Modifying Orders After a Henry County Decree

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

Henry County, Ohio · Napoleon

After a divorce, dissolution, legal-separation, or juvenile decree, changes happen in the original case by motion. A post-judgment motion with children carries a $280 deposit (a motion with a consent judgment entry is $50; a motion to re-open a juvenile case is $150). Custody changes need a change in circumstances plus the child's best interest; support changes need a substantial change.

How do I modify custody or support after my Henry County order?

File a motion in your original case — the Domestic Relations Division for a divorce/dissolution order or the Juvenile Division for an unmarried-parent order. A post-judgment motion with children carries a $280 deposit (consent-entry motion $50; juvenile re-open $150). Changing the residential parent requires a change in circumstances and the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04); changing parenting time uses the best-interest standard (R.C. 3109.051); changing child support requires a substantial change — often a 10% or greater change in the guideline amount (R.C. 3119.79) — and can also be requested by administrative review at the CSEA. Spousal support can be changed only if the decree reserved jurisdiction (R.C. 3105.18).

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: Henry County Family Court (Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division)

660 N. Perry St., Suite 401, Napoleon, OH 43545
Phone: (419) 599-5951
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current hours with the Clerk)
Website: henrycountyfamilycourt.com/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Henry County Family Court (Juvenile Division)
660 N. Perry St., Suite 401, Napoleon, OH 43545
Phone: (419) 599-5951
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current hours with the Clerk)

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

Circumstances have changed since your last custody, parenting-time, or support order.
You want to change the residential parent, the parenting schedule, or the support amount.
You need to move with a child and must address the relocation rule.
You have a final Henry County (or registered out-of-state) order to modify.

Filing Fees

Post-judgment motion with children $280 · consent-entry motion $50 · Notice of Intent to Relocate $25 · QDRO/DPRO $100 · juvenile motion to re-open $150 · CSEA administrative review available for support · confirm current amounts at (419) 599-5951

Forms & Filing Packets

Modify custody or parenting time — $280 deposit (post-judgment, with children)

File a motion to reallocate parental rights (change in circumstances + best interest) or to modify parenting time (best interest) in the original case, with an updated DR-3 (Parenting Proceeding) affidavit. The court may appoint a GAL and re-order the A-OK class.

Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — Required in any case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
Common Pleas Local Rules — Defiance/Fulton/Henry/Williams (rev. 5/1/2020) — The shared four-county local rules governing Henry County family cases — including Rule 10.01 (mandatory affidavits), Rule 10.04 (preliminary injunction and ex parte orders), Chapter 11 (parenting education), and the Schedules A/B and Appendix A parenting-time guidelines.

Modify child support

Request a CSEA administrative review or file a Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28) with an updated worksheet on a substantial change (often 10%+).

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.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you ask the court to set or change support.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.

Relocation

File a Notice of Intent to Relocate (deposit $25) and serve the other parent; the court can then revisit the parenting-time schedule (R.C. 3109.051(G)).

Notice of Intent to Relocate (Henry County Family Court) — A residential parent who intends to move must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate (deposit $25); the court can then revisit the parenting-time schedule (R.C. 3109.051(G)). Obtain the current form from the Family Court at (419) 599-5951.

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Henry County

Identify what changed. Document the change in circumstances (for custody) or the substantial change (for support) since the last order.
Prepare the motion. Use the appropriate motion for custody/parenting time or the Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28) with an updated worksheet; add the DR-3 affidavit for custody.
File in the original case. File in the Domestic Relations or Juvenile Division that issued the order with the correct deposit ($280 post-judgment with children; $50 consent-entry; $150 juvenile re-open), or request a CSEA administrative review for support.
Handle relocation properly. If a move is involved, file a Notice of Intent to Relocate (deposit $25) and serve the other parent before relocating.

Henry County Practice Notes

Notice of Intent to Relocate before moving. A residential parent who intends to move must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate (deposit $25); the court can then revisit the parenting-time schedule (R.C. 3109.051(G)). Obtain the current form from the Family Court at (419) 599-5951.
Support handled through the Henry County CSEA. Child support is established, reviewed, and enforced through the Henry County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 104 E. Washington St., Hahn Center Suite 202, Napoleon, (419) 592-4633 (toll-free 888-844-9783). The CSEA can order genetic testing, set support administratively, and enforce orders through wage withholding, license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals.
Guardian ad Litem and CASA. In a contested case the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) — an attorney, a trained mental-health professional, or a qualified CASA volunteer — by Court Order #2. The GAL deposit is $1,000 (CASA $150). The GAL must comply with Sup. R. 48, interviews each party separately, and files a report at least 7 days before the final hearing. The GAL report is confidential — further disclosure without court approval risks contempt.
Henry County's combined Family Court. Henry County has a combined Family Court (Judge Melissa Peper Firestone; Magistrate Steve Callejas) at 660 N. Perry St., Suite 401, Napoleon, (419) 599-5951. The Domestic Relations Division (3rd floor) hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment; the Juvenile Division (4th floor) hears parentage, custody, and support for never-married parents. Adoptions, name changes, and marriage licenses are handled by the separate Probate Division (Judge Amy C. Rosebrook, Suite 203, (419) 592-7771).
Mandatory parenting education (A-OK + What About Me). In any case involving the allocation of parental rights, all parties must complete the 'Assisting Our Kids' (A-OK) program within 75 days of filing (Local Rule 11.01) — the class cost is paid from the court-cost deposit, and online attendance at assistingourkids.com may be allowed for hardship (with a $10 fee for an unexcused absence). If a child is age 5–17, the 'What About Me' program is also mandatory (the $30-per-child add-on). Missing A-OK can make a parent ineligible for an allocation of parental rights, and if no party completes it the case can be dismissed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it cost to file a post-decree motion in Henry County?: A post-judgment motion with children carries a $280 deposit; a motion accompanied by a consent judgment entry is $50; a Notice of Intent to Relocate is $25; a QDRO/DPRO is $100. In the Juvenile Division, a motion to re-open a case is $150. Confirm current amounts on the court-costs page or with the Family Court at (419) 599-5951.
Do I need permission to move with my child after a Henry County order?: Yes. A residential parent who intends to move must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate (deposit $25); the court can then revisit the parenting-time schedule (R.C. 3109.051(G)). Obtain the current form from the Family Court at (419) 599-5951.
How is child support paid and enforced in Henry County?: Child support is set under the Ohio guidelines (2024 Income Shares, R.C. Chapter 3119) and administered with the Henry County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 104 E. Washington St., Hahn Center Suite 202, Napoleon, (419) 592-4633 (toll-free 888-844-9783). The CSEA can order genetic testing, establish or review support administratively, and enforce orders through wage withholding, license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals.
Which court handles divorce, custody, and support in Henry County?: The Henry County Family Court at 660 N. Perry St., Suite 401, Napoleon, (419) 599-5951 — a combined court under Judge Melissa Peper Firestone (Magistrate Steve Callejas). Its Domestic Relations Division (3rd floor) hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment for married spouses; its Juvenile Division (4th floor) hears parentage, custody, and support for never-married parents. Adoptions, name changes, and marriage licenses are handled by the separate Probate Division (Judge Amy C. Rosebrook, Suite 203, (419) 592-7771).

Free Local Resources in Henry County

Henry County Clerk of Courts (record custodian). 660 N. Perry St., Suite 302, Napoleon, OH 43545; (419) 592-5886. The Clerk is the record custodian for Family Court filings, posts the filing-fee schedule, and confirms current deposits and copy counts. There is no general e-filing portal — file in person or by mail. Court costs can be paid online at https://payments.lexisnexis.com/oh/co/henry/familycourt or by phone at (888) 562-9935.
Henry County Family Court (Domestic Relations & Juvenile Divisions). 660 N. Perry St., Suite 401, Napoleon, OH 43545; (419) 599-5951 (https://henrycountyfamilycourt.com/). One combined Family Court — Judge Melissa Peper Firestone and Magistrate Steve Callejas hear both Domestic Relations (3rd floor) and Juvenile (4th floor) cases, including divorce, dissolution, custody, parenting time, support, paternity, and non-parent custody.
Henry County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). 104 E. Washington St., Hahn Center Suite 202, Napoleon, OH 43545; (419) 592-4633 (toll-free 888-844-9783). The county IV-D agency establishes, calculates, collects, and enforces child support. Open a IV-D case to set up automatic wage withholding and enforcement.
Henry County Family, Adult & Children's Services (FACS). (419) 592-4210. 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).
Henry County Probate Division (adoption, name change, marriage). 660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545; (419) 592-7771 (https://www.henrycountyohio.gov/261/Probate-Division). Judge Amy C. Rosebrook's separate Probate Division handles stepparent and kinship adoptions, name changes, and marriage licenses — not divorce or custody.

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.

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Ohio Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications in Ohio.
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