Filing for Divorce in Lucas County

Lucas County, Ohio · Toledo

Divorces in Lucas County are handled by the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division at the Family Court Center, 429 N. Michigan Street, in Toledo. The court uses the Uniform Ohio Domestic Relations forms plus its own five-Schedule local form system — each Schedule must be notarized and filed as an original plus 5 copies.

How do I file for divorce in Lucas County, Ohio?

File a Complaint for Divorce — Uniform DR Form 6 without children or Form 7 with children — with the Lucas County Clerk of Courts for the DR Division at the Family Court Center, 429 N. Michigan Street, 1st Floor, Toledo, OH 43604. The deposit is $300 without children or $325 with children (confirm on the Lucas County Filing Fee Schedule). Attach the Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses (Affidavit 1) and Affidavit of Property and Debt (Affidavit 2); with children, add the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3), Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4), and the Ohio Child Support Worksheet. You must also complete Lucas County's local Schedules 1–5, each notarized with an original plus 5 copies. You or your spouse must have been an Ohio resident for 6+ months.

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

Family Court Center, 429 N. Michigan Street, Toledo, OH 43604, Toledo, OH 43604
Phone: (419) 213-6901
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Website: www.co.lucas.oh.us/178/Domestic-Relations-Division
e-Filing: https://www.co.lucas.oh.us/99/Domestic-Relations-Online-Dockets

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.

Divorce is the right path if…

You and your spouse do not agree on everything — custody, support, property, or debt.
Your spouse won't sign paperwork, won't respond, or can't safely be negotiated with.
You need temporary orders now for support, parenting time, or use of the home.
You or your spouse meet Ohio's 6-month residency requirement and Lucas County venue.

If you and your spouse already agree on every term in writing, a dissolution is usually faster and cheaper. See Lucas County dissolution options.

Filing Fees

$300 without children · $325 with children · Confirm current amounts on the Lucas County Filing Fee Schedule (11-13-2023)

Forms & Filing Packets

Core divorce filing packet (no children) — $300 deposit

Complaint for Divorce Without Children (Uniform DR Form 6) — Opens your divorce case. Use when you and your spouse have no minor children together.
Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses (Uniform DR Affidavit 1) — Required at filing — discloses your income, monthly expenses, and basic case information.
Affidavit of Property and Debt (Uniform DR Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt for the marital balance sheet. Tip: Use "Est." for values you don't yet know.
Lucas County Local Schedules 1–5 (notarized · original + 5 copies) — Lucas County's required local schedule forms (personal, financial, property, debt, and additional information). Each must be signed, notarized, and filed as an original plus 5 copies.

Core divorce filing packet (with minor children) — $325 deposit

Complaint for Divorce With Children (Uniform DR Form 7) — Opens your divorce and pleads custody, parenting time, and child-support allegations.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom. Confirms Ohio's jurisdiction over custody.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Uniform DR Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
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.
Lucas County Local Schedules 1–5 (notarized · original + 5 copies) — Lucas County's required local schedule forms. Each must be signed, notarized, and filed as an original plus 5 copies.

Temporary orders add-on

File this when you need support, parenting time, or exclusive use of the home while the case is pending. The DR Division generally decides temporary-orders motions on the filed affidavits.

Motion/Affidavit for Temporary Orders Without Oral Hearing (Uniform DR Affidavit 5) — Requests temporary support, parenting time, and use of the home while the divorce is pending.

How to File Divorce in Lucas County

Confirm Ohio residency and Lucas County venue. You or your spouse must have lived in Ohio for at least 6 months before filing, with venue set in Lucas County.
Decide whether you are filing or answering. File Form 6 (no children) or Form 7 (with children). If you were served, file your Answer and affidavit package within the time allowed.
Assemble the affidavit and Schedule package. Core complaint plus Affidavits 1 and 2 and the Lucas Schedules 1–5; with children, add Affidavits 3 and 4 and the Ohio Child Support Worksheet. Notarize each Schedule and bring an original plus 5 copies.
File at 429 N. Michigan Street. Pay the $300 or $325 deposit at the Clerk's Office on the 1st Floor of the Family Court Center, or pay DR fees online through the Forte portal with your case number.
Complete the parenting program if you have children. Register for the Children in Between course (divorce-education.com/oh/lucas) and file proof before the final hearing; the Court Counseling Department handles scheduling.

Lucas County Practice Notes

Lucas's five-Schedule local form system. Beyond the Uniform Ohio forms, Lucas County requires its own Schedules 1 through 5 (personal, financial, property, debt, and additional information). Each Schedule must be signed AND notarized, and you must file the original plus 5 additional copies. Missing a notarization or a copy is the most common reason a Lucas filing is rejected.
Parenting seminar is mandatory before the decree. When minor children are involved, both parents must complete the Parenting-Through-Divorce education program (Children in Between, approved for Lucas County) before any final decree. The Court Counseling Department on the 4th Floor handles scheduling.
Best-interest standard governs custody. R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) lists 10+ factors: each parent's wishes, the child's wishes (when of sufficient age), the child's interaction with parents/siblings, adjustment to home/school/community, mental and physical health of all involved, the parent more likely to facilitate court-approved parenting time, child support compliance, criminal history, residence outside Ohio, and any history of abuse.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the residency requirements to file in Lucas County?: For divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you or your spouse must have been an Ohio resident for at least 6 months immediately before filing, and a Lucas County resident long enough to set venue here. For a dissolution, only the 6-month Ohio residency applies. For a never-married parentage and custody case in the Juvenile Division, Ohio must be the child's home state under the UCCJEA — generally 6 consecutive months of living in Ohio before filing.
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.
What is the Lucas County five-Schedule local form system?: Lucas County requires its own local Schedule forms (Schedules 1 through 5) covering personal, financial, property, debt, and additional information. Each Schedule must be signed AND notarized, and you must file the ORIGINAL plus 5 additional copies of each one. They are posted free on the DR Division Forms Hub at co.lucas.oh.us. Missing a notarization or a copy is the most common reason a Lucas filing is bounced back.
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 do temporary orders work in Lucas County?: When you need support, parenting time, or exclusive use of the home while a divorce is pending, file the Motion/Affidavit for Temporary Orders Without Oral Hearing (Uniform DR Affidavit 5) with your divorce. The Domestic Relations Division generally decides temporary-orders motions on the filed affidavits, so attach proof of income and expenses.
Is a parenting class required in Lucas County?: Yes. In any divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or parentage case involving minor children, both parents must complete the Parenting-Through-Divorce education program (the Children in Between online course approved for Lucas County) before a final order. The Court Counseling Department on the 4th Floor of the Family Court Center (established 1938) handles scheduling and proof of completion.

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 divorce case

Divorce & Dissolution — End your marriage through a contested divorce or an amicable 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.

Keep exploring

Ohio Divorce guide — Statewide overview of divorce 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.

Call +1-844-694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.