Guernsey County Contempt & Enforcement Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Guernsey County contempt case

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

Enforce your Guernsey County order — hire Gavvl Law

When the other side stops following a Guernsey County order — skipping support, ignoring the parenting schedule, or refusing to hand over property the decree awarded you — the court can enforce its own order through a Motion for Contempt, also called a Show Cause motion, filed where the order was entered. Gavvl Law ties each violation to the exact paragraph it breaks and builds the record the judge needs to act.

• Pull the exact order language. Contempt lives or dies on precise wording, so we identify the specific paragraph of the decree or post-decree entry the other party violated. If the order is too vague to enforce, we tell you up front and pursue a modification to clarify it first.
• Document every violation. For unpaid support we attach the CSEA payment history or your own ledger; for parenting time we build a dated log of what was denied; for property we show the transfer never happened. That paper trail is what turns a complaint into a finding.
• Remedies up to and including jail. A contempt finding in Guernsey County can bring fines, make-up parenting time, an attorney-fee award, and a suspended jail sentence with purge conditions for willful violators, while CSEA can enforce unpaid support through income withholding in parallel. We ask for the remedy that actually fixes the problem.

A contempt or post-decree motion is a $200 deposit, Local Form D-18 can waive it, and CSEA income-withholding enforcement is free — so holding the other party accountable does not have to be costly. We set one flat fee approved before filing, offer payment plans and financing, and provide full representation through the show-cause hearing.

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: Guernsey County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Guernsey County Juvenile Court
801 East Wheeling Avenue, Suite 101-D (Second Floor), Cambridge, OH 43725
Phone: (740) 432-9266
Hours: Monday–Friday (call (740) 432-9266 to confirm current hours)

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• The other party isn't paying child support or spousal support as the order requires.
• The other party isn't following the parenting-time schedule in the order.
• The other party hasn't transferred property the decree awarded you.
• The other party let court-ordered health insurance for the children lapse.

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

Filing Fees

A contempt / post-decree motion is a $200 deposit · CSEA administrative enforcement (income withholding) is free · fee waiver available (Local Form D-18)

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Guernsey County

1. Identify the violated provision. Find the specific paragraph of the order the other party is violating.
2. Document the violations. Gather payment history, a parenting-time log, or proof a property transfer never happened, plus texts and emails.
3. Draft the Motion for Contempt (Show Cause). Allege the specific violation and ask the court to order the other party to show cause why they should not be held in contempt.
4. File in the issuing court. File in the same Guernsey County court that entered the order; a contempt / post-decree motion is a $200 deposit. The other party must be served.
5. Attend the show-cause hearing. Bring your exhibits and any witnesses. If the court finds contempt, expect fines, make-up parenting time, an attorney-fee award, or a suspended jail sentence with purge conditions.

Guernsey County Practice Notes

• Pull the exact order language. Identify the specific paragraph of the decree or post-decree entry the other party is violating. Vague orders rarely support contempt — if the language is fuzzy, you may need a modification to clarify it first.
• Document the violations. For support, attach the CSEA payment history or your own ledger. For parenting time, keep a dated log of what was denied. For property, attach proof the transfer never happened.
• Remedies can include jail. A contempt finding can result in fines, make-up parenting time, attorney-fee awards, and — for willful violations — jail.
• CSEA can enforce support too. For unpaid support, Guernsey County CSEA can enforce administratively through income withholding alongside or instead of a court contempt motion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can the court do if the other party violates a Guernsey County order?

File a Motion for Contempt (also called a "Show Cause" motion) in the same court that issued the order. The court schedules a hearing where the other party must explain why they should not be held in contempt. Remedies can include fines, make-up parenting time, attorney-fee awards, and — for willful violations — jail. A post-decree or contempt motion is a $200 deposit.

What is the IV-D / CSEA application and why do I need it?

Guernsey County CSEA is operated through the county Department of Job and Family Services. In any case involving child support you file the Title IV-D forms — Local Form D-4 (Notice of Filing) and Local Form D-5 (Application & Release for Title IV-D Services, JFS 07076). This enrolls your case with CSEA for income withholding, payment processing, and enforcement.

How much does it cost to file for divorce or dissolution in Guernsey County?

The Guernsey County Clerk of Courts charges a flat $250.00 filing fee for ALL divorce and dissolution complaints — there is no difference between cases with children and cases without. The fee is due at the time of filing. Protection orders (DV CPO and civil stalking/SOOPO) have no filing fee by Ohio statute. Legal separation is filed and processed like a divorce, so it carries the same $250 deposit. A post-decree motion is a $200 deposit. In the Juvenile Division, a new parentage or custody case is a $175 deposit (court-ordered DNA testing adds a $375 deposit, and a guardian ad litem deposit is $2,000 if one is appointed) — confirm current Juvenile amounts at (740) 432-9266. If you can't afford the $250, file Form D-18 (Application for Waiver of Filing Fee).

Do I file in the General Division or the Juvenile Court in Guernsey County?

Both divisions sit in the same building — the Common Pleas Courthouse at 801 East Wheeling Avenue, Cambridge — but they are separate courts with different staff and procedures. Divorce, dissolution, and legal separation are filed with the Clerk of Courts in the General Division. The Guernsey County Juvenile Court (Suite 101-D, Second Floor, (740) 432-9266) handles juvenile matters. Notably, the parentage/custody complaint packet for never-married parents is made available through the Clerk of Courts — confirm with the Clerk which division will docket your filing.

What if I can't afford the filing fee in Guernsey County?

File Local Form D-18 (Application for Waiver of Filing Fee & Financial Disclosure) along with your case. It requires a financial disclosure that the court reviews. If granted, the court defers the cost — note that a deferral is not always a permanent waiver; the court may order payment from a property settlement or at the end of the case.

Free Local Resources in Guernsey County

• Guernsey County Clerk of Courts. Provides the pre-assembled divorce, dissolution, and parentage packets, the local D-series forms, the e-filing portal, and online cost payment. The Clerk cannot give legal advice but can hand you forms and accept filings. Confirm the $250 fee and copy requirements before filing.
• Southeastern Ohio Legal Services (SEOLS). The free legal-aid provider for the Guernsey County area (nearest office in New Philadelphia). Call (330) 339-3998 or 1-800-686-3670 for help with divorce, custody, protection orders, and child support if you qualify.
• Guernsey County CSEA (through County Job & Family Services). Opens IV-D child-support cases, runs income withholding, distributes payments, and handles administrative reviews of existing orders (JFS 01849). File Local Forms D-4 and D-5 when establishing or modifying support.
• Ohio Legal Help. Statewide self-help portal at ohiolegalhelp.org with free guided interviews that complete the Ohio Supreme Court family-law forms used in Guernsey County.

Other Family-Law Topics in Guernsey County

• Statewide Divorce Overview — How divorce and dissolution work across Ohio at a high level.
• Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Guernsey County family-law attorney for help with your case.

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.

More Guernsey County family-law resources

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
• Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
• Guernsey County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Guernsey 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.