Modifying an Order in Monroe County

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

Monroe County, Ohio · Woodsfield

Life changes after a final order — incomes shift, parents move, and a child's needs change. Ohio lets you ask the court to modify custody, parenting time, or child support, but the standards differ: changing custody requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding, while changing parenting time or support uses a lower standard. In Monroe County you file in the division that issued the order — the General Division for divorce/dissolution cases, the Juvenile Division for unmarried-parent cases.

How do I change a custody, support, or parenting-time order in Monroe County, Ohio?

File a post-decree motion in the division that issued your order — the General Division for divorce/dissolution cases (Clerk (740) 472-0761) or the Juvenile Division for unmarried-parent cases (Room 39, (740) 472-5790). Use Form 27/JF 6 to change custody (requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding under R.C. 3109.04(E)), Form 26/JF 5 to change parenting time, or Form 28/JF 7 to change support (generally a ~10% change or other qualifying basis under R.C. 3119.79). A General Division motion deposit is $60 (change of custody $100); a Juvenile reopen is $60.

Ohio Custody by the Numbers

Best interest The single standard that governs every Ohio custody decision Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04
No set age There is no age a child can choose a parent — the judge weighs a mature child's wishes Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(B)
Change in circumstances Required, plus a best-interest finding, before the residential parent can be changed Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(E)(1)
Shared parenting Either parent may ask the court for a joint parenting plan Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(G)

Compare Types of Custody in Ohio

Custody type	Who makes major decisions	Where the child lives	Best when
Shared parenting	Both parents jointly, under a written plan	Time is split per the plan (not always 50/50)	Parents can communicate and cooperate on decisions
Sole legal & residential	One parent	Primarily with that parent	One parent is unable or unwilling to co-parent
Split custody	Each parent for the child in their care	Siblings are divided between the two homes	Rare — only when it serves each child's best interest
Legal custody to a non-parent	The relative or caregiver granted custody	With the non-parent caregiver	Neither parent can safely care for the child

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)

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

You already have a final custody, parenting-time, or support order.
Something significant has changed since the order (income, relocation, the child's needs).
You want to modify custody, parenting time, or child support — not enforce it.
You can identify which division issued the original order.

Filing Fees

General Division motion $60 · change of custody $100 · Juvenile reopen/modify $60 · CSEA administrative review free · fee waiver available · confirm current amounts with the Clerk (740) 472-0761 or Juvenile Division (740) 472-5790

Forms & Filing Packets

Change of custody — $100 change of custody (General Division) · $60 Juvenile reopen

File Form 27/JF 6 in the issuing division. Changing custody requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding (R.C. 3109.04(E)).

Motion for Change of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 27 / JF 6) — Asks the court to reallocate custody after a final order. Requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding (R.C. 3109.04(E)).
Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — Required in any case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.

Change of parenting time — $60 motion (General Division) · $60 Juvenile reopen

File Form 26/JF 5 to adjust the parenting-time schedule — a lower standard than changing custody. The county's Standard Visitation Schedule applies to the resulting order.

Motion for Change of Parenting Time / Companionship (Ohio SC Form 26 / JF 5) — Changes the parenting-time schedule (a lower standard than changing custody). The Monroe County Standard Visitation Schedule applies to the resulting order.
Monroe County Standard Visitation Schedule (Local Rule XXVIII) — The county's default parenting-time order. It becomes the schedule unless the parents agree to a different plan the Court approves, and it requires notifying the other parent and trying to renegotiate before a move.

Change of child support — $60 motion (General Division) · $60 Juvenile reopen · CSEA review free

File Form 28/JF 7 or request a CSEA administrative review. Modification generally needs about a 10% change or another qualifying basis (R.C. 3119.79).

Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) — The Ohio uniform motion to change child support, medical support, or the tax exemption after a change of circumstances. File in the division that issued the order.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you ask the court to set or change support.

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Monroe County

Identify the issuing division. Determine whether your order came from a divorce/dissolution (General Division) or an unmarried-parent Juvenile case (Room 39), and file there.
Pick the right motion. Use Form 27/JF 6 for custody, Form 26/JF 5 for parenting time, or Form 28/JF 7 for support; for support you can also request a CSEA administrative review.
File with the deposit. File the motion (signed in blue ink) with the General Division ($60 motion, $100 change of custody) or the Juvenile Division ($60 reopen), or request a fee waiver.
Attend the hearing. Present evidence of the changed circumstances; the judge applies the appropriate standard and either grants or denies the modification.

Monroe County Practice Notes

File in the division that issued the order. Divorce and dissolution orders are modified in the General Division under its continuing jurisdiction; orders from a never-married Juvenile case are modified in the combined Probate/Juvenile Division (Room 39). Filing in the wrong division wastes time and the deposit.
Different standards for custody vs. parenting time vs. support. Changing custody requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding (R.C. 3109.04(E)); changing parenting time uses the lower best-interest standard; changing support generally needs about a 10% change or another qualifying basis (R.C. 3119.79). The CSEA can conduct an administrative support review.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change a custody, support, or parenting-time order in Monroe County?: File a post-decree motion in the division that issued the order — the General Division for divorce/dissolution cases, the Juvenile Division for unmarried-parent cases. Use Form 27/JF 6 to change custody (which requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding under R.C. 3109.04(E)), Form 26/JF 5 to change parenting time, or Form 28/JF 7 to change support. A General Division motion deposit is $60 (change of custody $100); a Juvenile reopen is $60.
Do I have to tell the court before I move with my child in Monroe County?: Yes. Under R.C. 3109.051(G) the residential parent must file a notice of intent to relocate, and the other parent may request a hearing. The county's Standard Visitation Schedule (Local Rule XXVIII) also requires notifying the other parent and trying to renegotiate the schedule before a move. File the notice in the case that issued your order — the General Division for divorce/dissolution cases or the Juvenile Division for unmarried-parent cases.
How much does it cost to file a custody, parentage, or parenting-time case in Juvenile Court?: $100 for a new custody, visitation, or parentage case in the combined Probate/Juvenile Division, and $60 to reopen a closed case (Juvenile Local Rule 5). A fee waiver is available if you cannot afford it. Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Division at (740) 472-5790.
What is the Monroe County CSEA and a IV-D application?: The Monroe County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) is housed in the Monroe County Department of Job and Family Services at 100 Home Avenue, Woodsfield ((740) 472-1602). A IV-D application (JFS 07076) opens a child-support case so CSEA can prepare the support worksheet for free, collect support through wage withholding, distribute it, and enforce the order through license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals.

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 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.

Related guides

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

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.
How to Modify Child Support in Ohio — Child support orders aren't permanent. When income or circumstances change substantially, Ohio lets you modify support — through a CSEA review or a court motion. Here's how.
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.

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Ohio Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications in Ohio.
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