Lucas County Protection Order Attorneys

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

Lucas County, Ohio · Toledo

A Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (CPO) can order an abuser to stay away, surrender firearms, and leave a shared home. In Lucas County, petitions are filed with the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division at the Family Court Center, 429 N. Michigan Street, and the Domestic Violence Resource Center on the 2nd Floor — (419) 213-2700 — helps petitioners complete and file the forms. There is no filing fee.

Hire Gavvl for your Lucas County protection orders case

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

Gavvl Law for a Lucas County protection order

A Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order can require an abuser to stay away, surrender firearms, and leave a shared home. In Lucas County you file the statewide petition (Ohio Supreme Court Form 10.01-D) with the Domestic Relations Division at the Family Court Center, 429 N. Michigan Street, and there is no filing fee — the Domestic Violence Resource Center on the 2nd Floor, (419) 213-2700, even helps petitioners complete the forms. The court reviews the petition ex parte the same day. Gavvl Law prepares the petition and stands with you at the full hearing.

A petition ready for same-day ex parte review. Lucas reviews a CPO petition ex parte the day it is filed, and a judge issues an Ex Parte order if the facts show present and immediate danger. We draft Form 10.01-D so the incidents, dates, and requested terms — stay-away, firearms surrender, exclusive use of the home — are laid out clearly enough for the court to act at once.
Standing with you at the full hearing. An Ex Parte order is temporary; to get a final CPO — which can last up to five years — you have to appear at the full hearing the court sets within 7 to 10 court days, or the order usually dissolves. We prepare your testimony and evidence and appear with you, and because a CPO is civil, it can run alongside any criminal case.
No filing fee, and free service on the respondent. There is no cost to file the petition, and the Sheriff serves the respondent at no charge to you — the expense is representation, not the court. We handle the case for one flat fee agreed up front with payment plans, so getting an order that protects you does not hinge on what you can pay.

Because the petition is reviewed ex parte the same day and a final order is decided at a hearing within about ten court days, the clarity and specificity of your Form 10.01-D drive both. We work with the Domestic Violence Resource Center at (419) 213-2700, keep the timeline moving, and offer a flat fee with financing so protection is not delayed by cost — while the filing itself stays free at the Family Court Center.

Flat-fee options

Flat fee: we file your DV civil protection order petition and represent you at the ex parte and full hearings — or, if you are the responding party, defend you at the full hearing.

Defend a protection order (full hearing): $2,900
File a DV protection order (petition + hearings): $3,500

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. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your protection orders case or see payment plans & financing.

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

Family Court Center, 429 N. Michigan Street, Toledo, OH 43604
Phone: (419) 213-6901
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Website: Court website
e-Filing: Online e-filing portal

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division (Juvenile Justice Center)
1801 Spielbusch Avenue, 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

Petition for a Domestic Violence CPO — No filing fee for a CPO petition.

File the standardized petition; the court reviews it ex parte the same day.

Petition for Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Ohio Supreme Court Form 10.01-D) — The standardized statewide DV CPO petition. No filing fee. Tip: The Domestic Violence Resource Center on the 2nd Floor of the Family Court Center, (419) 213-2700, helps petitioners complete and file the forms.
Petition for Civil Protection and/or Domestic Violence Order (Lucas County Juvenile Court) — Lucas County Juvenile Court's local protection-order petition for cases filed in the Juvenile Court — confirm with the court, (419) 213-6722, which petition fits your situation. Tip: Read the court's instruction sheet before filing: co.lucas.oh.us Doc #70724.
Instructions — Petition for Civil Protection and/or Domestic Violence Order (Lucas County Juvenile Court) — The Juvenile Court's step-by-step instructions for completing the local protection-order petition.
Motion to Renew Protection Order (Lucas County Juvenile Court) — Lucas County Juvenile Court's local motion to renew an existing protection order before it expires.

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Lucas County

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.
File the petition. File at the Family Court Center, 429 N. Michigan Street, Toledo. There is no filing fee.
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.
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. The Lucas County Domestic Violence Resource Center, (419) 213-2700, 429 N. Michigan Street, 2nd Floor, Toledo, can help you through the process.

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 for a divorce without children and $350 with children (dissolution: $300/$325); 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.

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.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on protection orders and related Ohio family law topics.

Civil Protection Orders in Ohio: How to Get a CPO — An Ohio civil protection order can provide fast, court-ordered protection from domestic violence — including no-contact terms, exclusive home use, and temporary custody. Here's how to get one.
Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.

More Lucas County family-law resources

Ohio Civil Protection Orders guide — Statewide overview of civil protection orders in Ohio.
Toledo family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Toledo metro.
Lucas County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Lucas County guide.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
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