Post-Decree Modifications in Fulton County

Fulton County, Ohio · Wauseon

After a Fulton County divorce or dissolution is final, the Common Pleas General Division keeps continuing jurisdiction over child support, custody, parenting time, and (sometimes) spousal support. To change any of those, file a post-decree motion at the Clerk of Courts at 210 S. Fulton Street in Wauseon. Fulton uses the Ohio SC standardized post-decree forms — Form 27 to change custody, Form 28 to change child support, Form 26 to change parenting time.

How do I modify a Fulton County divorce or dissolution decree?

Use Ohio SC Form 27 to change custody (residential parent / legal custodian), Form 28 to change child support, or Form 26 to change the parenting-time schedule. Custody changes require a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent plus best interest under R.C. 3109.04(E). Child support can also be reviewed administratively by CSEA every 36 months or on a 10%+ change. File at the Fulton County Clerk of Courts, 210 S. Fulton Street, Wauseon. Download every form from supremecourt.ohio.gov. Filing fees in Appendix B of the Local Rules — call (419) 337-9260. Property division is final and cannot be modified.

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

210 S. Fulton Street, Wauseon, OH 43567, Wauseon, OH 43567
Phone: (419) 337-9260
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Website: www.fultoncountyoh.com/231/Records-Search

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

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

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

  • Your income or the other parent's income has changed by 10% or more since the support order was entered.
  • It has been 36 months or longer since the last child-support review.
  • There has been a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent affecting custody.
  • The parenting-time schedule is no longer working — a job, school, relocation, or the child's needs have changed.
  • The decree expressly reserved jurisdiction to modify spousal support and a change has occurred.

If the other party is violating the existing order, you may want a contempt motion instead — or alongside. See Fulton County post-decree contempt.

Filing Fees

Filing fees in Appendix B of the Local Rules · CSEA administrative review is free · No paper forms at courthouse · Court staff cannot help with forms

Forms & Filing Packets

Change of custody / parental rights — Form 27 — Contact Clerk (Appendix B)

Requires a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent since the prior decree AND that modification is in the child's best interest AND that the harm of changing is outweighed by the benefits (R.C. 3109.04(E)(1)(a)).

Change of child support — Form 28 — Contact Clerk (Appendix B)

Free administrative CSEA review is available every 36 months or earlier on a 10%+ change. You can also file the court motion below at any time.

Change of parenting time — Form 26 — Contact Clerk (Appendix B)

Lower bar than a custody change. Best-interest standard applies; no change-of-circumstances required for parenting-time-only modifications under R.C. 3109.051.

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Fulton County

  1. Identify what you need to change. Custody (Form 27), child support (Form 28), or parenting time only (Form 26). You can combine them in one filing — bring all three forms if multiple issues apply.
  2. Document the change of circumstances. For custody, the change must be of the child or residential parent — not the moving parent. For support, document the income change with paystubs, tax returns, and a current Affidavit 1.
  3. Run both child-support worksheets. Use the Ohio Child Support Calculator AND Fulton's local worksheet. Required for any Form 28 motion and recommended for Form 27.
  4. Download every form from the Ohio SC site. Fulton does not stock paper forms at the courthouse.
  5. File at the Clerk of Courts in Wauseon. Pay the cost deposit from Appendix B. The case is heard by Hon. Scott Haselman.

Fulton County Practice Notes

  • Property division is final. Fulton Common Pleas will not modify the property/debt allocation in a final decree. Once divided, it stays divided. Only support, custody, parenting time, and (if expressly reserved) spousal support are modifiable.
  • Custody change has a high bar. R.C. 3109.04(E)(1)(a) requires a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent (not the moving parent) AND best interest AND harm-vs-benefit. "I want more time" is not enough — file a Form 26 parenting-time motion instead.
  • CSEA review is free. Before filing a Form 28, consider requesting a CSEA administrative review — it's free, takes about 60-90 days, and the result is enforceable like a court order. Either party can object and trigger a court hearing.
  • Object to a magistrate's child-support order in writing. If a magistrate enters a child-support order you disagree with, Fulton publishes a local Objection to Child Support Order form at fultoncountyoh.com/DocumentCenter/View/19847. Read the instructions at the bottom — there's a filing fee and a hard deadline.
  • Juvenile Division for never-married parents. If the parties were never married, modifications go to the Fulton Juvenile Division (same courthouse, same judge). Forms at fultoncountyoh.com/650/Juvenile-Court-Forms.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to file in Fulton County?
Fulton publishes its full fee schedule in Appendix B of the Local Rules at fultoncountyoh.com/DocumentCenter/View/13191. Call the Clerk of Courts at (419) 337-9260 to confirm the current fee for your specific case type before filing. 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 Juvenile Division (same judge).
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, same judge). 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.
Do I have to use Fulton's local Child Support Worksheet?
Use both. Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov, print and sign that output, and also use Fulton's local Child Support Worksheet at fultoncountyoh.com/DocumentCenter/View/250. The judge expects both to be in the file.

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, same judge. 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

Related to your post-decree modifications case

  • 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.

Keep exploring

Call +1-844-694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.