Enforcing Orders in Licking County

Where to File: Licking County Domestic Relations Court

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Licking County Probate & Juvenile Court
1 North Park Place, Newark, OH 43055
Phone: (740) 670-5624
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the court to confirm current hours)

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• There is a final order and the other party is violating it (withheld parenting time, unpaid support, or property terms).
• You want the court to enforce the existing order, not change it.
• You can document the specific violations (dates, missed payments, denied exchanges).
• You are filing in the same court that issued the order.

Filing Fees

A Domestic Relations post-decree motion is $200; a Juvenile Motion for Further Hearing is $50. There may be an added cost for contempt service — confirm with the Clerk. A fee waiver is available if you can't afford the deposit. Confirm current amounts with the Licking County Clerk of Courts at (740) 670-5400 before filing.

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Licking County

1. Identify the issuing court. File in the Domestic Relations Court (married/divorced) or the Probate & Juvenile Court (never-married) that entered the order.
2. Document the violations. Gather records of the missed parenting time, unpaid support, or unmet property terms, with dates.
3. Prepare the motion to show cause. Use the Ohio uniform Motion for Contempt (Form 24) or the court's general motion, stating exactly which order term was violated.
4. File, pay the deposit, and arrange service. File with the Clerk ($200 DR post-decree motion or $50 Juvenile Motion for Further Hearing) and confirm the contempt-service procedure.
5. Attend the show-cause hearing. The other party must appear and explain; the court can order compliance, make-up parenting time, payment, or sanctions.

Licking County Practice Notes

• Contempt enforces — modification changes. A motion to show cause enforces the existing order; it does not change it. If you also want to change the order going forward, file a separate post-decree modification motion.
• File in the issuing court. The court that entered your decree or order keeps continuing jurisdiction over enforcement. File the contempt motion in that same court. Confirm the contempt-service procedure from the Rules of Court – 2026 or by calling (740) 670-5400.
• Document the violations. Be ready to show specific violations — denied parenting-time exchanges, missed support payments, or unmet property terms — with dates and records. The clearer the record, the stronger the contempt motion.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enforce an order the other parent is violating in Licking County?

File a motion to show cause (a contempt motion) in the court that issued the order. It asks the court to order the other party to appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt for violating parenting time, support, or property terms. A Domestic Relations post-decree motion is $200; a Juvenile Motion for Further Hearing is $50. Confirm the contempt-service procedure with the Clerk at (740) 670-5400.

How do I change a custody or support order after it's final in Licking County?

File a post-decree motion in the court that issued the order. Changing the residential parent or shared parenting generally requires a change in circumstances plus the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04); parenting-time adjustments use a lower standard; child support can be modified on a substantial change (often a 10%+ change in the guideline amount). A Domestic Relations post-decree motion is $200; a Juvenile Motion for Further Hearing is $50.

How much does it cost to file a family-law case in Licking County?

In the Domestic Relations Court, divorce, dissolution, and parentage are each $400, a counterclaim is $250, a post-decree motion/reopen is $200, and a QDRO is $50. In the Probate & Juvenile Court, a Complaint for Custody is $250.00 and a Motion for Further Hearing is $50.00. A DVCPO petition has no filing fee. If you can't afford the deposit, file a Poverty Affidavit / Affidavit of Indigency. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (740) 670-5400.

Free Local Resources in Licking County

• Licking County Clerk of Courts — Domestic Relations. 75 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 670-5400, fax (740) 670-5419. Provides current filing deposits, the Domestic Relations forms, rules & guides page (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/forms_rules.htm), and CPO packets. Clerk of Common Pleas: Olivia C. Parkinson.
• Licking County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). 65 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 670-5998 or 1-800-513-1128 (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/csea/). Opens IV-D cases, sets and collects support by wage withholding, and enforces orders. CSEA enforces the court's order; it does not represent either parent.
• Parenting seminar — "Helping Children Succeed After Divorce" (The Woodlands). Required for everyone with minor children who files for divorce or dissolution. About 90 minutes online or a 2-hour in-person class. Register at www.thewoodland.org or (740) 349-7066 (online tech support ext. 241).
• Licking County Domestic Relations Mediation. Mediation Coordinator Christopher R. Meyer, (740) 670-5409 (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/mediation.htm). Offers assessment and referral to a court-approved mediator for divorce and post-divorce parenting disputes. A domestic-violence victim may decline mediation or bring a support person.
• The Center for New Beginnings (domestic-violence help). Helps victims obtain a protection order and offers free confidential housing and services: (740) 345-4498 or (740) 349-8719, toll-free 1-800-686-2760.
• Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (SEOLS) — Newark. 15 West Locust Ave., Suite A, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 345-0850 or 1-888-831-9412. Free civil legal help for those who qualify.

Other Family-Law Topics in Licking County

• Licking County Divorce — Full filing guide with forms, the $400 fee, and the parenting seminar.
• Licking 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.

Keep exploring

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