Enforcing Orders in Hancock County

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

Hancock County, Ohio · Findlay

When the other parent ignores a court order — unpaid support or denied parenting time — you can ask the court to enforce it through contempt. Divorce/dissolution orders are enforced in the Domestic Relations Division (DR Rule 2.16); never-married orders are enforced in the Juvenile Court.

How do I enforce a support or parenting-time order in Hancock County?

File a Motion for Contempt with a Show Cause order in the court that issued the order. In a Domestic Relations case, use the county's Motion for Contempt with Instructions for Service and the Order to Appear and Show Cause (DR Rule 2.16). In a Juvenile case, use Uniform Form 24 (Motion for Contempt) and Form 25 (Show Cause Order); a new motion is $100. The court can order make-up parenting time, payment of arrears, attorney fees, and, for willful violations, jail.

Where to File: Hancock County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

300 South Main Street, Findlay, OH 45840
Phone: (419) 424-7818
Hours: Monday–Friday
Website: Court website

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Hancock County Probate/Juvenile Court (Allan H. Davis Judicial Center)
209 West Main Cross Street, Findlay, OH 45840
Phone: (419) 424-7066
Hours: Monday–Friday

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

The other parent is behind on child support.
You're being denied court-ordered parenting time.
The other parent ignores specific terms of the decree or order.
You've documented the violations with dates and details.

Filing Fees

Domestic Relations contempt motion filed under DR Rule 2.16 (the Clerk will accept a child-support contempt motion even if the movant owes costs). Juvenile Court: $100 new motion · confirm current amounts with the court

Forms & Filing Packets

Contempt in a divorce/dissolution (Domestic Relations)

File the Motion for Contempt with Instructions for Service and the Order to Appear and Show Cause; the court schedules a hearing where the other party must explain the violation (DR Rule 2.16).

Motion for Contempt with Instructions for Service (Hancock County DR) — Domestic Relations motion to enforce a support or parenting-time order by holding the other party in contempt (DR Rule 2.16).
Order to Appear and Show Cause (Hancock County DR) — Order, filed with a Domestic Relations contempt motion, that requires the other party to appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt.

Contempt in a Juvenile (never-married) case — $100 new motion (Juvenile Court)

File Uniform Form 24 (Motion for Contempt) with Form 25 (Show Cause Order) in the Juvenile Court; a new motion is $100.

Uniform Form 24 – Motion for Contempt, Affidavit, and Instructions for Service — Statewide Uniform motion for contempt used in Hancock County Juvenile Court cases to enforce custody, parenting-time, or support orders for unmarried parents.
Uniform Form 25 – Show Cause Order and Notice — Statewide Uniform show-cause order filed with a Juvenile Court contempt motion to require the other party to appear and answer.
General Motion (Hancock County Juvenile Court) — All-purpose Juvenile Court motion used to ask for, modify, or enforce custody, parenting time, or support in an unmarried-parent case. The Juvenile motion deposit is $100.

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Hancock County

Document the violations. Gather dates, amounts, and details showing how the other party violated the support or parenting-time order.
Prepare the motion and show-cause order. Use the Domestic Relations Motion for Contempt and Order to Appear and Show Cause, or in Juvenile Court Uniform Forms 24 and 25.
File and serve. File in the court that issued the order, pay any deposit, and have the show-cause order served so the other party must appear.
Attend the hearing. At the hearing the court can order make-up parenting time, payment of arrears, attorney fees, and, for willful violations, jail.

Hancock County Practice Notes

Never-married parents file in Juvenile Court. If the parents were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are decided by the Juvenile Court (R.C. 2151.23) at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center, 209 West Main Cross Street, Findlay, (419) 424-7066 — the county calls these 'Paternity & Custody' cases. The Juvenile deposit is $125 for a new complaint and $100 for a new motion, not the Domestic Relations fee schedule.
Juvenile filing deposits. In the Juvenile Court, a new complaint (parentage, custody, or support) is a $125 deposit, a new motion (modification or contempt) is $100, and service by publication adds $100. A poverty motion/affidavit can ask the Court to waive the up-front deposit. Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Court at (419) 424-7066.
Most DR matters are heard by a magistrate. Most Hancock County Domestic Relations matters are heard by a magistrate. You can object to a magistrate's decision within 14 days using the Objection to Magistrate's Decision form, which preserves your right to review by the judge.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enforce a support or parenting-time order in Hancock County?: File a Motion for Contempt with a Show Cause order — in the Domestic Relations case if the order came from a divorce or dissolution (DR Rule 2.16), or in the Juvenile case if it is an unmarried-parent order (Uniform Forms 24/25). The court can order make-up parenting time, payment of arrears, attorney fees, and, for willful violations, jail.
How do I change child support in Hancock County?: File a Motion to Modify Child Support (the Domestic Relations local form in a divorce/dissolution case, or Uniform Form 28 in a Juvenile case) under R.C. 3119.79. You generally must show a substantial change such as a 10% change in the guideline amount. Domestic Relations modifications are generally effective from the filing date. You can also ask the CSEA, (419) 424-1365, to review the order.
How much does it cost to start a custody or paternity case in Hancock County?: In the Juvenile Court, a new complaint (parentage, custody, or support) is a $125 deposit and a new motion (modification or contempt) is $100; service by publication adds $100. A deposit waiver is available if you cannot pay. Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Court at (419) 424-7066.
Which court handles family-law cases in Hancock County?: Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment are heard by the Domestic Relations Division of the Hancock County Court of Common Pleas at the Hancock County Courthouse, 300 South Main Street, Findlay — a separate division from the General Division. If the parents were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are decided by the combined Probate/Juvenile Court at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center, 209 West Main Cross Street (the county calls these 'Paternity & Custody' cases). Domestic Relations cases are filed through the Clerk of Courts, (419) 424-7037.

Free Local Resources in Hancock County

Hancock County Clerk of Courts (Domestic Relations). Current filing fees, deposit amounts, and case filing for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and post-decree matters. Clerk of Courts, 3rd floor, 300 South Main Street, Findlay; (419) 424-7037. Hancock County publishes two overlapping DR fee lists, so confirm the controlling amount before filing. Forms are at https://www.co.hancock.oh.us/210/Forms; there is no public family-law e-filing.
Hancock County Probate/Juvenile Court. Handles never-married-parent parentage, custody, parenting time, and support, plus non-parent custody, at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center, 209 West Main Cross Street, Findlay. Juvenile (419) 424-7066; Probate (419) 424-7079. New complaints are a $125 deposit; new motions $100. Paternity & Custody forms: https://www.co.hancock.oh.us/187/Paternity-Custody.
Hancock County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Establishes parentage administratively, opens IV-D cases, sets support under Ohio's guidelines, collects by income withholding, and reviews existing orders. Contact (419) 424-1365.
Free Pro Se Divorce Clinic. A free clinic runs monthly (1:00–4:00 p.m., First-Floor Conference Rooms of the Courthouse) for people without an attorney who qualify for Legal Aid — by appointment through the Legal Aid Line, 888-534-1432. LAWO and the Findlay-Hancock County Bar Association also hold a monthly Domestic Relations clinic.
Parenting Education (DR Rule 2.22). Cases with minor children require an approved online parenting class. Providers include A-OK ($30), Children in Between ($45.95 + $3), and Online Parenting Programs ($30). Program page: https://www.co.hancock.oh.us/212/Parenting-Education. File the certificate with the Clerk; questions (419) 424-7818.
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.
Open Arms Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services. Advocates can help with safety planning and protection-order petitions (no petitioner filing fee). Contact 419-420-9261 or 419-422-4766.

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.

Continue your Hancock County research

Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
Toledo family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Toledo metro.
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