Medina County Contempt & Enforcement Attorneys

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 8, 2026

Medina County, Ohio · Medina

When the other party ignores a court order — withholding the children, skipping parenting time, or refusing to pay support — a contempt motion asks the Medina County Domestic Relations Court to enforce it. Penalties can include fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, and jail.

Hire Gavvl for your Medina County contempt case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Medina County local forms, the court strategy, and the hearings — and you know the price before we start (flat fees from $950).

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 a contempt motion in Medina County, Ohio?

File a Motion to Show Cause / Motion for Contempt in the original Domestic Relations case at the Medina County Domestic Relations Court, 225 East Washington Street, Medina, with the Case Designation Form and Instructions to Clerk for Service from medinadr.org/forms.html, under Local Rule 4.06. The motion must identify the specific order and how it was violated, and it must be set for hearing under Civ.R. 75(J). The show-cause filing fee is set by the Clerk. The court orders the other party to appear and explain; possible penalties include fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, and jail. For unpaid support, the Medina County CSEA (330-722-9398) can pursue enforcement in parallel.

Enforce your Medina County order with Gavvl Law

When the other party withholds the children, skips parenting time, or stops paying support, a contempt motion asks the Medina County Domestic Relations Court at 225 East Washington Street to enforce the order it already made. You file a Motion to Show Cause under Local Rule 4.06 in the original case, and the court can respond with fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, or jail. Gavvl Law drafts a specific, provable motion for a flat fee quoted before we file.

A motion the court can actually enforce. Vague contempt motions fail. We identify the exact order, the dates, and the conduct that violated it, attach your log of missed exchanges or payments, and file under Local Rule 4.06 with the Case Designation Form and Instructions to Clerk for Service so the show-cause order issues cleanly.
Support enforcement on two tracks. For unpaid support, the Medina County CSEA at (330) 722-9398 can pursue wage withholding, license suspension, and tax intercept while your contempt motion proceeds in court. We run both tracks so pressure comes from the agency and the judge at once.
Purge terms, penalties, and a flat fee. A contempt finding can carry fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, and a suspended jail sentence with purge conditions. We present the evidence at the hearing and set a flat fee with payment plans, with full representation through a contested contempt case.

The show-cause filing is set by the Clerk, filed in your original case under Civ.R. 75(J) and set for hearing — and knowing Medina's Local Rule 4.06 procedure means your motion is framed the way this court grants relief. We build the record at 225 East Washington Street so a willful violation actually carries consequences instead of another warning.

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.

Real people, — with direct lines

Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
Niva Elgin — Senior Case Manager · Licensed New Mexico Attorney

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — or Niva Elgin, our senior case manager and a licensed New Mexico attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Medina County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Senior Case Manager. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

95+ five-star Google reviews
60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
Super Lawyers honorees on the team
Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained, — and every step after

Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, or Niva Elgin about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

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Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
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Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Can I do this without an attorney?

sometimes, yes. Ohio lets you represent yourself, and for a genuinely agreed dissolution or a simple motion, some people do. The Medina County forms and local rules are linked in the questions below, and our free tools will draft a parenting plan or estimate child support before you spend anything.

Here's what the online-divorce platforms leave out: most Ohio counties require their own forms and language on top of the statewide ones, and a rejected filing is the most common reason people call us after trying it alone. A $25, 30-minute call tells you whether you can do this yourself — and if you can, we'll say so.

Schedule Your $25 Consultation

Where to File: Medina County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

225 East Washington Street, Medina, OH 44256
Phone: (330) 725-9740
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Website: Court website

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

There is a clear court order and the other party is violating it.
You've documented the missed parenting time, withheld children, or unpaid support.
Informal requests to comply haven't worked.
You want the court to enforce — fines, attorney fees, makeup time, or jail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which forms do I need to file for contempt in Medina County?

Contempt for parenting time, custody, or property violations

Motion to Show Cause / Motion for Contempt — Case Designation Form + Instructions to Clerk for Service (Medina DR) — A written Motion to Show Cause / Motion for Contempt under Local Rule 4.06 asks the Domestic Relations Court to enforce a parenting, custody, or property order against a party in violation. File it in the original case with the Case Designation Form and Instructions to Clerk for Service; the motion is set for hearing. Medina has no standalone 'General Motion' form.

Contempt for unpaid child support

Motion to Show Cause — Support (Medina DR) — Asks the court to enforce an unpaid support order. The Medina County CSEA can pursue wage withholding, license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals in parallel.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Medina County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.

How to file post-decree contempt in Medina County

Document the violation. Gather dates, messages, payment records, and a log showing exactly how the order was violated.
File the show-cause motion. File a written Motion to Show Cause / Motion for Contempt (Local Rule 4.06) with the Case Designation Form and Instructions to Clerk for Service in the Domestic Relations case that issued the order.
Serve the show-cause order. The court orders the other party to appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt.
Attend the hearing. Present your evidence. The court can impose fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, or jail for willful violations.

What does post-decree contempt cost in Medina County?

Two numbers matter. The court's filing fee, which the Clerk sets and can confirm. And the attorney work: Our published flat fees from $950 cover drafting and filing the paperwork (limited scope — the court's filing fee is invoiced separately), with payment plans available. Prefer full representation? An attorney can carry the whole case on a retainer — every number is published in the pricing section above.

What forms do I need for post-decree contempt in Medina County?

It depends on your situation — children, temporary orders, and which court you file in all change the packet. Answer the quick questions in the paperwork section above and your exact Medina County checklist appears, with every official form linked as a PDF.

How long does post-decree contempt take in Medina County?

It depends on how much you and the other side agree. Agreed matters generally move through Medina County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division in months, not years; contested cases take longer. The part you control is filing a complete, correct packet the first time — bounced paperwork is the most common self-filing delay.

Do we really need lawyers if we agree?

Maybe not — and we'll say so at a $25 consultation. But an agreement only counts if it survives on paper, in the exact packet Medina County's court expects, and what you file becomes a binding court order that is hard to fix later. Precision drafting for people who already agree is most of what our flat-fee work is: done once, done right.

Where are the Medina County local rules, and what does this court do differently?

Judges, magistrates, and filing fees change, so we do not publish them here. Medina County posts the current information itself:

Medina County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division — local rules, standing orders, and the current judges and magistrates.
Medina County local rules — the court's own rules for filings, hearings, and required local forms.
Medina County Clerk of Courts — current filing fees and deposits, e-filing, and case records.

Be specific about each violation. Identify the exact order, the date, and the conduct that violated it. Vague contempt motions are hard to prove. Keep a log of missed parenting time or payments and attach documentation. The motion is filed in the original case under Civ.R. 75(J) and set for hearing.
CSEA can enforce support in parallel. For unpaid support, the Medina County CSEA (330-722-9398) can pursue wage withholding, license suspension, federal tax intercept, and contempt referrals alongside your court motion.

Are there free legal resources in Medina County?

Medina County Domestic Relations Court. Local forms, local rules, and case information for divorce, dissolution, custody, support, and protection orders at medinadr.org. The Forms page is medinadr.org/forms.html. 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.
FOCUS — Family Court Resources parenting program. The court-provided parenting class for parents of minor children, prepaid through the filing fee and coordinated by Family Court Resources (234-802-0944). Approved online alternatives are Children in Between and Two Families Now.
Community Legal Aid Services. Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Medina County and northeast Ohio. Intake line 1-800-998-9454.

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.