Hardin County Protection Order Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Hardin County protection orders case

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

Hardin County protection orders, handled by Gavvl Law

If you are facing domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking in Hardin County, a civil protection order can legally require the other person to stay away, and the petition is filed with the Domestic Relations Division through the Clerk with no filing fee and no deposit. Gavvl Law prepares the right petition — Form 10.01-D for a family or household member, 10.01-P for a dating relationship, or 10.03-D for civil stalking — so the facts are presented the way a judge needs to see them, and can represent you at the full hearing.

• The right petition for your relationship. The form depends on who the respondent is: Form 10.01-D covers a family or household member (R.C. 3113.31), 10.01-P a dating partner, and 10.03-D stalking or a sexually-oriented offense (R.C. 2903.214) with no relationship required. We choose correctly the first time so the court is not slowed by a mismatched petition when your safety is on the line.
• A petition strong enough for a same-day order. On the domestic-violence track, if the petition shows an immediate risk the court can issue an ex parte order the same day. We help you describe the specific incidents and threats with the detail that supports emergency relief, rather than a general account that leaves the judge waiting for the full hearing before acting.
• The full hearing is where it is won. An ex parte order is temporary; a longer-term order is decided at the full hearing where the respondent can appear and contest it. We prepare your testimony and evidence for that hearing, and where you share children we attach the Form 10.01-F parenting affidavit so temporary custody and parenting-time terms are addressed inside the order.

Because Hardin charges no fee and no deposit for a protection-order petition, cost is never a reason to go unprotected, and in an emergency you should always call 911 first. We can represent you at the hearing on a flat fee with payment plans, and the order stands on its own — separate from any divorce or custody case you may also need.

Flat-fee options

Flat fee: we file your DV civil protection order petition and represent you at the ex parte and full hearings — or, if you are the responding party, defend you at the full hearing.

• Defend a protection order (full hearing): $2,900
• File a DV protection order (petition + hearings): $3,500

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. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your protection orders case or see payment plans & financing.

Where to File: Hardin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Hardin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division (juvenile, parentage & never-married matters)
One Courthouse Square, Suite 210, Kenton, OH 43326
Phone: (419) 674-2233
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current hours with the Clerk)

Civil Protection Orders is the right path if…

• You've experienced or been threatened with violence, or you're being stalked.
• You need the other person legally ordered to stay away and stop contact.
• You may need a same-day (ex parte) order because of immediate danger.
• You want protection that a court can enforce, separate from any divorce or custody case.

Filing Fees

No filing fee and no deposit for any protection-order petition · domestic-violence track allows a same-day ex parte order when there's immediate risk · in an emergency call 911

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Hardin County

1. Get to safety first. In an emergency, call 911. You can also contact local advocates for help completing the petition.
2. Choose the right petition. Use Form 10.01-D (domestic violence), 10.01-P (dating violence), or 10.03-D (civil stalking); add Form 10.01-F if you have children with the respondent.
3. File with no fee. File with the Domestic Relations Division through the Clerk of Courts, One Courthouse Square, Kenton — there is no filing fee or deposit.
4. Ex parte order and full hearing. On the domestic-violence track, the court can issue a same-day ex parte order when there's immediate risk, then hold a full hearing for a longer-term order.

Hardin County Practice Notes

• Protection orders filed with no fee; ex parte same-day on the DV track. A civil protection order (Form 10.01-D domestic violence, 10.01-P dating violence, or 10.03-D civil stalking) is filed with the Hardin County Domestic Relations Division through the Clerk with no filing fee and no deposit. On the domestic-violence track, if the petition shows an immediate risk the court can issue an ex parte (same-day) order, followed by a full hearing for a longer-term order. In an emergency, call 911.
• One Domestic Relations Division hears it all. Hardin County has a single Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division (Judge Maria Santo; division created 1/1/2023 under R.C. 2301.03(FF)(1)) at One Courthouse Square, Suite 210, Kenton, (419) 674-2233. The same division hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment AND parentage, never-married custody, and civil protection orders — there is no separate juvenile court. Only adoptions and guardianships go to the separate Probate Court (Judge Steve Christopher).
• File through the Clerk of Courts (Suite 310). Petitions and motions are filed through the Hardin County Clerk of Courts, One Courthouse Square, Suite 310, Kenton, (419) 674-2278, https://www.hardincourts.com/CLSite/ (local forms under /CLSite/pdf/). Hardin accepts e-filing through the Henschen portal (efile.henschen.com) and fax filing at (419) 674-2273 for documents of 10 pages or fewer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a protection order in Hardin County, and is there a fee?

File the protection-order petition — Form 10.01-D (domestic violence), 10.01-P (dating violence), or 10.03-D (civil stalking) — with the Hardin County Domestic Relations Division through the Clerk of Courts, One Courthouse Square, Kenton. There is no filing fee and no deposit. On the domestic-violence track, if the petition shows an immediate risk the court can issue an ex parte (same-day) order, followed by a full hearing for a longer-term order. In an emergency, call 911.

Which court handles divorce, custody, and support in Hardin County?

One court hears all of it: the Court of Common Pleas, Hardin County, Domestic Relations Division, One Courthouse Square, Suite 210, Kenton, (419) 674-2233 (Judge Maria Santo). The same Domestic Relations Division hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment for married spouses AND parentage, never-married custody, and civil protection orders — there is no separate juvenile court in Hardin County. Only adoptions and guardianships go to the separate Probate Court (Judge Steve Christopher). Petitions are filed through the Clerk of Courts, Suite 310, (419) 674-2278.

How fast can I get an emergency custody order in Hardin County?

File a written motion for an emergency (ex parte) order supported by a sworn affidavit describing the immediate risk to the child, filed in your pending or new case in the Domestic Relations Division through the Clerk. If the affidavit shows the child is in immediate danger, the court can issue a temporary ex parte order and set a prompt follow-up hearing where both parents are heard. For a child in immediate danger call 911 or report to Hardin County Children Services at (419) 675-1130 (statewide hotline 855-OH-CHILD).

What if I cannot afford the filing deposit in Hardin County?

File an Affidavit of Indigency (poverty affidavit) under Ohio Civil Rule 3(E) asking the court to waive prepayment of the cost deposit. Legal Aid of Western Ohio, (888) 534-1432, can help income-eligible filers, and the Clerk of Courts, (419) 674-2278, can point you to the current indigency form. Confirm requirements with the Clerk before filing.

Free Local Resources in Hardin County

• Hardin County Clerk of Courts (record custodian). One Courthouse Square, Suite 310 (3rd floor), Kenton, OH 43326; (419) 674-2278 (fax (419) 674-2273). The Clerk is the record custodian for Common Pleas filings, posts local forms at https://www.hardincourts.com/CLSite/forms.php, and confirms current deposits and copy counts. E-filing is available through https://efile.henschen.com/; fax filings to (419) 674-2273 must be 10 pages or fewer with a compliant cover page. Court costs can be paid online at https://www.hardincourts.com/CLSite/payment.php.
• Hardin County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division. One Courthouse Square, Suite 210 (2nd floor), Kenton, OH 43326; (419) 674-2233 (https://hardincountyjuvenilecourt.com/). Created January 1, 2023 (R.C. 2301.03(FF)(1)) and led by Judge Maria Santo, this single Domestic Relations Division hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment AND juvenile, parentage, never-married custody, and civil protection-order cases — there is no separate Juvenile Court in Hardin County.
• Hardin County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). 175 W. Franklin St., Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326; (419) 674-2269. The county IV-D agency establishes, modifies, collects, and enforces child support. Open a IV-D case to set up automatic wage withholding and enforcement.
• Hardin County Job & Family Services — Children Services Agency. (419) 675-1130 (after hours (419) 673-1268; or (800) 442-7346). The county children-services agency investigates child abuse, neglect, and dependency. For an emergency call 911; the statewide child-abuse hotline is 855-642-4453 (855-OH-CHILD).
• Successful Co-Parenting (parenting-education class). Hardin County's required parenting/co-parenting education is provided through OSU Extension's "Successful Co-Parenting" program — $30 per participant, offered in person and/or online. Registration is required; call (419) 674-2297 for current Hardin County dates before relying on it for a specific case.
• Hardin County Probate Court (adoption & guardianship). One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326; (419) 674-2230. The separate Probate Court — not the Domestic Relations Division — handles stepparent and kinship adoptions ($200, plus $100 for publication if required) and guardianships; the Probate Court requires that you have an attorney for an adoption. It does not handle divorce or custody.
• Legal Aid of Western Ohio. (888) 534-1432. Free civil legal help for income-eligible Hardin County residents, including some family-law matters. The Ohio Supreme Court also posts statewide self-help forms for self-represented litigants.

Other Family-Law Topics in Hardin County

• Hardin County Divorce — Full filing guide with forms, the Clerk deposit, and the parenting class.
• Hardin County Custody — Where to file when parents are married vs. never married.
• Ohio Child Support Calculator — Run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet yourself.
• Ohio family-law resources — 88-county directory of courts and legal aid.

Related to your protection orders case

• Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
• Divorce & Dissolution — End your marriage through a contested divorce or an amicable dissolution.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

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

• Civil Protection Orders in Ohio: How to Get a CPO — An Ohio civil protection order can provide fast, court-ordered protection from domestic violence — including no-contact terms, exclusive home use, and temporary custody. Here's how to get one.
• Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.

Keep exploring Hardin County family law

• Ohio Civil Protection Orders guide — Statewide overview of civil protection orders in Ohio.
• Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
• Hardin County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Hardin 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.