Mahoning County Protection Order Attorneys

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026

Mahoning County, Ohio · Youngstown

A domestic-violence Civil Protection Order (CPO) is a court order under R.C. 3113.31 that can require an abuser to stay away, leave a shared home, and stop all contact. In Mahoning County, you file the petition with the Clerk of Courts at 120 Market Street, Youngstown — there is no filing deposit — and the Volunteer Advocate Legal Unit (VALU), a Community Legal Aid project, can help petitioners file and attend hearings.

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How do I get a protection order in Mahoning County, Ohio?

File a Petition for a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Form 10.01-D, R.C. 3113.31) with the Mahoning County Clerk of Courts at 120 Market Street, Youngstown — there is no filing deposit, and domestic-violence filings are exempt from court-cost deposits. The court hears your sworn statement and can issue a same-day ex parte order (Form 10.01-H) when the petition shows an immediate danger. If ex parte relief is denied, a full hearing is still set within 14 days, where both sides present evidence and the court may issue a final CPO (Form 10.01-I) for up to five years. The Volunteer Advocate Legal Unit (VALU) can help you file and attend hearings. In an emergency, call 911.

A Mahoning County protection order, handled with an advocate

A domestic-violence Civil Protection Order under R.C. 3113.31 can order an abuser to stay away, leave a shared home, and stop all contact. In Mahoning County you file the petition (Form 10.01-D) with the Clerk of Courts at 120 Market Street in Youngstown — there is no filing deposit, because DV filings are exempt under DR Rule 2 — and the court can issue a same-day ex parte order when the petition shows immediate danger. Gavvl Law prepares the petition, works alongside VALU advocates, and represents you at the full hearing.

A petition that supports a same-day order. When the petition (Form 10.01-D) shows immediate danger, the court can issue an ex parte order (Form 10.01-H) the same day, pending a full hearing. We help you describe the most recent and most serious incidents clearly, because that sworn account is what persuades the court to act before the abuser is even notified.
Ready for the full hearing within 14 days. Even if ex parte relief is denied, a full hearing is still set within 14 days, where both sides present evidence and the court may issue a final CPO (Form 10.01-I) for up to five years. We prepare your testimony and exhibits so the temporary safety you have becomes a lasting order.
Working with VALU and the DV Unit. The Volunteer Advocate Legal Unit, a Community Legal Aid project, helps petitioners file and attend hearings, and the Domestic Relations Court has its own Domestic Violence Unit. We coordinate with those advocates — and remind you these cases cannot be sent to mediation — so you are supported through every step.

A final CPO can last up to five years, but it does not renew itself — a renewal motion must be filed at least 14 days before it expires. We track that deadline for you, keep the order enforceable, and make sure the protection you fought for in Youngstown doesn't quietly lapse. In an emergency, always call 911 first.

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.

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Where to File: Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

Mahoning County Courthouse, 4th Floor, 120 Market Street, Youngstown, OH 44503-1753
Phone: (330) 740-2208
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed legal holidays)
Website: Court website

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Division
300 East Scott Street, Youngstown, OH 44505
Phone: (330) 740-2278
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed legal holidays)

Civil Protection Orders is the right path if…

You have been threatened, harmed, or stalked by a family or household member.
You need the court to order no contact, stay-away, or exclusive use of the home.
You want a same-day emergency (ex parte) order while you wait for a full hearing.
You need an advocate's help to file and attend the hearing.

Filing Fees

No filing deposit for a DV Civil Protection Order petitioner (DV filings exempt from deposits; no filing costs for Juvenile CPO petitions) · VALU advocate help available · a renewal motion must be filed at least 14 days before expiration · in an emergency call 911

Forms & Filing Packets

Emergency (ex parte) protection order — No filing deposit (DV filings exempt)

File the Petition (Form 10.01-D) and ask for an ex parte order (Form 10.01-H); when the petition shows immediate danger, the court can issue a same-day order pending the full hearing.

Petition for Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Form 10.01-D) — The sworn petition (R.C. 3113.31) that starts a domestic-violence Civil Protection Order. There is no filing deposit, and DV filings are exempt from court-cost deposits.
Domestic Violence CPO — Ex Parte (Form 10.01-H) — The temporary, same-day order a judge can issue without notice when the petition shows an immediate danger, pending the full hearing.

Full-hearing protection order — No filing deposit (DV filings exempt)

If ex parte relief is denied, the full hearing is still set within 14 days; both sides present evidence and the court may issue a final CPO (Form 10.01-I) for up to five years.

Petition for Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Form 10.01-D) — The sworn petition (R.C. 3113.31) that starts a domestic-violence Civil Protection Order. There is no filing deposit, and DV filings are exempt from court-cost deposits.
Domestic Violence CPO — Full Hearing (Form 10.01-I) — The final protection order issued after the full hearing where both sides present evidence; it can last up to five years.

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Mahoning County

Complete the petition. Fill in the Petition for a DV Civil Protection Order (Form 10.01-D) describing the most recent and most serious incidents; a VALU advocate can help.
File with the Clerk. File at the Mahoning County Clerk of Courts, 120 Market Street, Youngstown — there is no filing deposit.
Ask for an ex parte order if in danger. If you face immediate danger, request an ex parte order (Form 10.01-H); the court can issue it the same day pending the full hearing.
Attend the full hearing. Both sides present evidence; the court may issue a final CPO (Form 10.01-I) for up to five years, and you can move to renew at least 14 days before it expires.

Mahoning County Practice Notes

No fee, same-day ex parte, full hearing within 14 days. There is no filing deposit for a DV Civil Protection Order petitioner (DV filings are exempt under DR Rule 2). The court can issue a same-day ex parte order when the petition shows immediate danger; if ex parte relief is denied, a full hearing is still set within 14 days. A final CPO can last up to five years, and a renewal motion must be filed at least 14 days before it expires.
VALU advocates and the Domestic Violence Unit. The Volunteer Advocate Legal Unit (VALU), a Community Legal Aid project, helps petitioners through filing and hearings. The Domestic Relations Court also has a Domestic Violence Unit and coordinator. Protection-order disputes cannot be resolved through mediation. CPO petitions are filed with the Clerk of Courts at 120 Market Street, Youngstown.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it cost anything to get a protection order in Mahoning County?: No. There is no filing deposit for a petitioner seeking a domestic-violence Civil Protection Order under R.C. 3113.31 — domestic-violence filings are exempt from court-cost deposits (DR Rule 2), and there are no filing costs for Juvenile CPO petitions. The Volunteer Advocate Legal Unit (VALU), a Community Legal Aid project, can help petitioners file and attend hearings. In an emergency, call 911.
How fast can I get a protection order in Mahoning County?: When the petition shows an immediate danger, the court can issue a same-day ex parte order. If ex parte relief is denied, a full hearing is still set within 14 days, where both sides present evidence and the court may issue a final CPO for up to five years. A renewal motion must be filed at least 14 days before the order expires. CPO petitions are filed with the Clerk of Courts at 120 Market Street, Youngstown.
The other parent isn't following our order — what can I do in Mahoning County?: File a Motion for Contempt with affidavit (Form 24) and a Show Cause Order (Form 25) in the division that issued the order; the court sets a hearing and can order the violator to comply (purge), pay fees, or face penalties (R.C. 2705.02, 2705.031). In the Domestic Relations Division, attorney fees of $750 are presumptively reasonable in contempt, and the post-decree motion deposit is $100. Child-support enforcement also runs through the Mahoning County CSEA at (330) 740-2600.

Free Local Resources in Mahoning County

Mahoning County Domestic Relations Court. Local forms, local rules, and filing information for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, custody, support, and protection orders at https://www.mahoningcountyoh.gov/699/Domestic-Relations-Court. E-filing is mandatory; the Clerk of Courts ((330) 740-2100) handles intake at 120 Market Street, Youngstown. Court staff cannot give legal advice or help complete forms.
Mahoning County Juvenile Division. Handles never-married-parent custody, parentage, parenting time, and child support, plus non-parent custody, at 300 East Scott Street, Youngstown (Hon. Theresa Dellick). Filing line (330) 740-2278; the Juvenile Division is a paper-filing court.
Mahoning County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, collects support by wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. Located at 345 Oak Hill Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44502; phone (330) 740-2600. Payment questions go to Ohio Child Support Payments at 1-800-860-2555.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares child-support worksheet at https://ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov/ before any case that sets or changes support.
Community Legal Aid Services / VALU. Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Mahoning County and northeast Ohio, including the Volunteer Advocate Legal Unit (VALU) that assists with protection-order petitions and hearings. Intake line 1-800-998-9454.

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.