Child Support in Muskingum County

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

Muskingum County, Ohio · Zanesville

Child support in Muskingum County is set under Ohio's 2024 Income Shares model and handled by the Domestic Relations Court, with collection and enforcement through the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). You can establish support inside a divorce or parentage case, or by a standalone Complaint for Child Support, and modify it later when circumstances change.

How do I get or change a child-support order in Muskingum County, Ohio?

To establish support, file a Complaint for Child Support (tab 23) in the Domestic Relations Court — $175 deposit — with a Title IV-D Application (tab 54), the Health Insurance Affidavit, and the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet. To change an existing order, file a Motion to Modify Child Support (tab 24) — $150 post-judgment deposit — with an updated worksheet (Local Rule 7.05). CSEA then collects support by automatic wage withholding. Add $50 per party for Sheriff service; a fee waiver is available.

Ohio Child Support by the Numbers

2024 Year Ohio's updated Income Shares support schedule took effect Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.021
10% Change in the calculated amount that justifies a modification Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.79
3 years How often either parent can request an administrative review Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.60
Age 18 When support normally ends — or high-school graduation, whichever is later Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.86

What Counts in an Ohio Child Support Calculation

What the worksheet counts	Counts toward support?	Notes
Both parents' gross income	Yes	Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and self-employment earnings
Health insurance for the children	Yes	Credited to the parent who pays the premium
Work-related childcare	Yes	Daycare and after-school costs are added in
Parenting time	Yes	Adjustments apply for substantial or equal parenting time
Imputed income	Sometimes	Added when a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed
A new spouse's income	No	Only the two parents' incomes are counted

Where to File: Muskingum County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

22 N. 5th Street, 2nd Floor
Phone: (740) 455-7190
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (Clerk's DR Division files documents 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.)
Website: www.muskingumcountyoh.gov/Courts/Domestic-Relations/

A Muskingum County child-support case fits if…

You need a first child-support order, or your existing order no longer matches the parents' incomes or parenting time.
Paternity is already established, or you'll establish it in the same case.
You want CSEA to collect support by wage withholding and enforce it.
You can complete the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet with both parents' income information.

Filing Fees

Establish: $175 deposit · Modify: $150 post-judgment deposit · +$50 per party for Sheriff service · fee waiver available. Genetic testing (if paternity is at issue) is $100 per individual. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (740) 455-7898.

Forms & Filing Packets

Establish a new child-support order — $175 deposit (+$50 per party for Sheriff service)

File a Complaint for Child Support with the Title IV-D Application, Health Insurance Affidavit, and a completed worksheet. Used when there is no existing order.

Complaint for Child Support (Muskingum County, tab 23) — Asks the Domestic Relations Court to establish a child-support order; file the Title IV-D Application with it.
Application for Child Support Services (Title IV-D) (Muskingum County, tab 54) — Opens a IV-D case with CSEA so support is collected by wage withholding and enforced. File whenever support is involved.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Muskingum County, tab 52) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children, so the court can order medical support.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.

Modify an existing child-support order — $150 post-judgment deposit (+$50 per party for Sheriff service)

File a Motion to Modify Child Support in the existing case with an updated worksheet. A change of circumstances is required.

Motion to Modify Child Support (Muskingum County, tab 24) — Post-decree motion to change child support after a change of circumstances; a completed worksheet is required (Local Rule 7.05).
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Muskingum County, tab 52) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children, so the court can order medical support.

How to File Child Support in Muskingum County

Run the Ohio worksheet. Complete the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) with both parents' incomes and the children's health-insurance and child-care costs.
File the right paper. To establish support, file a Complaint for Child Support (tab 23) with a Title IV-D Application and the Health Insurance Affidavit. To change support, file a Motion to Modify Child Support (tab 24) in the existing case.
Pay the deposit or request a waiver. Pay $175 to establish or $150 to modify (add $50 per party for Sheriff service), or file a Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit.
Let CSEA collect and enforce. Once the order is entered, CSEA collects support by wage withholding, distributes it, and enforces the order if payments stop.

Muskingum County Practice Notes

Title IV-D application opens CSEA collection. Filing a Title IV-D Application (tab 54) opens a case with the Child Support Enforcement Agency, which collects support by automatic wage withholding and can enforce it through license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals.
A current worksheet is required to set or change support. Local Rule 7.05 requires a completed Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet whenever support is at issue. Run the official statewide calculator with both parents' income, parenting time, health-insurance, and child-care figures.
One court hears everything — even unmarried-parent cases. Unlike most Ohio counties, Muskingum County routes ALL family-law matters to the Domestic Relations Court (Local Rule 10.01): divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, parentage, custody, parenting time, support, non-parent custody, and DVCPO/stalking petitions. The Juvenile Court handles only delinquency and abuse/neglect/dependency; the Probate Court handles only adoptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is child support calculated in Muskingum County?: Under Ohio's 2024 Income Shares model. Run the official Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (the statewide calculator), which combines both parents' incomes, parenting time, health-insurance and child-care costs. File a Title IV-D Application so CSEA collects support by wage withholding.
What is a Title IV-D application and why do I need one?: A Title IV-D Application (tab 54) opens a case with the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Once opened, CSEA collects support through automatic wage withholding, distributes it, and can enforce the order through license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals. File it whenever a support order is issued.
How much does it cost to file a family-law case in Muskingum County?: A divorce, legal separation, or annulment deposit is $225; a dissolution is $175 ($200 with children); a custody, parenting-time, or support complaint is $175; a post-judgment motion is $150. Add $50 per party for Sheriff service. There is no fee for a DVCPO petitioner. A Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit can waive the deposit. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (740) 455-7898.
How do I change custody after a Muskingum County decree?: File a Motion to Modify Custody (tab 20) in the existing case. The court requires a change in circumstances and a finding that the change serves the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04). Parenting-time changes use a Motion to Modify Parenting Time (tab 22).
Where do unmarried parents file for custody, parenting time, or child support?: Also in the Domestic Relations Court. Unlike many Ohio counties, Muskingum County's DR Court — not the Juvenile Court — hears parentage, custody, parenting time, and support for unmarried parents (Local Rule 10.01). The Juvenile Court handles only delinquency and abuse/neglect/dependency cases.

Free Local Resources in Muskingum County

Muskingum County Clerk of Courts — Domestic Relations Division. Files all DR documents at 22 N. 5th Street, 2nd Floor, Zanesville — (740) 455-7898. An advance cost deposit is required before filing (Local Rule 1.07); a Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit can waive it. Forms are on the Court's Domestic Forms page (tabs 1–66).
Domestic Relations Help Desk (free legal clinic). Free help for income-eligible people with simple custody, divorce, and dissolution cases — 4th Monday monthly, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., at the DR Court, 22 N. 5th Street, 2nd Floor. Preregister with Legal Aid of Southeastern & Central Ohio (LASCO) at (614) 827-0504 (intake (866) 529-6446; seols.org).
Domestic Relations Court Mediation Department. The Court runs an in-house Mediation Department. It can order mediation, accepts voluntary post-decree requests without a motion, and offers mediation before a case is filed — call (740) 455-7190 (Local Rules 3.01–3.09).
Transitions (domestic-violence shelter & CPO advocacy). Provides shelter and free protection-order advocacy and can attend court with you — (740) 454-3213. There is no filing fee for a DVCPO petitioner (R.C. 3113.31(K)).
Co-Parenting Seminar registration. The required 2-hour Co-Parenting Seminar (Local Rule 7.07) is offered online; register by calling the Court at (740) 455-7190. The $10 seminar fee is among the Court's costs — confirm the current cost when registering.

Related to your child support case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Related guides

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

Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.
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.

Keep exploring

Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.

Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.