Paulding County Contempt & Enforcement Attorneys

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

Paulding County, Ohio · Paulding

When the other party ignores a custody, parenting-time, or support order, a motion to show cause asks the court to enforce it and hold the violator in contempt. In Paulding County the motion is filed in the existing case — the General Division for divorce-decree orders, or the Juvenile Court for never-married-parent orders. The court can order make-up parenting time, a purge plan, fees, and other relief.

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How do I file for contempt in Paulding County, Ohio?

File a motion to show cause in the existing case identifying the order violated and how it was violated. In the General Division a post-judgment motion deposit is $300; in the Juvenile Court a post-decree action is $50 (simple) or $100 (with sheriff service). The court sets a hearing, and a party found in contempt can be ordered to comply, pay the other side's fees, and follow a purge plan; repeated parenting-time violations can also support changing custody. A parent may not withhold parenting time because the other parent disobeyed a different order. Confirm the current deposit with the Clerk at (419) 399-8210.

Enforce your Paulding County order — hire Gavvl Law

When the other party ignores a custody, parenting-time, or support order, a motion to show cause asks the Paulding County court to enforce it and hold the violator in contempt. It's filed in the existing case — the General Division for divorce-decree orders, the Juvenile Court for never-married ones. Gavvl Law drafts the motion with the specific violations documented and represents you on a flat fee through the hearing.

The violation, stated with precision. A show-cause motion has to identify the order by date and quote the exact terms broken, and a support contempt must state the delinquency amount. We attach the proof — missed payments with dates, denied parenting time — so the court can find contempt and order a purge plan rather than dismiss a vague complaint.
Real remedies, not just a warning. A party found in contempt can be ordered to comply, pay your attorney fees, and follow a purge plan, and repeated parenting-time violations can support changing the residential-parent designation. We ask for the remedy that fixes the problem, not just an admonishment.
Flat fee — and no self-help. It's a $300 General Division post-judgment motion or a $50/$100 Juvenile post-decree, quoted as a flat fee up front. We also keep you out of your own contempt: you can't withhold parenting time because support went unpaid, so we bring the violation to the court instead.

For unpaid child support, Paulding also lets you refer enforcement to the county CSEA, which can pursue wage withholding alongside a contempt motion. We use both levers together — the court order and CSEA collection — and confirm the current post-decree deposit with the Clerk at (419) 399-8210 or the Juvenile Court at (419) 399-8255.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the motion for contempt / show cause to enforce an order the other party is violating. You appear at any hearing.

Contempt (single issue): $950
Contempt (multiple issues): $1,450

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, or full financing where work begins once 60% is paid. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

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Where to File: Paulding County Court of Common Pleas - General Division (Domestic Relations)

115 N. Williams Street, Suite 201, Paulding, OH 45879
Phone: (419) 399-8220
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00–4:30 p.m.
Website: Court website

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Paulding County Juvenile & Probate Court
115 N. Williams Street, Suite 202, Paulding, OH 45879
Phone: (419) 399-8255
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

The other party is violating a custody, parenting-time, or support order.
You have a clear, current court order that spells out the obligation.
Informal efforts to get compliance have failed.
You can document the specific violations (missed payments, denied visits, dates).

Filing Fees

$300 General Division post-judgment motion · $50/$100 Juvenile post-decree action · CSEA enforcement available for child support · confirm amounts with the Clerk (419) 399-8210 or Juvenile Court (419) 399-8255

Forms & Filing Packets

Enforce custody or parenting time — $300 DR post-judgment motion · $50/$100 Juvenile post-decree

File a motion to show cause in the existing case identifying the violated parenting order; the court can order make-up time, fees, and other relief.

Standard Rules for Parenting Time — Schedule A (Paulding County) — Paulding County's default parenting-time schedule (Local Rule 19.02): alternate weekends Friday 5 p.m.–Sunday 5 p.m., a Wednesday 5–8 p.m. weeknight, a holiday rotation, and six weeks of summer parenting time. Schedule B applies once the parents live more than 150 miles apart.
Paulding County Common Pleas Local Rules (eff. 4/1/2025) — The General Division's Local Rules — Domestic Relations procedure and required affidavits (Rule 19), security for costs / fee waiver (Rule 4), e-filing and fax filing (Rule 23), and civil protection orders (Rule 24).

Enforce child or spousal support — $300 DR post-judgment motion · $50/$100 Juvenile post-decree

File a motion to show cause stating the delinquency; a CSEA enforcement referral is also available for child 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.
Paulding County Common Pleas Local Rules (eff. 4/1/2025) — The General Division's Local Rules — Domestic Relations procedure and required affidavits (Rule 19), security for costs / fee waiver (Rule 4), e-filing and fax filing (Rule 23), and civil protection orders (Rule 24).

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Paulding County

Confirm the order and the violation. Make sure you have a current order and document the specific violations — missed payments with dates, or denied parenting time.
Prepare the motion to show cause. Draft the motion identifying the order and the violation; support contempts state the delinquency amount.
File in the existing case. File in the General Division (post-judgment motion deposit $300) or the Juvenile Court ($50/$100), depending on which court issued the order.
Serve and attend the hearing. Serve the other party and attend the hearing; the court can order compliance, make-up time, fees, and a purge plan.

Paulding County Practice Notes

State the specific violation. A motion to show cause should identify the order by date and the specific terms violated, and attach a copy or quote the relevant paragraph; support contempts state the delinquency amount. A party found in contempt can be ordered to comply, pay the other side's attorney fees, and follow a purge plan to avoid a suspended sanction.
Don't self-help by withholding parenting time. A parent may not withhold parenting time because the other parent failed to pay support or disobeyed another order. Self-help can expose you to your own contempt finding — bring the violation to the court instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enforce an order with a contempt motion in Paulding County?: File a motion to show cause in the existing case when the other party violates a custody, parenting-time, or support order. In the General Division a post-judgment motion deposit is $300; in the Juvenile Court a post-decree action is $50 (simple) or $100 (with sheriff service). Repeated parenting-time violations can also support changing the residential-parent designation or curtailing parenting time. A parent may not withhold parenting time because the other parent disobeyed a different order. Confirm the current deposit with the Clerk at (419) 399-8210.
How much does it cost to file a Domestic Relations case in Paulding County?: Under the General Division cost-deposit schedule (effective April 1, 2025): $400 to file a divorce or dissolution (with or without children), and the same $400 for a counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim; $300 for a post-judgment motion; $225 for a motion with a consent judgment entry; $50 for a Notice to Relocate or a foreign judgment; and $135 for a QDRO or DPRO. Add $50 if you request personal service. A DVCPO petition has no filing fee (R.C. 3113.31(K)). If you can't afford the deposit, file a motion to proceed without prepayment of costs with the required affidavit/attorney statement (Local Rule 4). Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (419) 399-8210.
What are the Juvenile Court filing fees in Paulding County?: In the Paulding County Juvenile Court, a paternity case is $100 filing fee plus $25 court fees and a $13 computer fund. A post-decree action is $50 (simple) or $100 (with sheriff service), and a consent judgment entry is $25. A fee waiver is available on a poverty affidavit. Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Court at (419) 399-8255.

Free Local Resources in Paulding County

Paulding County Clerk of Courts. Clerk Sarah Jo Harpel files all divorce, dissolution, and Domestic Relations documents. 115 N. Williams St., Room 104, Paulding, OH 45879 · (419) 399-8210 · fax (419) 399-8248 · clerk@pauldingcountyoh.com. E-filing is by email and currently available to attorneys only (Local Rule 23); an original complaint or initial pleading may not be filed by fax or email. Confirm current deposits and packet requirements before filing.
Paulding County Common Pleas Court - General Division. Domestic Relations cases are heard by Judge Tiffany R. Beckman; contact Court Administrator Lynn Vance at (419) 399-8220 or lvance@pauldingcounty-oh.com. Local forms and Local Rules: http://www.pauldingcommonpleas.com/local-rules.html · eServices records search: http://www.pauldingcommonpleas.com/eservices/
Assisting Our Kids ("A-OK") Parenting Program. Local Rule 19.08 requires all parties in a divorce/dissolution with minor children — and any case allocating parental rights — to complete the A-OK parenting class within 75 days of filing. Take it online at https://www.assistingourkids.com/ for $30.00; the certificate is valid for three years. Print and deliver the certificate to the court or email it to lvance@pauldingcounty-oh.com.
Paulding County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Paulding County's IV-D agency opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders; child-support orders are forwarded by the Clerk to the CSEA (Local Rules 19.02, 19.09). Confirm the current direct line with the county. File a IV-D Application when establishing or modifying support.
Paulding County Juvenile & Probate Court. Judge Harvey D. Hyman hears never-married custody, paternity, and juvenile matters (Juvenile (419) 399-8255; Probate/adoption (419) 399-8256). 115 N. Williams St., Suite 202, Paulding, OH 45879 · https://www.pauldingjuvenilecourt.com/

Related to your contempt case

Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Related guides

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

Contempt Motions in Ohio Family Court: Enforcing Your Order — When the other parent ignores a court order — withholding the children or refusing to pay support — a contempt motion is how Ohio courts enforce it. Here's how the process works.
Post-Decree Modifications in Ohio: Changing Your Order After Divorce — Your divorce decree isn't carved in stone. When life changes, Ohio lets you modify custody, parenting time, and support — but each requires meeting a specific legal standard. Here's how.