Civil Protection Orders in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Ohio · Dayton
A Civil Protection Order (CPO) under R.C. 3113.31 protects you from a family or household member through no-contact, stay-away, residence-exclusion, and temporary-custody terms. In Montgomery County, file at the DR Court's DV Public Coordinator lobby (2nd Floor, 301 West Third Street). There is no filing fee, and an ex parte order can be granted the same day if you file by 3:30 p.m.
How do I get a protection order in Montgomery County, Ohio?
File a Petition for a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order at the DV Public Coordinator lobby, 2nd Floor of the Montgomery County DR Court, 301 West Third Street, Dayton. There is no filing fee. Bring a valid state ID and the respondent's name, address, and date of birth. File by 3:30 p.m. for a same-day ex parte hearing. The ex parte order lasts up to 1 year and a full CPO can last up to 5 years. The DV Coordinator is at (937) 496-6859.
Where to File: Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division
301 West Third Street, 2nd & 3rd Floor, Dayton, OH 45422, Dayton, OH 45422Phone: (937) 225-4063
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (closed for lunch 12:00–1:15 p.m.)
Website: drcourt.mcohio.org
e-Filing: https://mcclerkofcourts.org/
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Montgomery County Juvenile Court
380 West Second Street, Dayton, OH 45422, 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
Petition for a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order
Filed at the DV Public Coordinator lobby, 2nd Floor of the DR Court (301 West Third Street). A computer-assisted petition is available (Mont. D.R. Rule 3.5). The filing process takes about 2 hours; file by 3:30 p.m. for a same-day ex parte hearing. No filing fee.
- Petition for Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Ohio Supreme Court Form 10.01-D) — Opens your CPO case under R.C. 3113.31 against a family or household member. Montgomery offers a computer-assisted version at the DV Coordinator's office.
- Start Your Protection Order Case (Ohio Legal Help guide) — Montgomery County's step-by-step guide to preparing and filing a domestic violence protection-order petition.
CPO with temporary custody / parenting terms
When children also need protection, the court can include temporary custody and parenting provisions in the ex parte and full CPO.
- Consent Agreement / Protection Order (Ohio Supreme Court Form 10.01-F) — If both parties agree at the full hearing, the court can issue a Consent Agreement CPO — including custody and parenting-time terms — that lasts up to 5 years.
How to File Civil Protection Orders in Montgomery County
- 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.
- Gather the respondent's information. You'll need the respondent's name, address, and date of birth, plus your valid state ID.
- 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.
- 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 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.
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.
Keep exploring
- Ohio Civil Protection Orders guide — Statewide overview of civil protection orders in Ohio.
- Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
- Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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