Filing for Divorce with Children in Lake County

Lake County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

File case-initiating documents by e-filing through the Lake County Clerk of Courts, 25 North Park Place, Painesville, (440) 350-2657. Mail or hand-deliver proposed entries to the DR Court, 2nd Floor, at least 7 days before the hearing.

Filing Fees

$326 divorce with children • $306 without children

Lake County Procedure Quirks

• Case-initiating documents are e-filed through the Clerk of Courts; certain proposed judgment entries and supporting documents are instead mailed or hand-delivered to the DR Court (2nd Floor) at least 7 days before the hearing.
• Mutual restraining orders on the parties' assets and financial accounts issue automatically when a divorce complaint is filed (DR Local Rule 11.01).
• Schedule the family-education program (For Our Children) within 60 days after the complaint is served or the dissolution is filed (DR Local Rule 16).
• DVCPO petitions are filed in person with the Clerk of Courts; there is no filing fee (Local Rule 24).

Parenting Class

Children in Between / For Our Children family-education program — Lake County DR Court / Center for Divorce Education (online) (Register / learn more)
Online 'Children in Between' class required before the final hearing in any case with minor children; a Parenting Seminar Certificate is required when any child is under 16. Under DR Local Rule 16, schedule the family-education program within 60 days after service or filing.

Judges

• Judge Colleen A. Falkowski

Lake County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Division

Separate building from the DR Division. Handles paternity and custody for never-married parents, plus grandparent / non-parent custody.

Domestic Relations vs. Juvenile

Lake County runs two separate courts. The Domestic Relations Division (47 North Park Place, 2nd Floor, Painesville) handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and the custody and support that travel with them for married parents. The separate Juvenile Division (53 East Erie Street, Painesville) handles paternity and custody for never-married parents and grandparent / non-parent custody.

Free Local Resources in Lake County

• Forms & Filings (lcdrct.org). Fillable PDFs, affidavits, checklists, and judgment entries for divorce, dissolution, custody, support, and protection orders at lcdrct.org/forms-filings, plus links to the Ohio Supreme Court uniform forms.
• Free in-house Mediation Department. Free mediation for parties with a case pending in or divorced through the Lake County Domestic Relations Court (Local Rule 14). Not used for domestic-violence adjudication or protection-order terms; 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.

Required divorce-with-children packet (6 forms)

• Complaint for Divorce with Children — The main document that starts your case. Ohio Supreme Court Form 7.
• Lake County Case Designation Sheet — Required local cover sheet that classifies your case at filing.
• Affidavit of Income, Expenses, and Property — Your income, monthly bills, assets, and debts. Required with the complaint under DR Local Rule 3.03.
• Parenting Proceeding Affidavit — The children's past 5-year address history. Ohio UDRF Affidavit 3.
• Health Insurance Order — Allocates the children's health-insurance coverage and costs.
• IV-D Application — Opens a child-support enforcement case; mailed to Lake County DJFS, not filed with the Clerk (DR Local Rule 19).

Temporary orders while your case is pending

Under Civ.R. 75 and DR Local Rule 11.04, either party can request temporary child support, spousal support, and allocation of parental rights while the case is pending using the court's forms. A request for temporary child support must include a proposed child-support worksheet. Mutual restraining orders on assets and financial accounts issue automatically when the divorce complaint is filed (DR Local Rule 11.01).

• Motion for Temporary Support — Asks the court for temporary child or spousal support while the case is pending. A temporary child-support request must include a proposed worksheet (DR Local Rule 11.04).
• Affidavit of Income, Expenses, and Property — Supports the temporary-orders request with current financial details.

Related guides

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

• How to File for Divorce in Ohio: A Step-by-Step Guide — Filing for divorce in Ohio follows a defined path: confirm residency, choose your grounds, file the complaint, serve your spouse, and work toward temporary orders and a final decree. Here is how each step works.
• Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio: Which Path Is Right for You? — Divorce and dissolution both end an Ohio marriage, but they work very differently. Dissolution is a no-fault, agreed process; divorce is a lawsuit for couples who can't agree. Here's how to choose.
• How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Ohio? — The cost of an Ohio divorce ranges widely depending on conflict and complexity. Here's what drives the price — court fees, attorney fees, experts — and how to keep it manageable.
• How Long Does a Divorce Take in Ohio? — There is no single answer to how long an Ohio divorce takes — an agreed dissolution can finish in a couple of months, while a contested divorce may run a year or more. Here's what drives the timeline.

Related to your divorce

• 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.