Fulton County Contempt & Enforcement Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Fulton County contempt case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Fulton County local forms, the court strategy, and the hearings — and you know the price before we start.

Start with a $25 consultation and talk through your options with an Ohio family-law attorney before you commit to anything. Get started online or see payment plans & financing.

Fulton County post-decree contempt, enforced by Gavvl Law

When the other party ignores a Fulton County order, skipping support, blocking parenting time, or refusing to transfer property, you can ask the court to enforce it with a Motion for Contempt. Fulton pairs Ohio Supreme Court Form 24 with Form 25, the Show Cause Order the judge signs to make the violator appear, both filed with a certified copy of the order and a sworn affidavit of facts at 210 S. Fulton Street in Wauseon. Gavvl Law builds the contempt record, pushes for purge conditions and attorney fees, and offers a flat fee up front with full representation at the hearing.

• Form 24 and Form 25, filed together. A Fulton contempt filing needs both the Motion for Contempt (Form 24) and the Show Cause Order and Notice (Form 25), attached to a certified copy of the violated order and a sworn affidavit. We assemble the complete packet so the court can order the other party to appear.
• Pinning the violation to a clear order. Fulton will not hold anyone in contempt for breaching a vague or ambiguous order, so we quote the exact paragraph being violated and, when the decree language is fuzzy, pair the contempt with a motion to clarify. A contemporaneous log of missed payments or denied parenting time makes the case.
• Purge conditions and recoverable fees. Civil contempt is coercive: the court typically finds contempt but stays the penalty behind purge conditions like paying arrears, restoring missed parenting time, or transferring an asset. Ohio also lets the prevailing party recover reasonable attorney fees, so we keep the billing records and timeline the court needs.

If the parties were never married, the contempt goes to the separate Juvenile Division at the same courthouse rather than Hon. Scott Haselman's General Division. Because Fulton has stocked no paper forms since July 1, 2013, we download Forms 24 and 25 from supremecourt.ohio.gov, confirm the Appendix B deposit with the Clerk at (419) 337-9260, and file with the certified order in Wauseon.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the motion for contempt / show cause to enforce an order the other party is violating. You appear at any hearing.

• Contempt (single issue): $950
• Contempt (multiple issues): $1,450

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 contempt case or see payment plans & financing.

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

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)

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• The other party isn't paying child support or spousal support as ordered.
• The other party isn't following the parenting-time schedule in the decree.
• The other party hasn't transferred property (house, vehicle, retirement, account) as ordered.
• The other party let court-ordered health insurance lapse.
• Any willful violation of any clear, specific provision in the court's order.

If circumstances have changed and you need a new order going forward, you may want a modification motion instead — or alongside. See post-decree modifications.

Filing Fees

Filing fees in Appendix B of the Local Rules · Civil contempt purge conditions can include payment plans, make-up parenting time, or property transfer · Criminal contempt carries fines and possible jail · No paper forms at courthouse

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Fulton County

1. Identify the specific order being violated. Quote the paragraph and page of the decree or post-decree order that the other party is not following. Vague allegations get dismissed.
2. Document the violations in writing. Keep a contemporaneous log: dates, missed payments, denied parenting time, missed exchanges. Save texts, emails, and CSEA payment histories.
3. Draft the forms. Ohio SC Form 24 (Motion for Contempt) + Form 25 (Show Cause Order). Attach a certified copy of the order being violated and a sworn affidavit of facts.
4. File at the Clerk of Courts in Wauseon. Include the certified copy of the order being violated. Pay the cost deposit from Appendix B (or file an Affidavit of Indigency).
5. Attend the show-cause hearing. The other party will be served and ordered to appear. Bring your documentation. The court may find civil contempt, set purge conditions, impose fines or jail (often suspended), and order attorney fees.

Fulton County Practice Notes

• Form 24 + Form 25 together. Fulton contempt filings need both the OSC Motion for Contempt (Form 24) and the Show Cause Order and Notice (Form 25). The Show Cause Order is what the court signs to direct the other party to appear.
• The order must be clear and specific. Fulton will not hold a party in contempt for violating a vague or ambiguous order. If the decree language is fuzzy, you may need a modification motion to clarify it first.
• Purge conditions are the heart of civil contempt. Civil contempt is coercive — the court usually finds the violator in contempt but stays the penalty if they comply with specific purge conditions (pay the arrears, restore missed parenting time, transfer the asset). Failure to purge triggers the suspended sentence.
• Attorney fees are recoverable. Ohio law allows the prevailing party in a successful family-law contempt action to recover reasonable attorney fees. Keep contemporaneous billing records and a clear timeline of the violations.
• Same no-paper-forms rule. Download Forms 24 and 25 from the Ohio Supreme Court website. Fulton does not stock paper forms at the courthouse.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

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.

When do I file in Fulton Juvenile Division instead of Common Pleas?

If the parents were never married, custody, parenting time, child support, and paternity are filed in the Fulton County Juvenile Division (same courthouse, separate court with its own rules). If you were married, those issues travel with the divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in the General Division. Heads-up: Juvenile requires a child's birth certificate at filing for Grandparent POA/Caretaker Affidavit and Application for Custodian filings — not optional.

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.

Other Family-Law Topics in Fulton County

• Fulton County Dissolution — Joint petition. Same courthouse as divorce. Hearing 30-90 days after filing.
• Fulton County Divorce — Common Pleas General Division (Hon. Scott Haselman). 42-day waiting period. No paper forms at courthouse.
• Fulton County Divorce With Children — Add Parenting Proceeding Affidavit, Health Insurance Affidavit, both child-support worksheets, and a Fulton Parenting Schedule (A, A-1, B, or C).
• Fulton County Legal Separation — Same mandatory initial pleadings as divorce. Fulton does not publish a separate form — use the Ohio SC Complaint with the caption changed.
• Fulton County Annulment — Limited R.C. 3105.31 grounds. Use the Ohio SC divorce Complaint with the caption changed.
• Fulton County Post-Decree Modifications — Ohio SC Forms 26, 27, and 28 filed with the General Division.
• Fulton County Post-Decree Contempt — Ohio SC Forms 24 and 25 filed with the General Division.
• Fulton County Shared Parenting — Form 20 Shared Parenting Plan for married parents; Juvenile Rule 17 allocation for never-married parents.
• Fulton County Emergency Custody — Ex parte temporary orders under DR Rule 10.04; Juvenile Rule 17 limits on ex parte allocation.

Related to your contempt case

• Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
• Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Related guides

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

• Contempt Motions in Ohio Family Court: Enforcing Your Order — When the other parent ignores a court order — withholding the children or refusing to pay support — a contempt motion is how Ohio courts enforce it. Here's how the process works.
• Post-Decree Modifications in Ohio: Changing Your Order After Divorce — Your divorce decree isn't carved in stone. When life changes, Ohio lets you modify custody, parenting time, and support — but each requires meeting a specific legal standard. Here's how.

Keep exploring Fulton County family law

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
• Toledo family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Toledo metro.
• Fulton County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Fulton County guide.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
• Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.