Gallia County Child Support Attorneys

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026

Gallia County, Ohio · Gallipolis

Ohio sets child support with the 2024 Income Shares guidelines worksheet, based on both parents' incomes. In Gallia County, support is decided in the General Division inside a divorce or dissolution, or in the Juvenile Court for never-married parents, and the Gallia County CSEA collects and enforces the order.

Hire Gavvl for your Gallia County child support case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Gallia 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.

How is child support set or changed in Gallia County, Ohio?

Child support is calculated with the Ohio 2024 child-support worksheet using both parents' incomes. In Gallia County, married or divorcing parents have support decided in the General Division as part of the divorce; never-married parents have it decided in the Juvenile Court. The Gallia County CSEA ((740) 446-3222, Option 2) opens the IV-D case so support can be collected by income withholding and enforced. To change an existing order, show a change in circumstances (often about 10%) or ask the CSEA to review it; Local Rule 4.01 lists a $250 deposit for a post-decree motion (confirm the current amount). Confirm with the Clerk at (740) 446-4612 or the Juvenile Court at (740) 446-4612.

Put a flat-fee attorney on your Gallia County child support case

Ohio sets child support with the 2024 income-shares worksheet, but in Gallia County the order can come from two places: the General Division inside a divorce for married parents, or the Juvenile Court for never-married parents, with the Gallia County CSEA collecting and enforcing it. Gavvl Law runs the worksheet from both parents' real income, opens the IV-D case with the CSEA at 848 Third Avenue, and files in the right court so a first order, a modification, or an enforcement action is built on numbers that hold up.

A worksheet that reflects real income. Support rises or falls on the 2024 income-shares calculation, so we document wages, self-employment, health-insurance costs, and parenting time before the number is set. Getting the inputs right the first time avoids a support order you immediately have to move to change.
Two courts, two ways to change an order. Married and divorcing parents have support decided in the General Division; never-married parents go through the Juvenile Court. To change an order you can ask the Gallia County CSEA to review it or file a post-decree motion, which usually needs about a 10 percent change in the calculated amount.
One flat fee, deposit relief when needed. We set a flat fee at the start and offer payment plans and financing to spread it out. A post-decree motion to change support carries a $250 deposit under Local Rule 4.01, and the Exhibit D Poverty Affidavit can reduce or stagger it when paying up front is a hardship.

The Gallia County CSEA, part of Job & Family Services at 848 Third Avenue (PO Box 449) in Gallipolis, opens the IV-D case, collects by income withholding, and can administratively review an order — we coordinate with it directly and take a contested review result to the court when the numbers are wrong.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the support motion (establish, modify, or terminate). The court filing fee is billed separately and this does not include in-court representation.

Establish child support: $950
Modify child support: $950
Terminate child support: $950

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 child support case or see payment plans & financing.

Ohio Child Support by the Numbers

2024 Year Ohio's updated Income Shares support schedule took effect Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.021
10% Change in the calculated amount that justifies a modification Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.79
3 years How often either parent can request an administrative review Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.60
Age 18 When support normally ends — or high-school graduation, whichever is later Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.86

What Counts in an Ohio Child Support Calculation

What the worksheet counts	Counts toward support?	Notes
Both parents' gross income	Yes	Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and self-employment earnings
Health insurance for the children	Yes	Credited to the parent who pays the premium
Work-related childcare	Yes	Daycare and after-school costs are added in
Parenting time	Yes	Adjustments apply for substantial or equal parenting time
Imputed income	Sometimes	Added when a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed
A new spouse's income	No	Only the two parents' incomes are counted

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

18 Locust Street, Gallipolis, OH 45631
Phone: (740) 209-1115
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: Court website
e-Filing: Online e-filing portal

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Gallia County Juvenile & Probate Court
18 Locust Street, Room 1293, Gallipolis, OH 45631
Phone: (740) 446-4612
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Child Support is the right path if…

You need a first child-support order, or you need to change or enforce an existing one.
You can identify which court applies — General Division (married/divorcing) or Juvenile Court (never married).
You can run the Ohio child-support worksheet with both parents' income information.
You are ready to open a IV-D case with the Gallia County CSEA so support can be collected and enforced.

Filing Fees

Support set inside a divorce is part of that $450/$500 deposit · a post-decree motion to change support is $250 under Local Rule 4.01 (confirm) · a juvenile filing has a $102 minimum (confirm) · the CSEA can administratively review an order. Court fees and deposits change — confirm the current amount with the Gallia County Clerk of Courts at (740) 446-4612 before filing. For never-married-parent and juvenile cases, confirm deposits with the Gallia County Juvenile & Probate Court at (740) 446-4612. A fee can be waived or spread over up to three monthly installments with a Poverty Affidavit and Payment Plan (Exhibit D).

Forms & Filing Packets

New support order inside a divorce (married parents) — Included in the divorce $450/$500 deposit (confirm with the Clerk)

Support is set as part of the divorce in the General Division. File the Ohio child-support worksheet and the Health Insurance Disclosure Affidavit with your case packet, and open a IV-D case with the Gallia County CSEA so the order can be collected and enforced.

Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.
Health Insurance Disclosure Affidavit (Gallia Loc. R. 4.39) — Gallia County's local affidavit disclosing whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent (Local Rule 4.39), so the court can order medical support. Posted on the court forms page.

Change an existing support order — $250 post-decree motion deposit (Loc. R. 4.01 — confirm)

Show a change in circumstances (often about 10%) or ask the CSEA to review the order. A motion to change support is filed under the original case number in the court that issued the order.

Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) — The Ohio uniform motion to change child support, medical support, or the tax exemption after a change of circumstances. File in the division that issued the order.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.

How to File Child Support in Gallia County

Run the Ohio worksheet. Use the official Ohio 2024 child-support calculator with both parents' income to estimate the guideline amount.
Pick the right court. Married or divorcing parents file in the General Division; never-married parents file in the Juvenile Court.
Open a IV-D case with the CSEA. Apply with the Gallia County CSEA (740) 446-3222, Option 2, so support can be collected by income withholding and enforced.
File your case or motion and serve. File the worksheet with your divorce packet, or a motion to set/modify support, pay the deposit, and serve the other parent.

Gallia County Practice Notes

Open a IV-D case with the Gallia County CSEA. The Gallia County Child Support Enforcement Agency, part of Gallia County Job & Family Services at 848 Third Avenue (PO Box 449), Gallipolis ((740) 446-3222, Option 2), opens the IV-D case, collects support by income withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. File a IV-D application whenever a support order is established or changed.
Two ways to change support. You can ask the Gallia County CSEA to administratively review and adjust support, or file a motion in the court that issued the order. A change usually requires a change in circumstances, often around a 10% change in the calculated amount; a contested CSEA result can go to the court.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Gallia County CSEA help with child support?: The Gallia County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), part of Gallia County Job & Family Services at 848 Third Avenue (PO Box 449), Gallipolis ((740) 446-3222, Option 2), opens the IV-D case, sets support under Ohio's guidelines, collects it by income withholding, distributes payments, and can administratively review and adjust an existing order; a contested result can go to the court. Open a IV-D case whenever support is established or changed.
How much does it cost to file a family law case in Gallia County?: Under Local Rule 4.01, the deposit to start a domestic-relations case is $450 for a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment without minor children and $500 with minor children, plus $250 for a post-decree motion or contempt. A guardian ad litem appointment carries a separate $250 deposit (waivable; Loc. R. 4.10(C), 4.27), and a juvenile filing has a $102 minimum in Juvenile & Probate court costs. A DVCPO petition has no filing fee for the petitioner (R.C. 3113.31). A Poverty Affidavit and Payment Plan (Exhibit D) can waive the deposit or spread it over up to three monthly installments. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (740) 446-4612 before filing.
Do I file custody in the General Division or the Juvenile Court in Gallia County?: It depends on whether you were married. If you are married to (or divorcing) the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas. If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are handled by the combined Juvenile & Probate Court. A grandparent or other non-parent custody request follows the same split — it is filed in the Juvenile Court when the child's parents were never married, but when the parents are or were married to each other it may instead belong in the Common Pleas DR Division within the parents' case, so confirm the right court.
How do I change or enforce a Gallia County order?: Post-decree motions stay in the same case that issued your decree. To change the parenting-time schedule, the court uses the best-interest standard; to change custody, you must show a change in circumstances plus best interest under R.C. 3109.04(E). To change support, show a change in circumstances or use the CSEA review. Local Rule 4.01 lists a $250 deposit for a post-decree motion or contempt (confirm the current amount). A residential parent planning to move files a Notice of Intent to Relocate (R.C. 3109.051(G); Loc. R. 4.45).
What parenting-time schedule does Gallia County use?: When parents cannot agree, the court applies the county's Standard Parenting Time schedule under Local Rule 4.43 and Appendix A. The standard schedule gives the non-residential parent alternating weekends from Friday 6:00 p.m. to Sunday 6:00 p.m., one weekday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., a rotating holiday schedule, and a separate long-distance schedule when the parents live more than 90 miles apart. Parents can agree on their own plan instead, which the court usually approves if it fits the children.

Free Local Resources in Gallia County

Gallia County Clerk of Courts. The Clerk (Noreen M. Saunders) handles filing, fees, and the docket for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and domestic-relations post-decree matters. File in person or by mail at 18 Locust Street, Gallipolis, or electronically through the eAccess portal. Confirm current deposits and packet requirements at (740) 446-4612 (ext. 1221–1224) or https://www.galliacountycommonpleascourt.gov.
Gallia County Juvenile & Probate Court. The combined Juvenile & Probate Court (Hon. Thomas S. Moulton, Jr., Room 1293) handles never-married parentage, custody, parenting time, and child support, plus non-parent custody and adoption. Confirm juvenile filing deposits and procedures at (740) 446-4612.
Gallia County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). The CSEA, part of Gallia County Job & Family Services at 848 Third Avenue (PO Box 449), Gallipolis ((740) 446-3222, Option 2), opens the IV-D case, sets support under Ohio's guidelines, collects by income withholding, distributes payments, and can review existing orders. Open a IV-D case whenever support is established or changed.
Domestic Relations Local Rules (Rules 4.01–4.47). The Gallia County Court of Common Pleas Domestic Relations Local Rules set the fee schedule, parenting seminar, mediation, GAL, and parenting-time procedures. Read them at https://www.galliacountycommonpleascourt.gov/_files/ugd/ab95c8_054a7f91260c4199b3ab33d2b8baf314.pdf.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares child-support worksheet at https://ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov/ before any case that sets or changes support.

Related to your child support case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Related guides

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

Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.
How to Modify Child Support in Ohio — Child support orders aren't permanent. When income or circumstances change substantially, Ohio lets you modify support — through a CSEA review or a court motion. Here's how.

Continue your Gallia County research

Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
Gallia County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Gallia 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.

Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.