Lorain County Child Support Attorneys

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 4, 2026

Lorain County, Ohio · Elyria

Calculating child support in Lorain County runs on Ohio's 2024 Income Shares Model, basing child support on each parent's income. Support can be set inside a divorce or dissolution at the DR Division, or in the Juvenile Division for never-married parents. The court's IV-D Domestic Support Unit at (440) 326-4836 handles support hearings, and the Lorain County CSEA collects and enforces orders and child support payments.

Hire Gavvl for your Lorain County child support case

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

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

Run the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (the Lorain Self-Help Center has a calculator at lcdrc.ohiolegalhelp.org) — these child support calculations set each parent's child support obligation — and file with an IV-D Application (JFS07076). For married parents, support is set inside the divorce or dissolution at the DR Division, 225 Court Street, Elyria, OH 44035. For never-married parents, file in the Juvenile Division. To change an existing order after a substantial change in circumstances, file a Motion for Change of Child Support ($100 deposit). The IV-D Domestic Support Unit at (440) 326-4836 holds support hearings.

Hire Gavvl Law for your Lorain County child support case

Lorain County calculates child support on Ohio's 2024 Income Shares Model, and the court's IV-D Domestic Support Unit at (440) 326-4836 holds support hearings before Magistrates Tracy Ly and Nicole Block. Gavvl Law runs the computation worksheet accurately, files the JFS07076 IV-D Application so CSEA can collect by wage withholding, and handles establishment or a $100 modification on one flat fee approved up front, with payment plans available.

The worksheet done right. Support rises or falls on the Income Shares worksheet, so an overlooked bonus, health-insurance premium, or parenting-time credit can cost you for years. We build the calculation from real income and childcare and medical figures, then present it to the IV-D magistrate as a defensible number rather than a guess.
Administrative review or court motion. You can ask the Lorain County CSEA for an administrative review or file a court motion in the division that issued the order, and the better route depends on the size and timing of the change. We pick the path that fits, using the $100 Motion for Change of Child Support when a 10 percent swing or substantial change justifies a recalculation.
IV-D filings that satisfy the local rules. DR Local Rule 24 and Juvenile Local Rule 2 require the IV-D Application plus a signed worksheet and a health-insurance addendum on final entries. We file the complete package with CSEA — forms are at lcdjfs.com/forms — so your order is entered and enforceable without a bounce-back.

We appear regularly before Lorain's IV-D Domestic Support Unit and know how Magistrates Tracy Ly and Nicole Block run support dockets, so we prepare your evidence and worksheet for the way support hearings actually go at 225 Court Street in Elyria.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the support motion (establish, modify, or terminate). The court filing fee is billed separately and this does not include in-court representation.

Establish child support: $950
Modify child support: $950
Terminate child support: $950

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 child support case or see payment plans & financing.

Ohio Child Support by the Numbers

2024 Year Ohio's updated Income Shares support schedule took effect Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.021
10% Change in the calculated amount that justifies a modification Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.79
3 years How often either parent can request an administrative review Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.60
Age 18 When support normally ends — or high-school graduation, whichever is later Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.86

What Counts in an Ohio Child Support Calculation

What the worksheet counts	Counts toward support?	Notes
Both parents' gross income	Yes	Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and self-employment earnings
Health insurance for the children	Yes	Credited to the parent who pays the premium
Work-related childcare	Yes	Daycare and after-school costs are added in
Parenting time	Yes	Adjustments apply for substantial or equal parenting time
Imputed income	Sometimes	Added when a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed
A new spouse's income	No	Only the two parents' incomes are counted

Where to File: Lorain County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations & Juvenile Division

225 Court Street, Elyria, OH 44035
Phone: (440) 329-5277
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Website: Court website
e-Filing: Online e-filing portal

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Lorain County Juvenile Division
225 Court Street, Elyria, OH 44035
Phone: (440) 329-5187
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 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 in circumstances.
You want CSEA to collect child support payments automatically by wage withholding.
Health-insurance or uninsured-medical responsibility needs to be set or updated as part of your child support matters.

Filing Fees

Establish: IV-D Application free · Modify: $100 Motion for Change of Child Support · Ohio Income Shares Model for calculating child support

Forms & Filing Packets

Establish a new support order

Child Support Calculator (Lorain Self-Help) — Lorain's guided version of the Ohio Income Shares worksheet. Print and sign before filing.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Lorain County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.
Health Insurance Affidavit — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.

Modify an existing support order — $100 Motion for Change of Child Support

Motion for Child Support Modification (DR) — Asks the DR Division to recalculate support after a change of circumstances. Use the Juvenile version if the order is in the Juvenile Division.
Motion for Change of Child Support (Juvenile) — The Juvenile Division version of the support-modification motion for never-married parents.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.

How to File Child Support in Lorain County

Run the Ohio Income Shares worksheet. Use the Lorain Self-Help calculator or ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov, then print and sign the worksheet.
File the IV-D Application and worksheet. Submit the JFS07076 IV-D Application with your support pleadings so CSEA can collect and enforce.
File in the correct division. Married parents: DR Division with the divorce. Never-married: Juvenile Division. Modifications cost $100.
Attend the support hearing. The IV-D Domestic Support Unit at (440) 326-4836 sets a hearing before a child-support magistrate to journalize the order.

Lorain County Practice Notes

CSEA administrative review vs. court motion. You can request an administrative review of your child support obligation through the Lorain County CSEA, or file a court motion in the division that issued the order — a useful step after a significant change in circumstances. The court's IV-D Domestic Support Unit at (440) 326-4836 runs support hearings before Magistrates Tracy Ly and Nicole Block.
IV-D Application is required with parental-rights cases. Under DR Local Rule 24 and Juvenile Local Rule 2, an IV-D Application is required for any case involving parental rights, paternity, or child support matters, along with a signed child-support worksheet — the basis for calculating child support — and a health-insurance addendum on final entries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Lorain County CSEA do?: The Lorain County Child Support Enforcement Agency opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, collects support by wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and enforces orders. The court's IV-D Domestic Support Unit at (440) 326-4836 handles child-support hearings before Magistrates Tracy Ly and Nicole Block. File the IV-D Application (JFS07076) whenever a support order is established. CSEA forms are at lcdjfs.com/forms.
How much does it cost to file in Lorain County?: Lorain County DR deposits (effective 11/01/2025): divorce, dissolution, or annulment $350 without minor children and $675 with minor children. A Motion for Change of Custody or Child Support is $100, a motion after judgment to modify, revive, or vacate is $50, service by publication is $75, and the bond for an ex parte restraining order is $75. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at 225 Court Street, Room 108, Elyria.
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 Lorain County?: Lorain County runs a combined Domestic Relations & Juvenile Division at 225 Court Street, but the case type still controls. If you are married to the other parent (or were married when the children were born), custody, parenting time, and support travel with your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in the Domestic Relations Division at (440) 329-5277. If you were never married, paternity and custody go to the Juvenile Division at (440) 329-5187. Grandparent / non-parent custody is always Juvenile.

Free Local Resources in Lorain County

Lorain County Virtual Self-Help Center. Guided form assistants and fillable PDFs for divorce, dissolution, custody, support, legal separation, and protection orders at lcdrc.ohiolegalhelp.org. Create an account to save and complete your forms on your own schedule.
Lorain County Help Center. Free in-person help understanding court processes and procedures on the 2nd Floor of the Justice Center, 225 Court Street, Elyria. Open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-3:30 p.m. Call (440) 406-3288. Staff cannot give legal advice.
Separating Parents Seminar. Required parenting education for divorcing, dissolving, and unmarried parents and anyone seeking custody or visitation. Free in-person and Zoom sessions, or a $25+ online Center for Divorce Education course. Register at lcdrc.org or call (440) 326-4846.
Genesis House Domestic Violence Shelter. 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, and support for men, women, and children fleeing domestic violence in Lorain County. All basic needs provided.

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.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on child support and related Ohio family law topics.

Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.
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.