Enforcing Orders in Medina County

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

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.

Filing Fees

$200 show-cause filing · Enforcement may include fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, or jail · CSEA can enforce support in parallel

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Medina County

1. Document the violation. Gather dates, messages, payment records, and a log showing exactly how the order was violated.
2. File the show-cause motion. Use the court's General Motion / Show Cause form plus Instructions for Service in the Domestic Relations case that issued the order.
3. Serve the show-cause order. The court orders the other party to appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt.
4. Attend the hearing. Present your evidence. The court can impose fines, attorney fees, makeup parenting time, or jail for willful violations.

Medina County Practice Notes

• 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do custody and paternity cases go to Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Medina County?

Medina County is unusual. Under R.C. 2301.03(U), all child-custody and parentage cases are filed in the Medina County Domestic Relations Court at 225 East Washington Street, Medina — even for never-married parents. Many Ohio counties send never-married custody and paternity to Juvenile Court, but Medina keeps them in Domestic Relations. The court decides custody under the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors.

What does Medina County CSEA do?

The Medina County Child Support Enforcement Agency (330-722-9398, mcjfs.us/child-support) opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, collects support by wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and enforces orders through license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals. Payment questions go to Ohio Child Support Payments at 1-800-860-2555.

How much does it cost to file in Medina County?

Filing deposits at the Medina County Domestic Relations Court (effective 1/1/2024) are $400 for a divorce with minor children and $350 without; $350 for a dissolution with children and $325 without; and $200 for a parentage or post-decree filing. The deposit for cases with children covers the court's FOCUS parenting program. Clerk questions go to (330) 725-9722. If you cannot afford the deposit, ask about a payment plan when you file or submit a Poverty Affidavit asking the court to waive it.

What is a IV-D application and why do I need one?

A IV-D Application opens a child-support case with your county's Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Once opened, CSEA collects support through automatic wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and can enforce the order through license suspension, federal tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals. Filing a IV-D Application is standard whenever a child-support order is issued.

Free Local Resources in Medina County

• Medina County Domestic Relations Court. Local forms, local rules, email-filing instructions, 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 deposit 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.

Other Family-Law Topics in Medina County

• Medina County Divorce — Full filing guide for contested divorce in the Medina County DR Court.
• Medina County Custody — All custody, married or never-married, is decided in the Medina County Domestic Relations Court.
• Medina County Child Support — Ohio Income Shares worksheet, CSEA enforcement, and how to modify an order.

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.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
• Cleveland family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cleveland 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.