Filing for Divorce with Children in Mahoning County

Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

File all documents by mandatory e-Filing with the Mahoning County Clerk of Courts, 120 Market Street, 2nd Floor, Youngstown, (330) 740-2100. Pay the $250 deposit online through the county's Making-A-Payment portal or as the Clerk directs; a Poverty Affidavit with an Order Waiving Deposit can request a fee waiver. The DR Division itself is on the 4th Floor.

Filing Fees

$250 divorce, legal separation, annulment, or dissolution (with or without children)

Mahoning County Procedure Quirks

• e-Filing is mandatory (DR Local Rule 46). Since June 25, 2020 the DR Court no longer accepts fax, email, or mail filings sent directly to the court — every filing goes through the Mahoning County Clerk of Courts on the 2nd floor.
• A Mutual Restraining Order is a required form filed with the initial divorce or legal-separation complaint, answer, or counterclaim (DR Local Rule 8).
• An uncontested divorce cannot be heard earlier than 42 days after service; the defendant has 28 days to file an Answer or the case is treated as uncontested (DR Local Rules 4 and 21).
• Dissolution hearing dates must be obtained from the assignment commissioner before filing, and the hearing is held 30–90 days after filing (DR Local Rules 4 and 20).
• At least one corroborating witness with personal knowledge of the grounds must testify at the final divorce hearing; the witness may appear by Zoom when the hearing is held by video (DR Local Rule 21).

Parenting Class

Court-approved parent-education program (Parents Workshop) — Mahoning County DR Court / Alta Care Group (https://www.mahoningcountyoh.gov/699/Domestic-Relations-Court)
Under DR Local Rule 28, all parents of minor children in a divorce or legal separation must complete a court-approved education program before the final hearing; a parent can be denied parenting time until it is completed. The court's in-person Parents Workshop (2½ hours, $20 payable to Alta) was temporarily suspended during COVID — confirm the current approved option with the court at (330) 740-2208.

Judges

• Honorable Beth A. Smith

Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Division

Separate building from the DR Division. Juvenile filings are paper only — no fax or e-Filing (Juvenile Local Rule 3). Handles paternity and custody for never-married parents, grandparent / non-parent custody, and child support, plus abuse, neglect, and dependency.

Domestic Relations vs. Juvenile

Mahoning County runs two separate courts. The Domestic Relations Division (120 Market Street, 4th Floor, Youngstown) handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and the custody and support that travel with them for married parents. The separate Juvenile Division (300 East Scott Street, Youngstown, Judge Theresa Dellick) handles paternity and custody for never-married parents and grandparent / non-parent custody — and unlike the DR Division, Juvenile filings are paper only.

Free Local Resources in Mahoning County

• DR Court Self-Help Center. Qualified low-income litigants can meet with an attorney for document-preparation help and answers to Domestic Relations questions. By appointment only — (330) 740-2208 — on the first and third Wednesday of each month, 12:30–4:00 p.m.
• Free court mediation. The DR Court offers free mediation to litigants; all four magistrates are Supreme Court of Ohio–trained and certified, and mediation has settled over 70% of referred cases. Ask your attorney or the court's Family Services Department at (330) 740-2208.
• Court Forms & Filing Checklist (mahoningcountyoh.gov/705/Court-Forms). Fillable Ohio uniform DR forms and Mahoning local affidavits, plus the DR Filing Checklist, at mahoningcountyoh.gov/705/Court-Forms. Court staff cannot give legal advice or help complete the forms.

Related to your divorce

• 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.