Mahoning County Contempt & Enforcement Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Mahoning County contempt 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.

Enforce your Mahoning County order with Gavvl Law

A court order only helps if it is followed. When the other party withholds the children, skips support, or won't transfer property, Mahoning County lets you file a Motion for Contempt (Form 24) with a Show Cause Order (Form 25) in the division that issued the order. The court can order compliance with a purge, award fees, or impose fines or jail (R.C. 2705.02, 2705.031). Gavvl Law brings the motion — and uses CSEA for support — on a flat fee with payment plans.

• Show cause, purge, and fees, framed correctly. The Show Cause Order (Form 25) gives the other side notice and a chance to comply, and a contempt finding usually carries a purge condition. In Domestic Relations contempt, attorney fees of $750 are presumptively reasonable, so we document the violation to support both the finding and a fee award.
• Two tracks for unpaid child support. For missed support you can pursue court contempt and, at the same time, ask the Mahoning County CSEA ((330) 740-2600) to enforce through wage withholding, license suspension, tax intercept, and credit reporting. We run both tracks together instead of waiting on one to fail.
• Filed in the division that entered the order. A DR post-decree contempt motion carries a $100 deposit; Juvenile contempt of visitation is $115 and contempt of support is $100. We file in the court that issued your order so the judge who knows the case can enforce it, and we bring the evidence organized for a hearing.

Enforcement in Mahoning County works best when the court's contempt power and the CSEA's administrative tools push in the same direction. We build the Form 24 record for the Youngstown court while opening or leveraging your CSEA case, so a party who ignored the order faces both a purge deadline and automatic collection.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the motion for contempt / show cause to enforce an order the other party is violating. You appear at any hearing.

• Contempt (single issue): $950
• Contempt (multiple issues): $1,450

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 contempt case or see payment plans & financing.

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

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)

Post-Decree Contempt & Enforcement is the right path if…

• You have a final order the other party is violating.
• The other parent is withholding parenting time or won't follow the schedule.
• Child support, spousal support, or property terms aren't being paid or transferred.
• You want the court to order compliance, fees, or penalties.

Filing Fees

DR contempt (post-decree) motion: $100 · Juvenile contempt of visitation: $115 · Juvenile contempt of support: $100 · attorney fees of $750 presumptively reasonable in DR contempt · CSEA enforcement carries no deposit · confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (330) 740-2100

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt & Enforcement in Mahoning County

1. Document the violation. Gather dates, missed exchanges, payment records, or proof the other party didn't transfer property as ordered.
2. File the contempt motion and show-cause order. File the Form 24 contempt motion with the Show Cause Order (Form 25) in the division that issued the order, with the $100 deposit.
3. Serve and attend the hearing. The other party is served and ordered to appear; present your evidence, and the court can order compliance, fees, or penalties with a purge condition.
4. Use CSEA for support. For unpaid support, also ask the Mahoning County CSEA to enforce the order through wage withholding and other tools.

Mahoning County Practice Notes

• Contempt requires notice and a purge opportunity. The Show Cause Order (Form 25) gives the other party notice and a chance to comply. A contempt finding usually includes a 'purge' — a way to avoid the penalty by complying (paying the arrears, returning property, or following the schedule). Penalties escalate for repeat violations (R.C. 2705.05). In the Domestic Relations Division, attorney fees of $750 are presumptively reasonable in contempt.
• CSEA is a parallel path for support. For unpaid child support you can pursue court contempt and ask the Mahoning County CSEA ((330) 740-2600) to enforce administratively through wage withholding, license suspension, tax intercept, and credit reporting. CSEA filings are exempt from court-cost deposits.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

What does the Mahoning County CSEA do?

The Mahoning County Child Support Enforcement Agency opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, collects support by automatic wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and enforces orders through license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals. Reach the CSEA at 345 Oak Hill Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44502, (330) 740-2600. CSEA filings are exempt from court-cost deposits.

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.

Other Family-Law Topics in Mahoning County

• Mahoning County Divorce — Full filing guide for divorce in the Mahoning County Domestic Relations Division.
• Mahoning County Custody — Married parents file inside divorce; never-married parents file in the Juvenile Division.
• Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Mahoning County family-law attorney for help with your case.

Related to your contempt case

• Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
• Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Related guides

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

• Contempt Motions in Ohio Family Court: Enforcing Your Order — When the other parent ignores a court order — withholding the children or refusing to pay support — a contempt motion is how Ohio courts enforce it. Here's how the process works.
• Post-Decree Modifications in Ohio: Changing Your Order After Divorce — Your divorce decree isn't carved in stone. When life changes, Ohio lets you modify custody, parenting time, and support — but each requires meeting a specific legal standard. Here's how.

More Mahoning County family-law resources

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt 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.