Civil Protection Orders in Lucas County

How do I get a protection order in Lucas County?

File a Petition for a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Ohio Supreme Court Form 10.01-D) at the Family Court Center, 429 N. Michigan Street, in Toledo. There is no filing fee. The court reviews the petition ex parte the same day; if the facts show present and immediate danger, a judge issues an Ex Parte CPO that takes effect the moment the respondent is served. A full hearing is scheduled within 7-10 court days where the respondent can respond, and a final CPO can last up to five years. The Domestic Violence Resource Center, (419) 213-2700, can help you file.

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

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division (Juvenile Justice Center)
1801 Spielbusch Avenue, Toledo, OH 43604, Toledo, OH 43604
Phone: (419) 213-6722
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Civil Protection Orders is the right path if…

• You have been threatened, harmed, or stalked by a family or household member.
• You need an order requiring the other person to stay away now.
• You may need the abuser removed from a shared home or firearms surrendered.
• You want help completing the petition from the DV Resource Center.

Filing Fees

No filing fee · the Sheriff serves the respondent at no cost to the petitioner

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Lucas County

1. Get help with the petition. Visit or call the Domestic Violence Resource Center on the 2nd Floor of the Family Court Center, (419) 213-2700, to complete Form 10.01-D.
2. File the petition. File at the Family Court Center, 429 N. Michigan Street, Toledo. There is no filing fee.
3. Attend the ex parte review. The court reviews your petition the same day; if it shows immediate danger, a judge issues an Ex Parte CPO effective when the respondent is served.
4. Return for the full hearing. Appear at the full hearing within 7-10 court days to seek a final CPO, which can last up to five years.

Lucas County Practice Notes

• Civil, not criminal. A CPO is a civil order. It is separate from any criminal case — you can have both at once. Violating a CPO is itself a new criminal offense, which is what gives the order its teeth.
• Go to the full hearing. An Ex Parte CPO is temporary. To get a final CPO (up to five years), you must appear at the full hearing scheduled within 7-10 court days. If you do not appear, the ex parte order usually dissolves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Lucas County Civil Protection Order the same as criminal charges?

No. A Civil Protection Order is civil — it can order the respondent to stay away, surrender firearms, and (when needed) leave a shared home, but it is not a criminal conviction, and there is no filing fee. Violating a CPO is a separate criminal offense. You can have both a CPO and pending criminal charges at the same time; the cases run in parallel. The Domestic Violence Resource Center on the 2nd Floor of the Family Court Center, (419) 213-2700, helps petitioners file.

How long does a Lucas County case usually take?

Dissolution: roughly 30–90 days, when both spouses agree on everything up front. Uncontested (default) divorce: a few months once service on your spouse is completed. Contested divorce: 6–18 months depending on discovery, custody disputes, and trial scheduling. A never-married custody case in the Juvenile Division moves on its own docket once parentage is established.

Can I pay or file online in Lucas County?

Lucas County offers an online docket search and an online payment portal (Forte) for the Domestic Relations Division. The payment portal is restricted to DR payments and requires your case number, so it is used after a case is opened. Initial filings are made at the Clerk's Office on the 1st Floor of the Family Court Center, 429 N. Michigan Street; Juvenile Division filings are made at the Juvenile Justice Center, 1801 Spielbusch Avenue.

How much does it cost to file in the Lucas County DR Division?

The Domestic Relations Division deposit is $300 without children and $325 with children; confirm the current amount on the Lucas County Filing Fee Schedule (11-13-2023). Pay in person at the Clerk's Office (1st Floor, 429 N. Michigan Street) or online through the Forte portal — the online portal is restricted to DR payments and you MUST include your case number. Never-married parentage and custody cases are filed in the Juvenile Division (1801 Spielbusch Avenue), which sets its own deposit — call the Juvenile Clerk at (419) 213-6722.

Free Local Resources in Lucas County

• Lucas County DR Division — Forms Hub (Schedules 1–5). Every Domestic Relations local Schedule form, the Uniform Ohio forms, and the filing instructions are posted free at co.lucas.oh.us/1360/Domestic-Relations-Division-Forms.
• Court Counseling Department (4th Floor, Family Court Center). Established 1938 — handles family evaluations, mediation, conciliation assessments, intake services, and parenting-education scheduling through the Family Court Center.
• Domestic Violence Resource Center (2nd Floor, Family Court Center). Helps petitioners obtain Civil Protection Orders. Call (419) 213-2700.
• Lucas County CSEA. Child Support Enforcement Agency at 3737 W. Sylvania Avenue, Toledo, OH 43623, (419) 213-3001 — opens cases, collects, and enforces support.

Other Family-Law Topics in Lucas County

• Lucas County Divorce — Contested and default divorce filing guide for the DR Division at 429 N. Michigan Street.
• Lucas County Custody — Married parents file inside divorce; never-married parents file parentage in the Juvenile Division.
• Lucas County Child Support — Ohio worksheet, Lucas County CSEA collection, and how to modify an order.
• Lucas County Paternity — Establish parentage by Acknowledgment, CSEA, or a Juvenile Division complaint.
• Lucas County Shared Parenting — File a Uniform DR Form 20 Shared Parenting Plan in the DR Division.
• Lucas County Emergency Custody — Seek an ex parte order when a child faces immediate danger.
• Lucas County Modifications — Change a custody, parenting-time, or child-support order after a life change.
• Lucas County Protection Orders — File a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order with no filing fee.
• Lucas County Legal Separation — Divide property and set support while staying legally married.
• Lucas County Annulment — Available only on the narrow R.C. 3105.31 grounds — most cases need a divorce.
• Lucas County Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody — Relatives must prove parental unsuitability under In re Perales.

Related to your protection orders case

• Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
• Divorce & Dissolution — End your marriage through a contested divorce or an amicable dissolution.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Civil Protection Orders guide — Statewide overview of civil protection orders in Ohio.
• Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus 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.