Filing for Divorce with Children in Morrow County

Morrow County Court of Common Pleas

File Domestic Relations documents by e-Filing through the Clerk's eServices portal, or in person with the Morrow County Clerk of Courts, Legal Department, 48 East High Street, Mount Gilead, (419) 947-2085. Pay the flat deposit ($400 divorce / $275 dissolution) as the Clerk directs; a Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit and Order can request a fee waiver if you cannot afford the deposit.

Filing Fees

$400 divorce, legal separation, or annulment; $275 dissolution (each with or without children)

Morrow County Procedure Quirks

• All four divisions (General, Domestic Relations, Juvenile, Probate) sit in the Morrow County Courthouse at 48 East High Street, Mount Gilead. The Clerk's Legal Department is on the 1st floor; the Juvenile/Probate Clerk is on the 3rd floor.
• Domestic Relations and General civil filings can be e-Filed through the Clerk's eServices portal, or filed in person at the Clerk's Legal Department window.
• The filing deposit is a flat $400 for a divorce, legal separation, or annulment and a flat $275 for a dissolution, whether or not there are children.
• An uncontested divorce, where the other spouse will not respond, proceeds by default after the defendant's 28-day answer period; a dissolution is heard 30–90 days after filing.
• Parents of minor children must complete the Seminar for Separating Parents (Local Rule 1) before the final hearing.

Parenting Class

Seminar for Separating Parents — Morrow County Court of Common Pleas / court-approved providers (Register / learn more)
Under R.C. 3109.053 and Morrow County Local Rule 1, parents of minor children in a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment must complete the court-approved Seminar for Separating Parents and file the Certificate of Completion before the final hearing. The Domestic Relations Local Rules name the P.E.A.C.E. program (offered through the Marion County Court of Common Pleas) as one acceptable seminar; confirm the current approved provider, cost, and format with the Domestic Relations office at (419) 947-4515. A parent can be denied parenting time until it is completed.

Judges

• Honorable Tom C. Elkin
• Honorable Robert C. Hickson, Jr.

Morrow County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Division

Same courthouse as the Domestic Relations side, on the 3rd floor with its own clerk. Handles paternity and custody for never-married parents, grandparent / non-parent custody, and child support, plus abuse, neglect, and dependency.

Domestic Relations vs. Juvenile

Morrow County runs its family cases through one Court of Common Pleas with separate divisions in the same courthouse at 48 East High Street, Mount Gilead. The General / Domestic Relations side handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and the custody and support that travel with them for married parents. The Juvenile Division (3rd floor, (419) 947-5575) handles paternity and custody for never-married parents and grandparent / non-parent custody.

Free Local Resources in Morrow County

• Morrow County Mediation Department. The Court offers mediation, reached at the court's mediation line (419) 947-9535, to help parents resolve parenting and other disputes outside a contested hearing.
• Seminar for Separating Parents. Morrow County's court-approved parenting education required under Local Rule 1 for parents of minor children. The Local Rules name the P.E.A.C.E. program (offered through the Marion County Court of Common Pleas) as one acceptable seminar; confirm the approved provider, cost, and format with the Domestic Relations office at (419) 947-4515 and file the Certificate of Completion before the final hearing.
• Common Pleas Court Forms page. Local checklists and links to the Ohio uniform DR forms at morrowcountyohio.gov (Common Pleas Court Forms page). Court staff cannot give legal advice or help complete the forms.

Required divorce-with-children packet (8 forms)

• Complaint for Divorce with Children — The main document that starts your case. Ohio Supreme Court uniform Form 7 (SF 7).
• Parenting Proceeding Affidavit — The children's past 5-year address history. Required with any case involving minor children.
• Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses — Your income and monthly bills; file with a recent pay statement. Kept in the court's confidential file.
• Affidavit of Property and Debt — Lists what you own and owe — house, vehicles, accounts, retirement, debts.
• Health Insurance Affidavit — Confirms who provides the children's insurance and the cost. Required with minor children.
• IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens a child-support case with Morrow County CSEA so support can be collected by wage withholding. Required when child support is requested.
• Request for Service — Tells the Clerk how to deliver the papers to your spouse (certified mail, Sheriff, or publication).
• Child Support Computation Worksheet — Ohio's statutory 2024 Income Shares worksheet. Complete it at the state calculator and file the signed worksheet with your support pleadings.

Temporary orders while your case is pending

Temporary orders in a Morrow County divorce or legal separation are requested by motion and Affidavit 5 under Civ.R. 75(N). The other spouse may file a counter-affidavit or income/expense affidavit within 14 days after service. The court usually rules on the affidavits without an oral hearing; after an order issues, either party may request an oral hearing.

• Motion and Affidavit for Temporary Orders Without Oral Hearing — Requests temporary parenting time, child or spousal support, and other orders while the case is pending. File only if you need temporary orders.

Related guides

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

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Related to your divorce

• 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.