Fulton County Protection Order Attorneys

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

Fulton County, Ohio · Wauseon

A Civil Protection Order (CPO) is a court order protecting you from domestic violence, stalking, or dating violence. There is NO filing fee for a CPO in Ohio. File at the Fulton County Clerk of Courts at 210 S. Fulton Street in Wauseon. The Center for Child & Family Advocacy at (419) 335-4255 provides free help with CPO petitions and hearing prep — they will sit with you, help you complete the forms, and prepare you for court at no charge.

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How do I get a Civil Protection Order in Fulton County, Ohio?

There is NO filing fee for a CPO in Ohio. File the petition at the Fulton County Clerk of Courts, 210 S. Fulton Street, Wauseon. Forms are free on the Ohio Supreme Court website at supremecourt.ohio.gov or from The Center for Child & Family Advocacy at (419) 335-4255 (theccfa.org) — they provide free assistance completing the petition and preparing for the hearing. An ex parte hearing typically happens the same day or the next business day; if granted, a temporary order issues immediately. A full hearing is scheduled within 7–10 days where both parties testify. A full CPO can last up to 5 years. Violating a CPO is a criminal offense — call 911.

Fulton County civil protection orders, with Gavvl Law

A Civil Protection Order can require an abuser, stalker, or dating partner to stay away, and in Ohio there is no filing fee to seek one. Fulton petitions are filed at the Clerk of Courts at 210 S. Fulton Street in Wauseon, where an ex parte hearing usually happens the same day or the next business day and a full hearing follows within seven to ten days. Gavvl Law prepares the petition, builds the evidence, and stands with you at both hearings so a temporary order becomes a lasting one, since a protection order can run up to five years.

Petition drafted to survive the full hearing. The ex parte order is one-sided and temporary; the respondent and their attorney get to cross-examine you at the full hearing seven to ten days later. We organize the police reports, photos, threatening texts, medical records, and witnesses so the order holds when it is contested.
Custody and the home built into the order. A CPO can grant temporary custody of the children and exclusive use of the home for the life of the order. We bring the children's school details and current parenting arrangement so those protections are written in, not overlooked in the rush.
Free advocacy plus a lawyer in your corner. The Center for Child & Family Advocacy at (419) 335-4255 helps Fulton residents complete petitions at no cost, and we work alongside that support with courtroom representation. If the respondent violates the order, even by a single text, it is a separate criminal offense and you call 911.

There is no filing fee for any CPO in Ohio, and the standardized petitions are free from supremecourt.ohio.gov, which matters because Fulton stocks no paper forms at the courthouse. We file with the Wauseon Clerk, get you in front of the judge for the ex parte hearing quickly, and make sure you leave with certified copies to keep on you, at home, at work, and at the children's school.

Flat-fee options

Flat fee: we file your DV civil protection order petition and represent you at the ex parte and full hearings — or, if you are the responding party, defend you at the full hearing.

Defend a protection order (full hearing): $2,900
File a DV protection order (petition + hearings): $3,500

Prefer full representation? An Ohio attorney can carry the entire case on a $3,500 retainer.

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Where to File: Fulton County Court of Common Pleas (General Division)

210 S. Fulton Street, Wauseon, OH 43567
Phone: (419) 337-9260
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Website: Court website

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Fulton County Juvenile Division
210 S. Fulton Street, Wauseon, OH 43567
Phone: (419) 337-9242
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM (closed daily 12:00-1:00 PM)

Civil Protection Orders is the right path if…

You have been hurt, threatened with harm, or made to fear imminent serious physical harm by a family or household member, a dating partner, or a stalker.
You need a court order requiring the other person to stay away and stop contacting you.
You need temporary custody and exclusive use of the home while the order is in effect.
You are willing to testify at a hearing within 7–10 days of the ex parte order.

Filing Fees

NO filing fee for any CPO in Ohio · Ex parte hearing same day or next business day · Full hearing within 7–10 days · Order can last up to 5 years · Violation is criminal (call 911)

Forms & Filing Packets

Domestic Violence CPO (family / household member)

Spouses, former spouses, people who live or lived together, people who have a child together, or people related by blood or marriage.

Petition for Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Ohio SC Form 10.01-D) — Standardized DV CPO petition. No filing fee.

Civil Stalking Protection Order (no domestic relationship)

For stalking or sexually oriented offenses where the parties do NOT have a family/household or dating relationship.

Petition for Civil Stalking Protection Order (Ohio SC Form 10.03-D) — Standardized CSPO petition. No filing fee.

Dating Violence CPO

For people in a current or former dating relationship who do not meet the family/household definition.

Petition for Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (Ohio SC Form) — Standardized Dating Violence CPO petition. No filing fee.

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Fulton County

Call CCFA first if you can. (419) 335-4255 — The Center for Child & Family Advocacy provides free help completing the petition and preparing for the hearing.
Complete the petition. Use the Ohio Supreme Court standardized CPO petition for your situation (DV, dating violence, or stalking). Describe the most recent incident in detail, list every prior incident you remember, and identify witnesses.
File at the Clerk of Courts in Wauseon. 210 S. Fulton Street, Wauseon. No filing fee. Ask the clerk to take you in front of the judge for the ex parte hearing.
Attend the ex parte hearing the same day or next business day. Only you appear. The judge will review the petition and decide whether to issue a temporary order until the full hearing.
Prepare for the full hearing within 7–10 days. Gather police reports, photos, texts, voicemails, medical records, and witnesses. Both parties testify; the respondent's attorney can cross-examine.
If granted, keep certified copies. Keep certified copies on your person, at home, at work, and with the children's school. Call 911 for any violation.

Fulton County Practice Notes

Free help from CCFA. The Center for Child & Family Advocacy at (419) 335-4255 (theccfa.org) helps Fulton residents complete CPO petitions and prepare for the hearing — at no cost. They are not the court; they are an advocacy organization that does this work for free.
Statewide protection-order forms. Fulton County stopped providing paper Domestic Relations forms on July 1, 2013 and now directs filers to the Ohio Supreme Court standardized protection-order forms — there is no separate county-local CPO form. Get the petition free at supremecourt.ohio.gov or through The Center for Child & Family Advocacy; file it with the Fulton County Clerk of Courts at 210 S. Fulton Street in Wauseon.
Ex parte order is temporary. The same-day or next-business-day ex parte hearing is one-sided — only you appear. If the judge grants temporary protection, it remains in effect only until the full hearing 7–10 days later.
Bring evidence to the full hearing. Police reports, photos of injuries, threatening texts/voicemails/emails, medical records, and witness statements all help. The respondent and their attorney will have the chance to cross-examine.
CPO violations are criminal. If the respondent violates the order — even by texting you — call 911. The violation itself is a separate criminal offense; the prosecutor (not you) decides whether to charge.
Children and the home. A CPO can include temporary custody of the children and exclusive use of the home for up to 5 years. Bring details about the children's school and any current parenting arrangement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a Civil Protection Order in Fulton County?: There is no filing fee for a CPO in Ohio. File at the Fulton County Clerk of Courts at 210 S. Fulton Street, Wauseon. The Center for Child & Family Advocacy at (419) 335-4255 (theccfa.org) provides free Civil Protection Order assistance — they can help you complete the petition and prepare for the hearing. An ex parte hearing usually happens the same day or the next business day; the full hearing is typically within 7-10 days.
Does Fulton County have a separate Domestic Relations Court?: No. Fulton County does not have a separate DR Court. All family-law cases — divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, post-decree motions — are heard in the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas by Hon. Scott Haselman, who also handles civil and criminal cases. Cases involving never-married parents go to the combined Juvenile/Probate Court, a separate court in the same courthouse with its own local rules.
Why doesn't the courthouse have paper forms?: Since July 1, 2013, the Fulton County Court of Common Pleas does not provide paper domestic-relations forms at the courthouse. All standardized forms are free on the Ohio Supreme Court website at supremecourt.ohio.gov. The court's staff also cannot help you choose or fill out the right forms — if you need help, consult an attorney.
How much does it cost to file in Fulton County?: Fulton uses two different fee structures depending on the court. Domestic Relations (General Division) cases — divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and post-decree motions — follow the Appendix B security-cost schedule ($325 without children, $400 with children, $280 post-judgment with children); call the Clerk of Courts at (419) 337-9260. Juvenile Division cases — paternity, custody/parenting allocation, and support for never-married parents — follow Fulton Juvenile Rule 20 (Security for Costs), where a complaint or motion for allocation of parental rights, parenting time, or companionship carries a $200.00 cost deposit ($50 mediation fee deducted); call the Juvenile/Probate Division at (419) 337-9242. An Affidavit of Indigency is available to waive fees for qualifying low-income filers.

Free Local Resources in Fulton County

Fulton County Court of Common Pleas. 210 S. Fulton Street, Wauseon, OH 43567. Phone (419) 337-9260 · Fax (419) 337-9293. Hon. Scott Haselman presides — handles DR, civil, and criminal cases.
Fulton County Local Rules (rev. 1/26/2024). fultoncountyoh.com/DocumentCenter/View/13192 — includes Appendix B fee schedule.
Fulton County Court Fee Schedule (Appendix B). fultoncountyoh.com/DocumentCenter/View/13191/appendix-b — confirm current amount with Clerk before filing.
Fulton County Local Forms Page. fultoncountyoh.com/235/Forms — Court Orders 1-8, Pretrial Order, Settlement Conference Notice, and Parenting Schedules A/A-1/B/C.
Local Child Support Worksheet. fultoncountyoh.com/DocumentCenter/View/250 — used alongside the Ohio Child Support Calculator output.
Fulton County Juvenile Division. Same courthouse; separate court with its own rules. Phone (419) 337-9242 · Fax (419) 337-9273 (closed daily 12:00-1:00 PM). Forms at fultoncountyoh.com/650/Juvenile-Court-Forms. Birth certificate required at filing for Grandparent POA / Caretaker Affidavit and Application for Custodian filings.
Juvenile Local Rules (2021). fultoncountyoh.com/DocumentCenter/View/13596 — covers juvenile filing requirements.
Online Dockets / Records Search. fultoncountyoh.com/231/Records-Search
The Center for Child & Family Advocacy (CPO help). (419) 335-4255 · theccfa.org — free Civil Protection Order assistance.
Legal Aid Hotline. (888) 534-1432 · legalaidline.lawolaw.org — free phone-based legal advice for income-qualified residents.
Ohio Supreme Court Standardized DR & Juvenile Forms. supremecourt.ohio.gov — Fulton does not provide paper forms; download everything here.
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.

Related to your cpos case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Divorce & Dissolution — End your marriage through a contested divorce or an amicable dissolution.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on cpos and related Ohio family law topics.

Civil Protection Orders in Ohio: How to Get a CPO — An Ohio civil protection order can provide fast, court-ordered protection from domestic violence — including no-contact terms, exclusive home use, and temporary custody. Here's how to get one.
Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.