Mahoning County Divorce Attorneys

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

Mahoning County, Ohio · Youngstown

A divorce ends a marriage when the spouses don't already agree on everything. It is filed by one spouse against the other in the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, 4th Floor, 120 Market Street, Youngstown, before Judge Beth A. Smith. The county uses the Ohio uniform complaint (Form 6 without children / Form 7 with children) plus the statewide affidavits, e-filing is mandatory (DR Rule 46), and the court's own parenting-time schedules set companionship time.

Hire Gavvl for your Mahoning County divorce case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Mahoning 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 file for divorce in Mahoning County, Ohio?

File a Complaint for Divorce — Form 6 (no children) or Form 7 (with children) — with the Ohio uniform affidavits (Affidavit 1 income, Affidavit 2 property, and, with children, Affidavit 3 parenting proceeding and Affidavit 4 health insurance) through the mandatory e-filing system of the Mahoning County Domestic Relations Division, 120 Market Street, Youngstown, (330) 740-2208. You or your spouse must have been an Ohio resident for at least six months (R.C. 3105.03). The deposit is $250 (with or without children). If your spouse won't participate or can't be found, the case is uncontested unless an answer is filed within 28 days, and you can serve by posting or publication. A divorce can't be heard until at least 42 days after service.

Hire Gavvl Law for your Mahoning County divorce

Mahoning County's Domestic Relations Division runs on mandatory e-filing (DR Rule 46), a $250 deposit, and a strict clock: your spouse has 28 days to answer, and no divorce can be heard until 42 days after service. Gavvl Law e-files the Form 6 or Form 7 complaint with every statewide affidavit attached, tracks each deadline before Judge Beth A. Smith's court in Youngstown, and offers a flat fee for uncontested filings or full representation when property or parenting is contested.

E-filing done right the first time. The Domestic Relations Court at 120 Market Street won't take paper — e-filing is mandatory under DR Rule 46. We submit your complaint, Affidavits 1 and 2 (and, with children, Affidavits 3 and 4 plus the support worksheet and parenting plan) through the court's system with the $250 deposit so nothing bounces back for a missing attachment.
The 28-day and 42-day clocks, managed. A Mahoning divorce is uncontested unless an answer arrives within 28 days of service, and the court can't hear it until 42 days have run. We calendar both dates the day service perfects, so a non-responsive spouse becomes the fastest path to your decree instead of a source of drift.
A missing spouse doesn't stall the case. When your spouse can't be located, we move for service by posting — six weeks on the Clerk's website — or publication, then present the case as an uncontested divorce on your evidence alone, with the county's own parenting-time schedules framing companionship time if you have children.

Mahoning's court-issued parenting-time schedules set the default companionship terms in every case with children, and the Parents Workshop must be finished before the decree. We build your parenting proposal around the county schedule from day one and get the workshop calendared early, so your Youngstown divorce isn't held up at the finish line.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the correct complaint packet for your situation; you appear at any hearings yourself.

Complaint for Divorce: $1,250
With temporary orders: $1,750
With minor children: $1,750
With children + temporary orders: $2,000

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, or full financing where work begins once 60% is paid. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your divorce case or see payment plans & financing.

Ohio Divorce by the Numbers

6 months Ohio residency required before you can file Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03
90 days Residency in the county of filing (venue) Source: Ohio Civ. R. 3
30–90 days Typical time to finalize an uncontested dissolution Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.64
1 year Living separate and apart that qualifies as no-fault grounds Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.01

Compare Your Options for Ending a Marriage in Ohio

Path	Ends the marriage?	Agreement required?	Best when
Dissolution	Yes	Yes — on every term before filing	Both spouses agree on everything and want the fastest, lowest-cost path
Divorce (contested)	Yes	No	Spouses disagree on property, support, or parenting and need a judge to decide
Divorce (uncontested / default)	Yes	No	One spouse will not respond or cannot be located
Legal separation	No — you stay married	Optional	You need court orders but must stay married (religion, insurance, or benefits)
Annulment	Treated as never valid	No	The marriage was never legally valid (fraud, bigamy, underage, or incapacity)

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)

Divorce is the right path if…

You want to end the marriage and you or your spouse meets Ohio's six-month residency.
You and your spouse don't have a complete written agreement (otherwise a dissolution may fit).
Your spouse can't be located or won't participate, so you need an uncontested (default-style) divorce.
You need the court to divide property and debt and set support and parenting orders.
You want the court's parenting-time schedules to set companionship time if you have minor children.

If you and your spouse fully agree on everything and both will sign and appear, a dissolution is usually faster and cheaper. Compare dissolution.

Filing Fees

$250 deposit (with or without children) · $150 counterclaim · $100 post-decree motion · $100 objections to a magistrate's decision · fee waiver (Poverty Affidavit + Order Waiving Deposit) available · DV and CSEA filings exempt from deposits · confirm current amounts and payment methods with the Clerk at (330) 740-2100

Forms & Filing Packets

Divorce with no minor children — $250 deposit

E-file the Form 6 complaint with Affidavit 1 (income & expenses) and Affidavit 2 (property & debt), plus a request for service and a mutual restraining order if needed. Pay the $250 deposit.

Complaint for Divorce Without Children (Ohio SC Form 6) — Opens your divorce case and tells the court what you're asking for. Use when you and your spouse have no minor children together.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Affidavit of Property (Ohio SC Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt. Required at filing.
Mutual Restraining Order — The standard mutual restraining order used in Domestic Relations cases to preserve the financial and parenting status quo while the case is pending.
Decree of Divorce Without Children (Ohio SC Form 14) — Proposed final order ending the marriage. Prepare in advance; the Judge signs it at the final hearing.

Divorce with minor children — $250 deposit

E-file the Form 7 complaint and add Affidavit 3 (parenting proceeding / UCCJEA), Affidavit 4 (health insurance), the child-support worksheet, and a parenting plan. The court's parenting-time schedules set companionship time. Pay the $250 deposit.

Complaint for Divorce With Children (Ohio SC Form 7) — The divorce Complaint used when you and your spouse have minor children together. Pleads custody, parenting time, and child-support allegations.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Affidavit of Property (Ohio SC Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt. Required at filing.
Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — Required in any case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 21) — Used when one parent will be designated residential parent and legal custodian.
Mahoning County Local Parenting Time Schedule — The Domestic Relations Court's own standard parenting-time schedule for parents living near each other. It becomes the order unless the parents agree to a different plan the court approves.
Decree of Divorce With Children (Ohio SC Form 15) — Proposed final order for a divorce with minor children.

How to File Divorce in Mahoning County

Confirm residency and pick the complaint. Make sure you or your spouse meets Ohio's six-month residency, then choose Form 6 (no children) or Form 7 (with children).
Complete the forms. Fill in the complaint, Affidavit 1 (income), and Affidavit 2 (property); with children add Affidavit 3 (parenting proceeding), Affidavit 4 (health insurance), the support worksheet, and a parenting plan.
E-file with the deposit. E-file through the Mahoning County Domestic Relations system with the $250 deposit; if you can't afford it, file the Poverty Affidavit and Order Waiving Deposit.
Serve your spouse. Arrange certified-mail service through the Clerk; if your spouse can't be found, ask for service by posting (6 weeks on the Clerk's website) or publication, and the case proceeds as uncontested.
Resolve and finalize. Use temporary orders if needed while the case is pending; complete the Parents Workshop if you have minor children; the judge resolves contested issues by agreement or trial and signs the Decree of Divorce.

Mahoning County Practice Notes

Two separate courts: Domestic Relations and Juvenile. Mahoning County runs two separate courts. The Domestic Relations Division (Hon. Beth A. Smith, Mahoning County Courthouse, 4th Floor, 120 Market Street, Youngstown, (330) 740-2208) handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment — plus the custody, parenting time, and support that travel with them for married or divorcing parents. The separate Juvenile Division (Hon. Theresa Dellick, 300 East Scott Street, Youngstown, (330) 740-2278) handles paternity and custody for never-married parents and non-parent custody.
Six-month residency, e-filing, and the 42-day waiting period. You or your spouse must have been an Ohio resident for at least six months before filing (R.C. 3105.03), with proper Mahoning County venue (Civ.R. 3). E-filing is mandatory in the Domestic Relations Court (DR Rule 46). A divorce or legal separation cannot be heard until 42 days after service (or 28 days after service of a counterclaim unless waived), and it is uncontested unless an answer is filed within 28 days of service.
Parents Workshop (parent education) — confirm current status. By Local Rule, all parents with minor children who are parties to a divorce or legal separation must attend the Court's Parents Workshop before the final hearing. It is run by the Alta Care Group (formerly The D & E Counseling Center), 711 Belmont Avenue, Youngstown — $20 cash payable to "Alta" on the date of attendance, about 2½ hours, scheduled by calling the court at (330) 740-2208. The court has temporarily suspended the workshop due to COVID, so confirm its current status and whether an alternative is required before the final hearing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the residency requirements to file for divorce in Mahoning County?: For divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you or your spouse must have been an Ohio resident for at least six months before filing (R.C. 3105.03), with proper Mahoning County venue under Civ.R. 3. For dissolution, only the six-month Ohio residency applies. For Juvenile Division cases (paternity, never-married custody, support), Ohio must be the child's 'home state' under the UCCJEA (R.C. 3127) — generally the child has lived in Ohio for the last six consecutive months. Confirm any specific local venue questions with the Clerk.
How much does it cost to file for divorce or dissolution in Mahoning County?: The Mahoning County Domestic Relations deposit for a Complaint for Divorce, Legal Separation, Annulment, or Petition for Dissolution is $250 (with or without children) under the schedule effective May 22, 2015. A counterclaim or third-party complaint is $150, a post-decree motion is $100, objections to a magistrate's decision are $100, and registering a foreign support or custody order is $100. If you cannot afford the deposit, file a Poverty Affidavit with the Order Waiving Deposit. Confirm current amounts and payment methods with the Clerk of Courts at (330) 740-2100.
Is an uncontested divorce the same as a dissolution in Mahoning County?: No. A dissolution is a joint filing you use only when you and your spouse already agree on everything and sign a Separation Agreement first; there is no party being sued, and the hearing date is obtained before filing. An uncontested (default-style) divorce is still a lawsuit — a divorce is uncontested unless the defendant files an answer within 28 days of service — used when your spouse won't participate, won't sign, or can't be found (served by posting or publication), and the court grants the divorce on your evidence.
Is a parenting class required in Mahoning County?: By Local Rule, all parents with minor children who are parties to a divorce or legal separation must attend the Court's Parents Workshop before the final hearing. It is run by the Alta Care Group (formerly The D & E Counseling Center), 711 Belmont Avenue, Youngstown — $20 cash payable to "Alta," about 2½ hours, scheduled by calling the court at (330) 740-2208. The court has temporarily suspended the workshop due to COVID, so confirm its current status (and any alternative) before assuming whether or when you must complete it.
Can I file by mail, fax, or email in Mahoning County?: No. Electronic filing is mandatory in the Mahoning County Domestic Relations Court (DR Local Rule 46), and the court does not accept filings by fax, email, or mail directly — all filings go through the Clerk of Courts at 120 Market Street, Youngstown. The separate Juvenile Division is a paper-filing court. Court staff cannot give legal advice. If you cannot afford the deposit, file a Poverty Affidavit asking the court to waive it. Confirm eFiling registration details with the Clerk at (330) 740-2100.

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 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.

Related guides

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

How to File for Divorce in Ohio: A Step-by-Step Guide — Filing for divorce in Ohio follows a defined path: confirm residency, choose your grounds, file the complaint, serve your spouse, and work toward temporary orders and a final decree. Here is how each step works.
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.
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.

Continue your Mahoning County research

Ohio Divorce guide — Statewide overview of divorce in Ohio.
Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
Mahoning County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Mahoning County guide.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.

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.
Uncontested vs. Contested Divorce in Ohio — What each path means for your timeline and total cost.

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