Modifying Orders in Hancock County

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

Hancock County, Ohio · Findlay

Life changes — incomes, schedules, and moves. You can ask the court to change custody, parenting time, or support after a final order. Married-case modifications are filed in the Domestic Relations Division; never-married-case modifications are filed in the Juvenile Court.

How do I modify a custody, parenting-time, or support order in Hancock County?

File the right motion in the court that issued the order. In a Domestic Relations case, use the Motion for Modification of Parental Rights and Responsibilities (custody) or the Motion to Modify Child Support; a continuing-jurisdiction motion is $245 (custody/visitation) or $175 (support) on the Clerk schedule. In a Juvenile case, use the General Motion or Uniform Forms 27 (custody), 26 (parenting time), or 28 (support); a new motion is $100. Custody changes require a change of circumstances and the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(E)); support changes use R.C. 3119.79.

Ohio Custody by the Numbers

Best interest The single standard that governs every Ohio custody decision Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04
No set age There is no age a child can choose a parent — the judge weighs a mature child's wishes Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(B)
Change in circumstances Required, plus a best-interest finding, before the residential parent can be changed Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(E)(1)
Shared parenting Either parent may ask the court for a joint parenting plan Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(G)

Compare Types of Custody in Ohio

Custody type	Who makes major decisions	Where the child lives	Best when
Shared parenting	Both parents jointly, under a written plan	Time is split per the plan (not always 50/50)	Parents can communicate and cooperate on decisions
Sole legal & residential	One parent	Primarily with that parent	One parent is unable or unwilling to co-parent
Split custody	Each parent for the child in their care	Siblings are divided between the two homes	Rare — only when it serves each child's best interest
Legal custody to a non-parent	The relative or caregiver granted custody	With the non-parent caregiver	Neither parent can safely care for the child

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 Modifications is the right path if…

Your income, the other parent's income, or your child's needs have changed substantially.
The current parenting-time schedule no longer fits your child's life.
One parent wants to relocate or change the child's school.
An existing order needs to be updated to match reality.

Filing Fees

Domestic Relations continuing-jurisdiction motion: $245 (custody/visitation) / $175 (support) on the Clerk schedule, or $275 on the Domestic Relations Costs page. Juvenile Court: $100 new motion · confirm current amounts with the court

Forms & Filing Packets

Modify a divorce/dissolution order (Domestic Relations)

File the Motion for Modification of Parental Rights and Responsibilities or the Motion to Modify Child Support, with the Appendix A financial affidavit and (for support) the Ohio worksheet.

Motion for Modification of Parental Rights and Responsibilities (Hancock County DR) — Domestic Relations motion to change custody/allocation of parental rights after a divorce or dissolution decree (R.C. 3109.04(E)).
Motion to Modify Child Support Obligation(s) (Hancock County DR) — Domestic Relations motion to change a child-support order under R.C. 3119.79; DR modifications are generally effective from the filing date.
Appendix A – Personal History and Financial Affidavit (Hancock County) — Hancock County's required financial and personal-history affidavit filed in divorce, dissolution, and post-decree matters in the Domestic Relations Division.
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.

Modify a Juvenile (never-married) order — $100 new motion (Juvenile Court)

File the Juvenile Court General Motion or Uniform Form 27 (custody), Form 26 (parenting time), or Form 28 (support), with the parenting affidavit and the support worksheet; a new motion is $100.

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.
Uniform Form 27 – Motion for Change of Parental Rights and Responsibilities (Custody) — Statewide Uniform motion used in Hancock County Juvenile Court to change custody between unmarried parents (R.C. 3109.04(E)).
Uniform Form 26 – Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Companionship and Visitation) — Statewide Uniform motion used in Hancock County Juvenile Court to change companionship/visitation for unmarried parents.
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.

Relocation notice

A residential parent moving more than 150 miles files and serves the Notice of Intent to Relocate at least 30 days ahead (DR Rule 2.19); if no one objects within 30 days, the long-distance schedule becomes the order.

Notice of Intent to Relocate (Hancock County DR) — A residential parent moving more than 150 miles must file and serve this notice at least 30 days ahead (DR Rule 2.19); if no one objects within 30 days, the long-distance parenting schedule becomes the order.
Appendix E – Local Parenting Schedule (Hancock County DR) — Hancock County's standard Domestic Relations parenting-time schedule, applied when the parties do not agree to a different plan.

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Hancock County

Identify the change. Pin down the change of circumstances — income, schedule, relocation, or the child's needs — that supports the modification.
File in the right court. File in the Domestic Relations Division for a divorce/dissolution order, or the Juvenile Court for a never-married order, using that court's modification motion.
Attach the supporting documents. Include the financial affidavit and the Ohio worksheet for support, and the parenting affidavit for custody or parenting-time changes.
Handle relocation separately. If a move of more than 150 miles is involved, file the Notice of Intent to Relocate at least 30 days ahead (DR Rule 2.19).

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.
Relocation more than 150 miles needs 30 days' notice. A residential parent who intends to move more than 150 miles must file and serve a Notice of Intent to Relocate at least 30 days ahead (DR Rule 2.19); if no one objects within 30 days, the long-distance parenting schedule becomes the order.
Hancock County publishes two overlapping DR fee lists. The Clerk-of-Courts schedule lists divorce $400 (no children) / $475 (with children) and dissolution $375 / $450, while the 'Domestic Relations Costs' page (effective July 1, 2025) lists divorce $550 / dissolution $450 with a $200 add-on for service by publication. Both are published; confirm the controlling amount with the Clerk at (419) 424-7037 before filing.
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 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.
Do I have to tell the court if I'm moving with my child in Hancock County?: If you are the residential parent and moving more than 150 miles, you must file and serve a Notice of Intent to Relocate at least 30 days ahead (DR Rule 2.19). If no one objects within 30 days, the long-distance parenting schedule becomes 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.
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.

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 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.

Related guides

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

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.
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.
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.