-law guide (PDF)
Talk to a Franklin County family-law attorney
Sources we checked
- Franklin County Domestic & Juvenile Court — Forms & Court Services (drj.fccourts.org)
- Franklin County Clerk of Courts — E-Filing (efiling.franklincountyohio.gov)
- Franklin County Domestic & Juvenile Court — Local Rule 2 (filing fees)
- Ohio Supreme Court — Standard Domestic Relations forms
What we confirmed for 2026
- 2026 filing fees confirmed (Local Rule 2): $275 for divorce, with or without children, and $225 for dissolution at the Division of Domestic Relations.
- Never-married parents file paternity, custody, parenting time, and support at the Juvenile Branch, where the filing fee is $175.
- Attorneys must e-file through efiling.franklincountyohio.gov; self-represented filers may submit paper documents at the Clerk's 4th-floor office, 373 South High Street.
- Temporary support and parenting orders are set through a settlement conference rather than decided on the day-15 motion, so they take longer here than in most counties.
- The TAPP "Putting the Children First" parenting seminar is required within 45 days before or after filing in any case with minor children (Local Rule 26).
Franklin County family-law courts
Domestic Relations Court
Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and spousal support for married spouses
Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations
373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 525-4410
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Juvenile Court
Custody, parenting time, child support, and paternity for unmarried parents
Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Branch
399 South Front Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 525-4411
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Court divisions, filing fees, and local requirements can change. Confirm the correct court, current fees, and required forms with the Franklin County Clerk of Courts before you file.
Why Franklin County is different
Temporary orders take longer here
Franklin County does not decide temporary support and parenting orders on the motion at day 15 the way most Ohio counties do. Instead the court sets a settlement conference where both sides try to agree; if they cannot, it sets deadlines for affidavits or a hearing. Plan for temporary orders to take noticeably longer than in neighboring counties. (Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Division of Domestic Relations)
Agreed child-support deviations aren't guaranteed
Some Franklin County judges routinely decline to approve a deviation from the guideline child-support amount even when both parents agree to it. Because practice varies from judge to judge, confirm how your assigned judge typically handles deviations before you rely on one. (Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Division of Domestic Relations)
One division, two filing tracks
Domestic Relations and Juvenile are a single, administratively unified division. Married spouses and married parents file divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and related custody at 373 South High Street; never-married parents file paternity, custody, parenting time, and support at the Juvenile Branch (399 South Front Street). Filing in the wrong track delays your case. (Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic & Juvenile Division)
Who you'll work with in Franklin County
Franklin County cases are handled by Gavvl Law's Columbus team — the firm's largest. Your consultation happens by phone or video on your schedule, and every service is quoted as a flat fee up front, so you know the cost before the first filing.
- Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner & Co-Founder. Co-founded Gavvl Law and leads the team covering Columbus and Northeast Ohio family-law matters, including Franklin County filings.
- Kimberly Lawrence — Of Counsel Attorney. Handles Columbus-area divorce, dissolution, and custody matters for Franklin County families.
Gavvl Law attorneys handle Franklin County cases in this county's courts, on this county's paperwork.
Free local resources in Franklin County
- Franklin County DR Self-Help Resource Center — 373 South High Street. Forms, computer terminals, limited procedural help. Cannot give legal advice. Mon–Fri during court hours.
- Legal Aid Society of Columbus — (614) 241-2001. Income-qualified family law representation and advice clinics across 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.
- Franklin County Juvenile Branch Help Center — 399 South Front Street. Procedural help for self-represented filers on never-married custody, paternity, and support cases.
Frequently asked questions
What does a divorce actually cost in Franklin County?
You can price this before you ever call. Our flat fees are public: divorce drafting from $1,250; dissolution at $1,750 — $2,300 with children; custody from $1,250; support filings from $950 — payment plans on everything. Each flat fee covers a defined limited-scope service, and the court's own filing fee is separate. Confirm the current fee schedule with the Franklin County Clerk of Courts before filing.
Which court will my case actually be in?
It depends on your situation. Married spouses file divorce, dissolution, or legal separation at Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations. Never-married parents handle custody, parenting time, and support at Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Branch. Filing the wrong form — or in the wrong court — costs weeks; getting that right the first time is part of our job.
How do grandparents get custody or visitation in Franklin County?
Grandparents don't have automatic standing in Ohio, but there are real paths — each with its own paperwork. A companionship/visitation motion is available when the parents divorce, separate, or a parent dies, filed into the existing case. A nonparent custody complaint applies when the child's parents can't provide care — in Franklin County, typically at Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Branch. And a grandparent power of attorney or caretaker authorization can cover school and medical decisions without a custody case. Which path fits is exactly what a $25 consultation sorts out.
What local rule here surprises people most?
Every Ohio county layers its own local rules, packets, and deadlines on top of the state forms — the "why it's different" notes on this page are Franklin County's. Details like these are invisible until they cost you a hearing date; we build them in from day one.
Do we really need lawyers if we already agree?
Maybe not — and we'll say so at a $25 consultation. But an agreement only counts if it survives on paper, in the exact packet this court expects, without bouncing back for corrections. Precision drafting for agreeing couples is most of what we do here: a flat-fee dissolution, done once, done right.
Is there a parenting class we'll have to take?
In nearly every Ohio county, yes — parents in a divorce, dissolution, or custody case must complete a parenting seminar before the final decree. We confirm Franklin County's current requirement and calendar it on day one so your decree never waits on a certificate.
Can everything be handled without coming to an office?
Mostly, yes. Franklin County accepts electronic filing through its court e-filing portal (not every case type is eligible — confirm with the Clerk). On our side, nothing requires an office visit: consultations happen by phone, and your documents, messages, and billing live in the secure client portal.
How fast can this be over?
It depends on the path. An Ohio dissolution — both spouses in full agreement — is generally finalized within about 30 to 90 days of filing, because the law sets the final hearing in that window. A contested divorce takes longer, often several months to more than a year. Which lane your case lands in is mostly decided before you file — it's the single most valuable thing to get advice on early.
Who will actually handle my case?
Your consultation is with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, or Niva Elgin — and your case is assigned to the Gavvl Law attorney who handles Franklin County's courts. Same published prices, wherever you are in Ohio.
Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.
