Filing for Divorce with Children in Franklin County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green, Esq. · Managing Partner, Gavvl Law · Last updated May 27, 2026
File for divorce with minor children in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations. Step-by-step guidance, 8 required forms, $275 filing fee, parenting class requirements, and Ohio attorney help.
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) Franklin does NOT issue an automatic restraining order at filing — you must file a separate motion if you need one — and (2) temporary-orders motions are decided by the Magistrate on the affidavits, often without an oral hearing, with a 28-day window to request a hearing if you disagree. Filing deposits are $275 for divorce (with or without children) and $225 for dissolution, and the required parenting class is "TAPP – Putting the Children First."
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) |
Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations
373 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215Phone: (614) 525-3922
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Website: drj.fccourts.org
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.
Filing Fees
$275 divorce (with or without children) • Dissolution: $225 (with or without children)
Payment methods: Cash, money order, certified check, personal check (with valid ID), or credit/debit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex) — a processing fee applies on card payments. Confirm current methods at the Clerk's window or drj.fccourts.org.
Franklin County Procedure Quirks
- Franklin County DR does NOT issue an automatic mutual restraining order at filing. If you need one, file a separate Motion and proposed Order with your Complaint.
- Temporary-orders motions in Franklin are decided by the Magistrate on the affidavits, often without an oral hearing. Either party has 28 days to file a written request for an oral hearing if they disagree with the temporary-orders ruling.
- 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 (https://drj.fccourts.org/Court-Services/Parent-Education)
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 43215Phone: (614) 525-3902
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Website: drj.fccourts.org
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.
- DV Protection Order Packet with Petition
- General Information About DV Protection Orders (10.01-A)
- Information About Filing a DV or Dating Violence Petition (10.01-C)
- DV CPO Ex Parte (10.01-H)
- DV CPO Full Hearing (10.01-I)
- Dating Violence CPO Ex Parte (10.01-Q)
- Motion to Modify or Terminate a Protection Order
- Motion for Contempt of a Protection Order
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 43215Phone: (614) 525-3894
Email: probate@franklincountyohio.gov
Judge Mackey
Website: probate.franklincountyohio.gov
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: $800 minimum deposit (unless the GAL indicates otherwise)
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.
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 43220Phone: (614) 525-6640
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.
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
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.
