Child Support in Lake County

How do I get a child-support order in Lake County, Ohio?

Run the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov and file with an IV-D Application. For married parents, support is set inside the divorce or dissolution at the DR Division, 47 North Park Place, 2nd Floor, Painesville, OH 44077. For never-married parents, file in the separate Juvenile Division at 53 East Erie Street. To change an existing order, file the Ohio uniform Motion for Change of Child Support ($200 post-decree deposit) or request a CSEA administrative review. The IV-D Application is mailed to Lake County DJFS, not filed with the Clerk (DR Local Rule 19).

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

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Lake County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division
53 East Erie Street, Painesville, OH 44077, Painesville, OH 44077
Phone: (440) 350-3000
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (filings by 4:00 p.m.)

Child Support is the right path if…

• You need a first child-support order, or your current order no longer fits your incomes or parenting time.
• There's been a 10%+ change in the support amount or a substantial change of circumstances.
• You want CSEA to collect support automatically by wage withholding.
• Health-insurance or uninsured-medical responsibility needs to be set or updated.

Filing Fees

Establish: IV-D Application free · Modify: $200 post-decree motion deposit · Ohio Income Shares Model

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Child Support in Lake County

1. Run the Ohio Income Shares worksheet. Use ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov, then print and sign the worksheet.
2. File the IV-D Application and worksheet. Mail the IV-D Application to Lake County DJFS so CSEA can collect and enforce, and file the worksheet with your support pleadings.
3. File in the correct division. Married parents: DR Division with the divorce. Never-married: Juvenile Division. A post-decree modification deposit is $200.
4. Attend the support hearing. The court's IV-D Division sets a hearing before a child-support magistrate to journalize the order.

Lake County Practice Notes

• CSEA administrative review vs. court motion. You can request an administrative review of support through the Lake County DJFS Child Support Enforcement Division (177 Main Street, Painesville, (440) 918-4000), or file a court motion in the division that issued the order. The court's IV-D Division handles support modifications.
• IV-D Application is required for support cases. Under DR Local Rule 19, a party seeking support completes an IV-D Application that is mailed to Lake County DJFS — not filed with the Clerk. Final child-support entries attach a signed child-support worksheet and the health-insurance and expense forms (Rule 18.03).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Lake County CSEA do?

The Lake County Department of Job and Family Services – Child Support Enforcement Division opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, collects support by wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and enforces orders. Correspondence goes to 177 Main Street, Painesville, OH 44077, (440) 918-4000. Under DR Local Rule 19, a party seeking support completes an IV-D Application mailed to Lake County DJFS — it is not filed with the Clerk. The court's IV-D Division handles support modifications.

How much does it cost to file in Lake County?

Lake County Domestic Relations deposits: divorce, dissolution, or legal separation $326 with minor children and $306 without; annulment $276; a counterclaim $200; a Petition to Accept Jurisdiction or Register a Foreign Decree $226; a post-decree Motion for Reallocation, Child Support, or Parenting Time $200; all other post-decree motions $175; and a post-decree QDRO or DOPO $50. A Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order has no filing fee (Local Rule 24). Pay deposits at the Lake County Clerk of Courts, 25 North Park Place, Painesville, (440) 350-2657.

What is a IV-D application and why do I need one?

A IV-D Application opens a child-support case with your county's Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Once opened, CSEA collects support through automatic wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and can enforce the order through license suspension, federal tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals. Filing a IV-D Application is standard whenever a child-support order is issued.

Do I file in the Domestic Relations or Juvenile Division in Lake County?

Lake County runs two separate courts. The Domestic Relations Division (47 North Park Place, 2nd Floor, Painesville, Judge Colleen A. Falkowski, (440) 350-2708) handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and the custody, parenting time, and support that travel with them for married or divorcing parents. The separate Juvenile Division (53 East Erie Street, Painesville, Judge Michael L. DeLeone, (440) 350-3000) handles paternity and custody for never-married parents, and grandparent / non-parent custody.

Free Local Resources in Lake County

• Lake County DR Forms & Filings. Fillable PDFs, affidavits, checklists, and judgment entries for divorce, dissolution, custody, support, and protection orders at lcdrct.org/forms-filings. The court also links to the Ohio Supreme Court uniform forms for the core divorce and dissolution pleadings. Court staff cannot help complete forms or give legal advice.
• Lake County Mediation Department. Free in-house mediation for parties with a case pending in or divorced through the Lake County Domestic Relations Court. Program page at lcdrct.org/programs/mediation. Mediation is not used for domestic-violence adjudication or protection-order terms, and children may not attend.
• Children in Between (online parenting class). The court's required online parenting class for parents of minor children, completed before the final hearing. A Parenting Seminar Certificate is required when any child is under 16.
• Forbes House Domestic Violence Shelter. Shelter, counseling, and advocacy in Painesville for those fleeing domestic violence. 24-hour helpline 440-357-1018; office 440-953-9779. WomenSafe in Chesterland also serves NE Ohio at (440) 729-2780.

Other Family-Law Topics in Lake County

• Lake County Divorce — Full filing guide for contested divorce in the Lake County DR Division.
• Lake County Dissolution — Both-parties-agree route — faster and cheaper than a divorce.
• Lake County Custody — Married parents file inside divorce; never-married parents file in the Juvenile Division.

Related to your child support case

• Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
• Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
• Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
• Cleveland family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cleveland metro.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
• Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.