Post-Decree Contempt in Greene County

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

Greene County, Ohio · Xenia

If the other party isn't following a Greene County order — not paying support, denying parenting time, ignoring property-division or medical-bill terms — you can ask the court to enforce it through contempt (R.C. 2705). For orders from a Greene County divorce, dissolution, or legal separation, file the Motion for Contempt in the Domestic Relations Court at 595 Ledbetter Road with the $275 post-judgment deposit; for Juvenile-case orders, file the Complaint for Contempt — Custody or Visitation in the Juvenile Division. Every DR motion passes the Local Rule 1.7 pre-compliance review, and the Order to Appear must be served on the alleged contemnor.

How do I file a contempt motion in Greene County, Ohio?

Use the Greene County Motion for Contempt packet, which includes the Motion, an Affidavit of Circumstances, an Order to Appear, a Notice of Hearing, and Instructions to the Clerk. File it in the Domestic Relations Court at 595 Ledbetter Road, Xenia, for orders from a Greene County divorce/dissolution/legal separation (the Clerk's post-judgment deposit is $275), or use the Complaint for Contempt — Custody or Visitation in the Juvenile Division for Juvenile-case orders. The motion must identify the specific order and how it was violated, and the Order to Appear must be served on the alleged contemnor. For healthcare-bill contempt, add the Explanation of Healthcare Bills form. Remedies include fines, jail, purge conditions, make-up parenting time, and attorney fees. Confirm current fees with the Clerk.

Where to File: Greene County Domestic Relations Court

595 Ledbetter Road, Xenia, OH 45385, Xenia, OH 45385
Phone: (937) 562-6249
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Website: www.greenecountyohio.gov/415/Domestic-Relations-Court

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Greene County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Division
2100 Greene Way Blvd., Xenia, OH 45385, Xenia, OH 45385
Phone: (937) 562-4000
Hours: Court: Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM · Clerk's Office: Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 3:30 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.
The other party hasn't transferred property as the decree required.
Court-ordered medical bills or insurance obligations are going unpaid.
Any willful violation of a clear, specific provision of the court's order.

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

Filing Fees

$275 DR post-judgment deposit · Juvenile custody/visitation contempt filed in the Juvenile Division · Order to Appear must be served · Confirm current fees with the Clerk

Forms & Filing Packets

Core DR contempt packet — $275 post-judgment deposit

Required for any DR-case contempt filing. The Order to Appear must be served on the alleged contemnor.

Motion for Contempt Packet (Greene County DR) — Enforces a DR order (support, parenting time, property, medical). Includes the Motion, Affidavit of Circumstances, Order to Appear, Notice of Hearing, and Instructions to the Clerk. The Order to Appear must be served.

Support enforcement add-on

Attach when the violation is unpaid child or spousal support. Include the CSEA payment history (or your own records if private-pay).

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.

Healthcare-bill contempt add-on

Attach when the violation involves unpaid or uninsured medical expenses.

Motion for Contempt — Explanation of Healthcare Bills (Greene County DR) — Add-on for healthcare-bill contempt: itemizes the unpaid/uninsured medical expenses at issue.

Juvenile-case contempt (alternative court)

Use instead of the DR packet when the violated order came from the Greene County Juvenile Division.

Complaint for Contempt — Custody or Visitation (Greene County Juvenile) — Enforces a Juvenile-court custody or parenting-time/companionship order (R.C. 2705). Serve the alleged contemnor.

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Greene County

Confirm which court issued the order. DR Court for divorce/dissolution/legal-separation orders; Juvenile Division for unmarried-parent or non-parent custody orders. The court determines the packet and fee.
Document the violations. Keep a contemporaneous log of dates, missed payments, denied parenting time, and unpaid bills. Save texts, emails, and CSEA payment histories.
Complete the contempt packet. Fill out the Motion, Affidavit of Circumstances, Order to Appear, and Notice of Hearing. Add the Explanation of Healthcare Bills form for medical-bill contempt.
Clear compliance review and file. Submit the motion for the Local Rule 1.7 pre-compliance review; once approved, the Clerk files it with the $275 post-judgment deposit. Arrange service of the Order to Appear.
Attend the show-cause hearing. Present your evidence. The Court may order fines, jail, purge conditions, make-up parenting time, and attorney fees for a willful violation.

Greene County Practice Notes

The order must be clear and specific. Greene County 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 to clarify it first. Quote the exact paragraph being violated.
Purge conditions drive civil contempt. Civil contempt is coercive: the Court typically finds the violator in contempt but stays the penalty if they meet specific purge conditions — paying the arrears, restoring missed parenting time, or transferring the asset. Failure to purge triggers the suspended sentence.
Right court for the right order. Contempt for a divorce/dissolution/legal-separation order stays in the DR Court; contempt for a Juvenile-case custody or parenting-time order uses the Complaint for Contempt — Custody or Visitation in the Juvenile Division. Filing in the wrong court wastes the deposit.
Serve the Order to Appear. The Greene County contempt packet includes an Order to Appear that must be served on the alleged contemnor before the show-cause hearing. Keep a contemporaneous log of the violations to support the Affidavit of Circumstances.

Frequently Asked Questions

My ex won't follow our parenting-time order in Greene County — what do I file?: If the order came from a Greene County divorce, file a Motion for Contempt in the DR Court using the Court's contempt packet (Motion, Affidavit of Circumstances, Order to Appear, and Notice of Hearing) with the $275 post-judgment deposit. If the order came from the Juvenile Division, file the Complaint for Contempt — Custody or Visitation there instead.
What can the Greene County court order in a contempt case?: Civil contempt is coercive: the Court can find the violator in contempt and set purge conditions (pay the arrears, restore missed parenting time, transfer the asset) that suspend the penalty if met. Remedies can include fines, jail, make-up parenting time, and attorney fees. The Order to Appear must be served on the alleged contemnor.
Should I file a modification or a contempt motion in Greene County?: Use a modification when circumstances have changed and you need a different order going forward (custody, parenting time, or support). Use a contempt motion when the other party is willfully violating the existing order. They are separate procedures with separate packets, and you can file both when both apply.
How much does a post-decree motion cost in the Greene County DR Court?: The Clerk's deposit for post-judgment motions is $275; an Agreed Entry is $175; and a Notice of Intent to Relocate is $225. Every motion still passes the Local Rule 1.7 pre-compliance review before the Clerk files it. Confirm the current amount with the Clerk before you file.

Free Local Resources in Greene County

Self-Represented Parties Hub & Pro Se Guide. greenecountyohio.gov/420/Self-Represented-Parties — Greene's official online resource page for SRPs, including a comprehensive Pro Se Guide for the divorce-with-children process.
Clerk of Courts (filing after compliance review). Greene County Clerk of Courts — Legal Division, Greene County Courthouse, 45 N. Detroit Street, Xenia. Pleadings are filed here only after the DR Court's Local Rule 1.7 compliance review.
Greene County Juvenile Court. 2100 Greene Way Blvd., Xenia. (937) 562-4000.
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 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

Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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