Modifying Orders in Mahoning County

How do I modify a custody or support order in Mahoning County, Ohio?

File the Ohio uniform motion that fits your request in the division that issued the order — Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Form 26), Motion for Change of Parental Rights and Responsibilities (Form 27), or Motion for Change of Child Support (Form 28) — with a Notice of Hearing (DR Local Form 3) and Request for Service. Post-decree motions carry a $100 deposit. You must show a change of circumstances since the last order and that the change serves the children's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(E)). A residential parent who plans to move must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate.

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, Youngstown, OH 44505
Phone: (330) 740-2278
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

• There's a real change of circumstances since the last order (move, job change, schedule, child's needs).
• The existing parenting time or support no longer works.
• You can show the modification is in the children's best interest.
• You already have a final order to modify.

Filing Fees

$100 post-decree deposit · Ohio uniform Forms 26, 27, or 28 · Change-of-circumstances standard (R.C. 3109.04(E))

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Mahoning County

1. Identify the change of circumstances. Document the move, income change, schedule change, or change in the child's needs since the last order.
2. Pick the right Ohio uniform motion. Use Form 27 (custody), Form 26 (parenting time), or Form 28 (support), with a Notice of Hearing and Request for Service.
3. File in the issuing division and pay the deposit. File in the division that issued the order and pay the $100 post-decree deposit.
4. Serve and attend the hearing. Serve the other party and present your evidence of changed circumstances at the hearing.

Mahoning County Practice Notes

• Show a real change of circumstances. To modify custody or parenting time, you must show a change of circumstances since the last order and that the modification serves the children's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(E)). For support, Ohio generally requires roughly a 10%+ change or a substantial change of circumstances.
• Relocation has its own notice. A residential parent who intends to move must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate, which can trigger a parenting-time review. File it in the division that issued the parenting order.
• Best-interest standard governs. 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

How much does it cost to file in Mahoning County?

The Mahoning County Domestic Relations Division requires a filing deposit set by the Clerk of Courts, which is higher for cases with minor children because of the added parenting and support work. Deposits and current fee amounts are posted by the Clerk of Courts; if you cannot afford the deposit, file a Poverty Affidavit (Affidavit of Indigency) asking the court to waive the deposit. Pay at the Clerk of Courts, 120 Market Street, Youngstown.

How is child support calculated in Mahoning County?

Mahoning County uses Ohio's statewide 2024 Income Shares Model — there is no county formula. Run the official worksheet at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov with both parents' gross incomes, parenting-time, health-insurance, and child-care figures, then file the signed worksheet with your support pleadings. The Mahoning County Child Support Enforcement Agency (345 Oak Hill Avenue, Entrance D, Youngstown, (330) 740-2073) collects and enforces the order through wage withholding once it is journalized.

Do I file in the Domestic Relations or Juvenile Division in Mahoning County?

Mahoning County runs two separate courts. The Domestic Relations Division (120 Market Street, Youngstown) handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and the custody, parenting time, and support that travel with them for married or divorcing parents. The separate Juvenile Division (300 East Scott Street, Youngstown, Judge Theresa Dellick, (330) 740-2278) handles paternity and custody for never-married parents, and grandparent / non-parent custody.

Where do I file for custody in Mahoning County?

If you and the other parent were married, custody and parenting time are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the Domestic Relations Division at 120 Market Street, Youngstown. If you were never married, file a Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities in the Mahoning County Juvenile Division at 300 East Scott Street, Youngstown, (330) 740-2278. Either court decides custody under the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors.

Free Local Resources in Mahoning County

• Mahoning County Domestic Relations Court. Local forms, local rules, and filing information for divorce, dissolution, custody, support, and protection orders at mahoningcountyoh.gov/699/Domestic-Relations-Court. Court staff cannot give legal advice or help complete forms.
• Ohio Child Support Calculator. The state's official 2024 Income Shares worksheet at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov. Run it, print, and sign it before any hearing that sets or changes support.
• Children in Between (online parenting class). An approved online parenting class for parents of minor children, completed before the final hearing. The Certificate of Completion is filed with the court.
• Community Legal Aid Services. Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Mahoning County and northeast Ohio. Intake line 1-800-998-9454.

Other Family-Law Topics in Mahoning County

• Mahoning County Divorce — Full filing guide for contested divorce in the Mahoning County DR Division.
• Mahoning County Custody — Married parents file inside divorce; never-married parents file in the Juvenile Division.
• Mahoning County Child Support — Ohio Income Shares worksheet, CSEA enforcement, and how to modify an order.

Related to your modifications case

• 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 Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications in Ohio.
• Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron 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.