Lake County Contempt & Enforcement Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Lake County contempt case

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

Enforce your Lake County order with Gavvl Law

When the other party withholds the children, denies parenting time, or stops paying support, Lake County lets you file a contempt and show-cause motion in the division that issued the order. The court can impose fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, or jail for willful violations. Gavvl Law drafts the motion and supporting affidavit, gets the show-cause order issued, and proves the violation at the hearing — one flat fee agreed up front.

• A motion specific enough to prove. Vague contempt motions fail. We file the Ohio uniform Motion for Contempt with an affidavit that names the exact order, date, and conduct, plus the Order to Appear and Show Cause under DR Local Rule 3.05 — and for unpaid support we state the last order date, arrearage, and nonpayment period the rule requires.
• The 21-day show-cause check. In Lake, if the show-cause order does not appear on the docket within 21 days of filing, you have to notify the court or the motion stalls. We watch the docket and follow up so your enforcement date actually gets set instead of quietly falling through.
• CSEA enforcement alongside your motion. For unpaid support, Lake County DJFS at 177 Main Street, (440) 918-4000, can pursue wage withholding, license suspension, and tax intercept while your contempt motion is pending. We run both tracks for one flat fee, with payment plans, to get you paid faster.

A post-decree deposit applies — $175 for most motions, or $200 for a reallocation, support, or parenting-time motion — and the burden is on you to show the violation was willful. We come to the show-cause hearing with the log, messages, and payment records that turn a frustrating pattern into an enforceable finding of contempt.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the motion for contempt / show cause to enforce an order the other party is violating. You appear at any hearing.

• Contempt (single issue): $950
• Contempt (multiple issues): $1,450

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, or full financing where work begins once 60% is paid. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your contempt case or see payment plans & financing.

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
Phone: (440) 350-3000
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (filings by 4:00 p.m.)

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• The other party is violating a custody, parenting time, or support order.
• You have a final order that clearly states what was required.
• You can document the specific dates and conduct that violated the order.
• Informal attempts to resolve the violation haven't worked.

Filing Fees

Post-decree deposit set by the Clerk ($175, or $200 for reallocation/support/parenting-time) · Enforcement may include fines, attorney fees, makeup time, or jail

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Lake County

1. Document the violation. Gather dates, messages, payment records, and a log showing exactly how the order was violated.
2. File the contempt and show-cause motion. File the Motion for Contempt with an affidavit and the Order to Appear and Show Cause in the division that issued the order.
3. Serve the show-cause order. The court orders the other party to appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt.
4. Attend the hearing. Present your evidence. The court can impose fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, or jail for willful violations.

Lake County Practice Notes

• Be specific about each violation. Identify the exact order, the date, and the conduct that violated it. Vague contempt motions are hard to prove. Keep a log of missed parenting time or payments and attach documentation. If no show-cause order appears on the docket within 21 days, notify the court (DR Local Rule 3.05).
• CSEA can enforce support in parallel. For unpaid support, the Lake County DJFS Child Support Enforcement Division (177 Main Street, Painesville, (440) 918-4000) can pursue wage withholding, license suspension, federal tax intercept, and contempt referrals alongside your motion.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

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 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.

More Lake County family-law resources

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
• Cleveland family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cleveland metro.
• Lake County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Lake 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.