Annulment in Monroe County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026

Monroe County, Ohio · Woodsfield

An annulment is a court declaration that a marriage was never legally valid — different from a divorce, which ends a valid marriage. It is available only on specific legal grounds, such as bigamy, an underage spouse without consent, fraud, force, or incapacity. Most couples do not qualify and use divorce or dissolution instead. In Monroe County, annulments are heard by the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas in Woodsfield.

How do I get an annulment in Monroe County, Ohio?

You must have specific legal grounds that the marriage was void or voidable under R.C. 3105.31 — for example bigamy, an underage spouse without consent, fraud, force, or incapacity. File a Complaint for Annulment using the Ohio Supreme Court forms with Affidavit 1 (income) and Affidavit 2 (property) at the Monroe County Clerk of Courts, Room 26, 101 North Main Street, Woodsfield, (740) 472-0761, with the $200 cost deposit (fee waiver available). Sign all originals in blue ink (Local Rule IV). Annulment is not available just because a marriage was short; most couples use divorce or dissolution instead.

Ohio Divorce by the Numbers

6 months Ohio residency required before you can file Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03
90 days Residency in the county of filing (venue) Source: Ohio Civ. R. 3
30–90 days Typical time to finalize an uncontested dissolution Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.64
1 year Living separate and apart that qualifies as no-fault grounds Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.01

Compare Your Options for Ending a Marriage in Ohio

Path	Ends the marriage?	Agreement required?	Best when
Dissolution	Yes	Yes — on every term before filing	Both spouses agree on everything and want the fastest, lowest-cost path
Divorce (contested)	Yes	No	Spouses disagree on property, support, or parenting and need a judge to decide
Divorce (uncontested / default)	Yes	No	One spouse will not respond or cannot be located
Legal separation	No — you stay married	Optional	You need court orders but must stay married (religion, insurance, or benefits)
Annulment	Treated as never valid	No	The marriage was never legally valid (fraud, bigamy, underage, or incapacity)

Where to File: Monroe County Court of Common Pleas — General Division

101 North Main Street, Room 33, Woodsfield, OH 43793
Phone: (740) 472-0841
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed legal holidays)
Website: www.monroecountyohio.com/government/clerk_of_courts/common_pleas_court/index.php

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Monroe County Combined Probate/Juvenile Division
101 North Main Street, Room 39, Woodsfield, OH 43793
Phone: (740) 472-5790
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed legal holidays)

Annulment is the right path if…

You have specific legal grounds the marriage was void or voidable (R.C. 3105.31).
Grounds may include bigamy, underage, fraud, force, or incapacity.
You want a declaration the marriage was never valid, not an order ending a valid marriage.
You understand most couples don't qualify and use divorce or dissolution instead.

Filing Fees

$200 cost deposit · $200 answer/counterclaim · $60 motions/temporary orders · fee waiver (poverty affidavit) available · confirm current amounts and payment methods with the Clerk at (740) 472-0761

Forms & Filing Packets

File for annulment on statutory grounds — $200 deposit

File the Complaint for Annulment with Affidavit 1 (income) and Affidavit 2 (property), stating the R.C. 3105.31 grounds. Pay the $200 deposit and sign in blue ink.

Complaint for Divorce Without Children (Ohio SC Form 6) — Opens your divorce case and tells the court what you're asking for. Use when you and your spouse have no minor children together.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Affidavit of Property (Ohio SC Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt. Required at filing.

No annulment grounds — use divorce or dissolution — $200 deposit (divorce or dissolution)

If you don't have statutory grounds, you'll end the marriage by divorce (if contested or your spouse won't participate) or dissolution (if you fully agree). Both use the $200 deposit in the General Division.

Complaint for Divorce Without Children (Ohio SC Form 6) — Opens your divorce case and tells the court what you're asking for. Use when you and your spouse have no minor children together.
Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (Ohio SC Form 17) — Both spouses file jointly, telling the court they have a complete agreement and want the marriage dissolved.
Separation Agreement (Ohio SC Form 19) — The contract that settles property, debt, support, and parenting. Both spouses must sign in front of a notary.

How to File Annulment in Monroe County

Confirm you have grounds. Identify a specific R.C. 3105.31 ground (bigamy, underage, fraud, force, or incapacity); if none applies, plan a divorce or dissolution instead.
Complete the forms in blue ink. Use the Ohio Supreme Court complaint and Affidavits 1 and 2, stating the grounds; sign all originals in blue ink (Local Rule IV).
File with the deposit. File at the Monroe County Clerk of Courts, Room 26, Woodsfield, with the $200 deposit (or a poverty affidavit). You may e-file through the Henschen portal.
Attend the hearing. Present evidence of the grounds; if proven, the court declares the marriage void or voidable, and addresses any property and parenting issues as needed.

Monroe County Practice Notes

Annulment requires statutory grounds. An annulment (R.C. 3105.31) declares a marriage void or voidable on specific grounds — bigamy, an underage spouse without consent, fraud, force, or incapacity. It is not available just because a marriage was short. If you don't have grounds, the path is divorce or dissolution. Annulments are heard in the General Division in Woodsfield using the $200 deposit schedule.
Blue ink, 7-day update duty, and service by publication. Local Rule IV requires all original filings and signatures to be in blue ink on 8½ × 11 paper. Under Local Rule XIII, all updated information must reach the Court within 7 days before the final hearing or the Court will not proceed. If a spouse can't be located, service by publication (Civ.R. 4.4, Local Rule IX) posts at the U.S. post offices in Beallsville and Sardis plus the Woodsfield courthouse after certified- and regular-mail attempts are exhausted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get an annulment in Monroe County?: Only if you have specific legal grounds that the marriage was void or voidable — for example bigamy, an underage spouse without consent, fraud, force, or incapacity (R.C. 3105.31). An annulment is a declaration that the marriage was never valid; it is not available just because a marriage was short. Most couples do not qualify and use divorce or dissolution instead. Annulments are heard in the General Division in Woodsfield.
How much does it cost to file for divorce or dissolution in Monroe County?: A $200 cost deposit (Local Rule XII), the same for divorce and dissolution with or without children. An answer/counterclaim is also $200; motions, contempt, and temporary-order requests are $60; a change of custody is $100; appeals are $101. The older no-children dissolution packet still lists $150 — confirm the current $200 amount with the Clerk at (740) 472-0761. A fee waiver is available with a poverty affidavit.
Is an uncontested divorce the same as a dissolution in Monroe County?: No. A dissolution is a jointly filed case where both spouses agree on everything before filing and both attend a hearing 30–90 days later (R.C. 3105.64). An 'uncontested' divorce is still a lawsuit — you use it when your spouse won't participate, won't sign, or can't be found (served by posting/publication under Local Rule IX), and the Court grants the divorce on your evidence.
Does Monroe County have a separate divorce (Domestic Relations) court?: No. Monroe County has no separate Domestic Relations court. Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and protection orders are heard by the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas (Hon. Julie R. Selmon) and filed through the Clerk of Courts (Beth Ann Rose, Room 26) at 101 North Main Street, Woodsfield, OH 43793. The Clerk's filing line is (740) 472-0761; the court's general line is (740) 472-0841.

Free Local Resources in Monroe County

Monroe County Clerk of Courts (General Division). Current filing fees, deposit amounts, and filing instructions for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment. Clerk Beth Ann Rose, Room 26; call (740) 472-0761 before filing. The county uses the Ohio Supreme Court standardized forms and accepts e-filing through the Henschen portal (https://efile.henschen.com/).
Monroe County Combined Probate/Juvenile Division. Handles never-married-parent custody, parentage, parenting time, and child support, plus non-parent custody and adoptions, under Hon. James W. Peters in Room 39. Juvenile line (740) 472-5790; Probate line (740) 472-1654.
Monroe County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA / DJFS). Housed in the Monroe County Department of Job and Family Services at 100 Home Avenue, Woodsfield. Prepares the support worksheet for free, opens IV-D cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. Phone (740) 472-1602.
Parenting Session — OSU Extension. The two-hour 'Helping Children Cope With Divorce' session required under Local Rule XV. Register through OSU Extension at (740) 472-0810; the fee is $10 under the rule / $15 per the Court's class page — confirm when you register.
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.

Related to your annulment case

Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.
Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

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

Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio: Which Path Is Right for You? — Divorce and dissolution both end an Ohio marriage, but they work very differently. Dissolution is a no-fault, agreed process; divorce is a lawsuit for couples who can't agree. Here's how to choose.
How to File for Divorce in Ohio: A Step-by-Step Guide — Filing for divorce in Ohio follows a defined path: confirm residency, choose your grounds, file the complaint, serve your spouse, and work toward temporary orders and a final decree. Here is how each step works.

Keep exploring

Ohio Annulment guide — Statewide overview of annulment in Ohio.
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