Filing for Dissolution in Montgomery County, Ohio
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 4, 2026
Montgomery County has one of the most well-resourced Domestic Relations Courts in Ohio — a dedicated Compliance Office, a Virtual Self Help Center with guided online form preparation, and a Free Legal Help Line. The single most important deadline to remember is this: your proposed Final Decree must be submitted at least 21 days before your hearing or your case can be dismissed. Two small but easy-to-miss quirks: the court's PDF forms cannot be saved (print immediately), and all forms must be printed single-sided.
What dissolution costs in Montgomery County — one clear flat fee
A flat fee means no clock running on every call or email. Our attorneys handle dissolution for Montgomery County families for one agreed price, with payment plans and the option to step up to full representation at any time. Everything local — the court in Dayton, required forms, and Montgomery County fee details — is laid out on this page.
- One flat fee, agreed up front. Every dissolution engagement starts with a fixed quote you sign off on. Calls, emails, and questions never add to the bill.
- Payments that fit your budget. Pay in full, split it into a plan, or finance it — three ways to fit the same transparent flat fee into your budget.
- Why Montgomery County families choose us. Montgomery County families pick us because the flat fee removes the billing pressure — we work to close out your dissolution case, not to log more hours. Ohio-licensed attorneys, all 88 counties.
Flat-fee options
Flat-fee limited scope: we prepare your full dissolution petition and separation agreement for an agreed, no-court split.
- Dissolution: $2,015
- Dissolution with children: $2,645
- Review & advise (your own paperwork): $805
- Review & advise with children: $1,610
Prefer full representation? An Ohio attorney can carry the entire case on a $3,500 retainer.
On limited-scope services of $2,000 or more, Gavvl Direct — our in-house plan with no interest and no credit check — takes 60% down to start, then the balance in three monthly payments, the first due 28 days after your initial payment. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.
Start your dissolution case or see payment plans & financing.
Real people — with direct lines
- Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
- Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
- Niva Elgin — Director of Attorney Relations · Licensed New Mexico Attorney
- Richard Furnish — Of Counsel Attorney
Your consultation
Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — Niva Elgin, our Director of Attorney Relations and a licensed New Mexico attorney — or Richard Furnish, an Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.
Your attorney
One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Montgomery County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.
Your case team
Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Director of Attorney Relations. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.
- 95+ five-star Google reviews
- 60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
- Every flat fee published before you call
From first call to retained — and every step after
- Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, Niva Elgin, or Richard Furnish about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
- Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
- Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
- Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.
It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.
How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder
Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.
- Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
- Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
- Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
- Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
- Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
- 24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.
Can I do this without an attorney?
sometimes, yes. Ohio lets you represent yourself, and for a genuinely agreed dissolution or a simple motion, some people do. The Montgomery County forms and local rules are linked in the questions below, and our free tools will draft a parenting plan or estimate child support before you spend anything.
Here's what the online-divorce platforms leave out: most Ohio counties require their own forms and language on top of the statewide ones, and a rejected filing is the most common reason people call us after trying it alone. A $25, 30-minute call tells you whether you can do this yourself — and if you can, we'll say so.
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) |
Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division
301 West Third Street, 2nd Floor, Dayton, OH 45422 • (937) 225-4063 • Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00 – 1:15 p.m. for lunch)
Filing fee: Set by the Clerk of Courts — confirm the current filing fee before filing. Fee waiver available.
Important things to know about Montgomery County
- Compliance Office review is required BEFORE filing — submit completed paperwork (with a phone number where you can be reached) and wait to be notified about any corrections.
- Proposed Final Decree must be submitted at least 21 DAYS before your final hearing — late submission can get your case dismissed.
- Virtual Self Help Center (mcdrc.ohiolegalhelp.org) offers a guided online interview for completing the forms.
- The court's PDF forms CANNOT be saved on your computer — print them immediately or you'll lose your information when you close the document.
- All forms must be printed SINGLE-SIDED.
- The court closes for lunch daily from 12:00 to 1:15 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I file for dissolution in Montgomery County? Which forms do I need?
Direct links to every form pulled from the Montgomery County court's published packet.
Required forms (all cases)
- Petition for Dissolution with Waiver of Service — Main joint petition (covers both with-children and without-children cases). Both spouses sign together and waive formal service.
- Separation Agreement — Spells out exactly how you've agreed to divide property, debts, spousal support, and all other terms. Both spouses sign.
- Affidavit of Financial Disclosure (DR-10) — Each spouse files their own — income, expenses, assets, debts.
- Primary Party Questionnaire — Montgomery-specific contact and background information form for the first petitioner.
- Secondary Party Questionnaire — Same form for the second petitioner.
- Final Decree of Dissolution — The final court order ending your marriage — MUST be submitted at least 21 days before the final hearing or your case may be dismissed.
Additional forms with minor children
- Parenting Proceeding Affidavit — Required in every case with children — 5-year address history and any other court cases involving the children.
- Parenting Plan (sole custody) — Use if one parent will be the residential parent and legal custodian.
- Motion for Shared Parenting — Formal request for shared parenting (file alongside the Shared Parenting Plan).
- Shared Parenting Plan — Detailed plan both parents agree to and sign (file alongside the Motion for Shared Parenting).
- Child Support Computation Worksheet — Ohio's child support formula — use the Ohio Child Support Calculator to fill it in.
- IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Required when child support orders are issued.
- Final Decree of Shared Parenting — Court order establishing shared parenting (only if you chose shared parenting). Due at least 21 days before the hearing.
- Montgomery County Support Enforcement Agency Case Worksheet — Required for the county CSEA to set up your child support account. Due 21 days before hearing.
- Standard Order of Parenting Time — Montgomery County's default parenting time schedule (updated 1/1/2026). Due 21 days before hearing.
- Holiday Parenting Time Schedule — Court's standard schedule for dividing holidays and school breaks. Due 21 days before hearing.
- Standard Order of Health Care Needs for Dependent Children — Health insurance and medical care responsibilities. Due 21 days before hearing.
- Obligee's Rights and Remedies — Information about rights and remedies for the parent receiving child support. Due 21 days before hearing.
- Mandatory Support Order Language — Required attachment containing mandatory language for any support order. Due 21 days before hearing.
Related to your dissolution
- 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 dissolution, divorce, 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 Much Does a Divorce Cost in Ohio? — The cost of an Ohio divorce ranges widely depending on conflict and complexity. Here's what drives the price — court fees, attorney fees, experts — and how to keep it manageable.
- What Happens If I Move Out Before the Divorce? (Ohio Myths vs. Reality) — Moving out of the marital home does not forfeit your share of the house, your retirement, or your right to parent your children. It can affect the date the court uses to divide property, and it can affect custody indirectly if you become less involved. This guide separates the myths from what Ohio law actually does, and explains why temporary orders solve most of it.
- Dividing Property in an Ohio Divorce — Ohio divides marital property equitably — meaning fairly, not always equally. The first step is classifying every asset and debt. Here's how the process works.
- How Long Does a Divorce Take in Ohio? — There is no single answer to how long an Ohio divorce takes — an agreed dissolution can finish in a couple of months, while a contested divorce may run a year or more. Here's what drives the timeline.
- Who Gets the House in an Ohio Divorce? — The marital home is often a couple's biggest asset and most emotional decision. Ohio divides its equity equitably — through a buyout, a sale, or a deferred sale. Here's how.
Understand the cost
- Cost of Dissolution in Montgomery County — Real filing fees, court costs, timeline, and flat-fee options for a dissolution in Montgomery County.
- Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio — How the two paths compare on agreement, timeline, and cost.
- Ohio Divorce Cost & Timeline by Path — Compare cost and timeline across every path to ending a marriage.
Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.
