Enforcing a Hardin County Order

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)

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• There's a clear court order in place that the other party is violating.
• Parenting time is being denied, or support isn't being paid.
• You've documented the violations (dates, missed payments, denied exchanges).
• You want the court to enforce the order, not change it.

Filing Fees

Post-decree contempt motion deposit $350 in Domestic Relations ($150 on the juvenile track) · the CSEA enforces support at no charge to you · confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (419) 674-2278

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Hardin County

1. Document the violations. Keep a clear record of denied parenting time, missed payments, or other breaches — dates, amounts, and communications.
2. File the show-cause motion. File the county Motion to Show Cause / for Contempt (R.C. 2705.031) in the original case in the Domestic Relations Division through the Clerk.
3. Serve and prepare. Serve the other party as the rules require and organize your evidence for the hearing.
4. Attend the hearing. The court can order make-up time, a purge/payment plan, attorney fees, or jail for willful contempt; for support, the CSEA can enforce in parallel.

Hardin County Practice Notes

• Domestic Relations deposits (GD Rule 3). GD Rule 3 sets the Domestic Relations cost deposits: divorce and legal separation $500; dissolution $350; other DR matters $350; a GAL appointment adds a $500 deposit; a post-decree DR motion is $350 ($200 if the change to parental rights is agreed); other civil post-judgment matters are $250. These are advance cost deposits, not flat fees. An Affidavit of Indigency (Civ.R. 3(E)) can waive prepayment. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (419) 674-2278.
• Juvenile / parentage deposits (Juv Rule 28). Never-married parentage, custody, and non-parent custody cases follow the juvenile fee schedule, not the divorce schedule: a complaint is $300, a post-judgment motion is $150, and a motion needing a Guardian ad Litem is $350 (which includes the $250 GAL deposit). Add $25 for each additional defendant; service by publication is $175. An Affidavit of Indigency can waive prepayment.
• Support handled through the Hardin County CSEA. Child support is established, reviewed, and enforced through the Hardin County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 175 W. Franklin St., Suite 200, Kenton, (419) 674-2269. Open a IV-D case so support is collected by automatic wage withholding; the CSEA can order genetic testing, set support administratively, and enforce orders through license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals.
• 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

My ex won't follow our Hardin County order — what can I do?

File a Motion to Show Cause / for Contempt (R.C. 2705.031) in the original case in the Domestic Relations Division, using the county Motion & Entry form. Remedies can include make-up parenting time, a payment or purge order, attorney fees, and — for willful violations — jail. For unpaid support, the Hardin County CSEA, (419) 674-2269, can also pursue enforcement through wage withholding, license suspension, and tax intercept.

How is child support paid and enforced in Hardin County?

Child support is set under the Ohio guidelines (2024 Income Shares, R.C. Chapter 3119) and administered with the Hardin County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 175 W. Franklin St., Suite 200, Kenton, (419) 674-2269. Open a IV-D case so support is collected by automatic wage withholding; the CSEA can order genetic testing, review orders, and enforce through license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals.

What does it cost to file a post-decree motion in Hardin County?

In a Domestic Relations case, a post-decree motion deposit is $350, or $200 if the change to parental rights is agreed (GD Rule 3); other civil post-judgment matters are $250. On the juvenile/parentage track, a post-judgment motion is $150, and a motion that needs a Guardian ad Litem is $350 (Juv Rule 28). Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (419) 674-2278.

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.

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 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.

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• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
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