Montgomery County Protection Order Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Montgomery County protection orders case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Montgomery County local forms, the court strategy, and the hearings — and you know the price before we start.

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Get a Montgomery County protection order with Gavvl Law at your side

A Civil Protection Order under R.C. 3113.31 can order a family or household member to have no contact, stay away, leave the home, and surrender weapons — and it can include temporary custody when children need protecting. In Montgomery County you file at the DR Court's DV Public Coordinator lobby on the 2nd Floor of 301 West Third Street, there is no filing fee, and filing by 3:30 p.m. can get you a same-day ex parte hearing. Gavvl Law helps you file safely and represents you through the full hearing.

• A petition that shows the danger. An ex parte order turns on a petition that lays out specific, recent facts — dates, threats, injuries, and witnesses. Montgomery offers a computer-assisted petition at the DV Coordinator's office under Mont. D.R. Rule 3.5, and we help you present the facts clearly so the court can act quickly.
• The same-day filing window. Filing hours run 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 to 3:30 p.m., the process takes about two hours, and filing by 3:30 p.m. puts your petition before the court for a same-day ex parte hearing. We plan your filing around that window so you are not turned away and left unprotected overnight.
• Standing with you at the full hearing. The ex parte order is short-lived; the full hearing decides whether a final CPO lasts up to five years, and once issued a Montgomery order can only be dismissed in person. We prepare your evidence and witnesses and speak for you at that hearing so the protection actually holds.

You do not have to do this alone or pay to be safe: a Montgomery County CPO has no filing fee, and the Artemis Center 24-hour line at (937) 461-4357 and the YWCA Dayton hotline at (937) 222-7233 offer safety planning and can help you through filing. We coordinate with those advocates and the court's DV Coordinator at (937) 496-6859 so your case is supported at every step.

Flat-fee options

Flat fee: we file your DV civil protection order petition and represent you at the ex parte and full hearings — or, if you are the responding party, defend you at the full hearing.

• Defend a protection order (full hearing): $2,900
• File a DV protection order (petition + hearings): $3,500

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. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your protection orders case or see payment plans & financing.

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

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Montgomery County Juvenile Court
380 West Second Street, Dayton, OH 45422
Phone: (937) 496-7908
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Civil Protection Orders is the right path if…

• You've been threatened, harmed, or stalked by a family or household member.
• You need immediate no-contact, stay-away, or residence-exclusion protection.
• You may also need temporary custody or support as part of the order.
• You can identify the respondent's name, address, and date of birth.

Filing Fees

No filing fee for a DV/CPO · ex parte order up to 1 year · full CPO up to 5 years · dismissal requires an in-person hearing

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Montgomery County

1. Get to safety and call for help if in danger. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For safety planning, contact the Artemis Center, (937) 461-4357, or YWCA Dayton, (937) 222-7233.
2. Gather the respondent's information. You'll need the respondent's name, address, and date of birth, plus your valid state ID.
3. File at the DV Public Coordinator lobby. Go to the 2nd Floor of the DR Court, 301 West Third Street, before 3:30 p.m. for a same-day ex parte hearing. There is no filing fee.
4. Attend the full hearing. The full hearing decides whether the order continues for up to 5 years. Bring evidence, witnesses, and any custody requests.

Montgomery County Practice Notes

• Same-day filing window. File at the DV Public Coordinator lobby by 3:30 p.m. for a same-day ex parte hearing (filing hours 8:30–11:30 a.m. and 1:15–3:30 p.m.). Bring a valid state ID and the respondent's name, address, and date of birth. The process takes about 2 hours.
• A CPO can be dismissed only in person. Once issued, a Montgomery County CPO cannot be dismissed without appearing before the Domestic Relations Court in person. If circumstances change, request a hearing rather than simply not enforcing it.
• Free DV advocacy is available. The Artemis Center 24-hour line (937) 461-4357 and the YWCA Dayton DV hotline (937) 222-7233 provide safety planning and can help you through the filing process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Civil Protection Order the same as criminal charges in Montgomery County?

No. A CPO filed at the Montgomery County DR Court is civil — it orders the respondent to stay away, surrender weapons, and (when needed) leave the residence, but it is not a criminal conviction. There is no filing fee. Violating a CPO is a separate criminal offense. The DV Coordinator can be reached at (937) 496-6859.

How long does a Montgomery County case usually take?

Dissolution: 30–90 days from filing to the final hearing (Mont. D.R. Rule 3.2). Uncontested divorce or legal separation: 4–6 months. Contested divorce: 6–18 months depending on temporary-orders activity and the assigned Judge's calendar. Ex parte custody motions are set for hearing within 10 calendar days (Rule 3.3). Civil Protection Orders: ex parte order the same day if filed by 3:30 p.m.; final order can last up to 5 years.

Is mediation required in Montgomery County?

Montgomery DR offers mediation in-person or virtually under the Uniform Mediation Act (Mont. D.R. Rule 7.2); call Mediation Services at (937) 225-4539. Conciliation services through the Family Relations Department (Rule 7.1) run a maximum of 90 days and stay the final hearing while in effect. Mediation is not used in CPO cases involving domestic violence.

Free Local Resources in Montgomery County

• Montgomery County DR Court — Ohio Legal Help Self-Help Portal. Free step-by-step interviews and fillable forms for Montgomery County divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, custody, support, and protection-order cases at mcdrc.ohiolegalhelp.org.
• Montgomery County DR Court Navigator & Legal Clinic. The Court Navigator (Room 222, (937) 496-7766) and the free virtual Legal Clinic with the Greater Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project (2nd Tuesday and 3rd Thursday monthly) help self-represented parties understand procedures and complete forms.
• Montgomery County Juvenile Court Citizen Services. Free pro se assistance for custody, parenting time, child support, paternity, contempt, and grandparent filings at (937) 224-3977, citizen.services@mcjcohio.org — walk-in Monday/Tuesday, by appointment Wednesday–Friday.
• Montgomery County CSEA. The county IV-D child-support agency at (937) 225-4600, 1111 S. Edwin C. Moses Blvd., opens cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders.

Other Family-Law Topics in Montgomery County

• Montgomery County Divorce — Full filing guide for contested divorce in Montgomery DR.
• Montgomery County Dissolution — Both-parties-agree route — faster and cheaper than divorce.
• Montgomery County Custody — Married parents file inside divorce; never-married parents file at the Juvenile Court.
• Montgomery County Family Law Attorney — Full-service family-law representation across the Montgomery County courts in Dayton.
• Dayton Domestic Violence Lawyer — Civil protection orders and domestic-violence cases in the Dayton and Montgomery County courts.

Related to your protection orders case

• Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
• Divorce & Dissolution — End your marriage through a contested divorce or an amicable dissolution.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

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

• Civil Protection Orders in Ohio: How to Get a CPO — An Ohio civil protection order can provide fast, court-ordered protection from domestic violence — including no-contact terms, exclusive home use, and temporary custody. Here's how to get one.
• Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.

Continue your Montgomery County research

• Ohio Civil Protection Orders guide — Statewide overview of civil protection orders in Ohio.
• Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
• Montgomery County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Montgomery County guide.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
• Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.