Filing for Dissolution in Lucas County, Ohio

Lucas County dissolution: one flat fee, no hourly surprises

For Lucas County families, we price dissolution as a flat fee you approve before any work begins — predictable and transparent, and paired with payment plans so cost never blocks getting real help. Toledo court contacts, required forms, and local fee details for Lucas County are all covered further down this page.

• One flat fee, agreed up front. The price is fixed and quoted up front, so you're never billed by the hour or hit with add-ons after you begin.
• Payments that fit your budget. Spread the cost with a payment plan, or use financing — so the flat fee works with your budget.
• Why Lucas County families choose us. Lucas County families pick us because the flat fee removes the billing pressure — we work to close out your dissolution case, not to log more hours. Ohio-licensed attorneys, all 88 counties.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we prepare your full dissolution petition and separation agreement for an agreed, no-court split.

• Dissolution: $2,015
• Dissolution with children: $2,645
• Review & advise (your own paperwork): $805
• Review & advise with children: $1,610

Prefer full representation? An Ohio attorney can carry the entire case on a $3,500 retainer.

On limited-scope services of $2,000 or more, Gavvl Direct — our in-house plan with no interest and no credit check — takes 60% down to start, then the balance in three monthly payments, the first due 28 days after your initial payment. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your dissolution case or see payment plans & financing.

Real people — with direct lines

• Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
• Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
• Niva Elgin — Director of Attorney Relations · Licensed New Mexico Attorney
• Richard Furnish — Of Counsel Attorney

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — Niva Elgin, our Director of Attorney Relations and a licensed New Mexico attorney — or Richard Furnish, an Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Lucas County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Director of Attorney Relations. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

• 95+ five-star Google reviews
• 60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
• Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
• Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained — and every step after

1. Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, Niva Elgin, or Richard Furnish about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
2. Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
3. Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
4. Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder

Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

• Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
• Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
• Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
• Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
• Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
• 24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Can I do this without an attorney?

sometimes, yes. Ohio lets you represent yourself, and for a genuinely agreed dissolution or a simple motion, some people do. The Lucas County forms and local rules are linked in the questions below, and our free tools will draft a parenting plan or estimate child support before you spend anything.

Here's what the online-divorce platforms leave out: most Ohio counties require their own forms and language on top of the statewide ones, and a rejected filing is the most common reason people call us after trying it alone. A $25, 30-minute call tells you whether you can do this yourself — and if you can, we'll say so.

• Free parenting plan builder
• Free child support estimate
• Attorney-written guides
• See the Lucas County forms & local rules

Schedule Your $25 Consultation

Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

Family Court Center, 429 North Michigan Street, Toledo, OH 43604 • (419) 213-6850 • Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Filing fee: Set by the Clerk of Courts — confirm the current filing fee before filing.

Important things to know about Lucas County

• Dedicated Family Court Center at 429 N. Michigan Street — separate from the main courthouse. Clerk on 1st Floor, courtrooms on 4th and 5th Floors, Court Counseling Department on the 4th Floor.
• Two elected DR judges — Courtroom #1 and Courtroom #2 — each with their own courtroom in the Family Court Center.
• Lucas-specific financial/property Schedules (Schedules I–V): Schedule I (Affidavit of Income) is filed with the core pleadings, Schedule II (UCCJEA) when there are minor children, and Schedules III–V (Monthly Expenses; Property Division & Spousal Support; Modification of a Prior Support Order) as they apply. Confirm signature, notarization, and copy requirements with the Clerk.
• Court Counseling Department (established 1938) handles family evaluations, mediation, conciliation assessments, intake services, and parenting-education scheduling — call them through the Family Court Center, 4th Floor.
• Online payment portal accepts credit cards but is RESTRICTED to Domestic Relations Division payments — and you MUST include your case number or the payment may not be processed.
• Established in 1924 — one of the first dedicated domestic relations courts in Ohio.
• Domestic Violence Resource Center on the 2nd Floor helps obtain Civil Protection Orders — (419) 213-2700.
• Parking: surface lots near the Family Court Center on Michigan and Ontario Streets; metered street parking on Michigan, Adams, Canton, and 10th.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I file for dissolution in Lucas County? Which forms do I need?

Direct links to every form pulled from the Lucas County court's published packet.

Required forms (all cases)

• Schedule I — Affidavit of Income (Lucas local) — Lucas County local schedule — income affidavit filed with the core pleadings.
• Schedule II — UCCJEA Parenting/Custody Jurisdiction Affidavit (Lucas local) — Lucas County local schedule — required when there are minor children.
• Schedule III — Monthly Expenses (Lucas local) — Lucas County local schedule — itemizes each spouse's monthly expenses.
• Schedule IV — Property Division & Spousal Support (Lucas local) — Lucas County local schedule — sets out property division and any spousal support.
• Schedule V — Modification of a Prior Support Order (Lucas local) — Lucas County local schedule — used only when modifying a prior support order.
• Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and Waiver of Service of Summons (Form 17) — The main joint petition asking the court to end your marriage — both spouses sign together.
• Separation Agreement (Form 19) — Your full settlement on property, debt, and spousal support. Both spouses must sign.
• Affidavit of Basic Information, Income & Expenses (Affidavit 1) — Each spouse files their own — employment, income, and monthly expenses.
• Affidavit of Property and Debt (Affidavit 2) — Each spouse files their own — all assets and debts.
• Decree of Dissolution of Marriage (Form 18) — Final court order ending the marriage.

Additional forms with minor children

• Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3) — Required in every case with minor children — 5-year address history and any other court cases involving the children.
• Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4) — Each parent's access to health insurance for the children.
• Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) — Option A — Use if both parents will share legal custody and significant parenting time. Both parents must sign.
• Parenting Plan (Form 21) — Option B, sole custody — Use if one parent will be residential — outlines the parenting time schedule for the other parent. Pair with the Parenting Judgment Entry.
• Parenting Judgment Entry (Form 22) — Option B, sole custody — Sole-custody court order naming the residential parent.
• Ohio Child Support Worksheet — Run the numbers in the Ohio Child Support Calculator, print the worksheet, and file it with your packet.
• IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Required when child support orders are to be issued. Contact Lucas County CSEA directly for the application — no online form is published in the court's dissolution guide.

Related to your dissolution

• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
• Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
• Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on dissolution, divorce, and related Ohio family law topics.

• Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio: Which Path Is Right for You? — Divorce and dissolution both end an Ohio marriage, but they work very differently. Dissolution is a no-fault, agreed process; divorce is a lawsuit for couples who can't agree. Here's how to choose.
• How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Ohio? — The cost of an Ohio divorce ranges widely depending on conflict and complexity. Here's what drives the price — court fees, attorney fees, experts — and how to keep it manageable.
• What Happens If I Move Out Before the Divorce? (Ohio Myths vs. Reality) — Moving out of the marital home does not forfeit your share of the house, your retirement, or your right to parent your children. It can affect the date the court uses to divide property, and it can affect custody indirectly if you become less involved. This guide separates the myths from what Ohio law actually does, and explains why temporary orders solve most of it.
• Dividing Property in an Ohio Divorce — Ohio divides marital property equitably — meaning fairly, not always equally. The first step is classifying every asset and debt. Here's how the process works.
• How Long Does a Divorce Take in Ohio? — There is no single answer to how long an Ohio divorce takes — an agreed dissolution can finish in a couple of months, while a contested divorce may run a year or more. Here's what drives the timeline.
• Who Gets the House in an Ohio Divorce? — The marital home is often a couple's biggest asset and most emotional decision. Ohio divides its equity equitably — through a buyout, a sale, or a deferred sale. Here's how.

Understand the cost

• Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio — How the two paths compare on agreement, timeline, and cost.
• Ohio Divorce Cost & Timeline by Path — Compare cost and timeline across every path to ending a marriage.