Civil Protection Orders in Pickaway County

Where to File: Pickaway County Court of Common Pleas, General and Domestic Relations Division

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Pickaway County Probate & Juvenile Court
207 South Court Street, Circleville, OH 43113
Phone: (740) 474-3117
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Civil Protection Orders is the right path if…

• You have been harmed or threatened by a family or household member.
• You are in fear of imminent domestic or dating violence.
• You need immediate, same-day protection for yourself or your children.
• You want a longer-term order that can include custody and home terms.

Filing Fees

There is no filing fee for the person seeking a domestic-violence civil protection order (R.C. 3113.31) or a civil stalking protection order (R.C. 2903.214). The court can issue an ex parte order the same day and a final order up to five years. Confirm any cost if a protection order is later dismissed with the Clerk at (740) 474-5231.

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Pickaway County

1. Use the Ohio protection-order forms. Complete the Supreme Court of Ohio petition describing the most recent incident and the history of abuse or threats.
2. File with the Clerk — no fee. File with the Clerk for the General & Domestic Relations Division; there is no filing fee for the petitioner (R.C. 3113.31).
3. Ask for an ex parte order. If you are in immediate danger, ask the court to issue an ex parte (same-day) order before the respondent is heard.
4. Attend the full hearing. A full hearing is generally set within about 7–10 court days; both sides present evidence and the respondent may appear.
5. Serve and enforce. The order is served on the respondent and entered for law-enforcement enforcement; a final order can last up to five years and violations can be criminal.

Pickaway County Practice Notes

• No cost to the person seeking protection. Under R.C. 3113.31 (and R.C. 2903.214 for civil stalking), the petitioner pays nothing to file or serve a protection order in Pickaway County. A DVCPO petition is filed with the Clerk for the General & Domestic Relations Division and may be referred to the DR magistrate (Local Rule 15.08). The court can issue an ex parte (same-day) order and, after a full hearing held generally within about 7–10 court days, a final order lasting up to five years.
• Removal from the home runs through the DVCPO, not the divorce. In a Pickaway divorce, a spouse is not ordered out of the home ex parte. Immediate, same-day removal of an abuser is done through the R.C. 3113.31 protection-order process, which has the expedited ex parte step (Local Rule 15.05; see Emergency & Temporary Orders).
• Two statutes, one set of forms. Domestic-violence and dating-violence orders are under R.C. 3113.31; a civil stalking / sexually-oriented-offense protection order is under R.C. 2903.214. Both use the Ohio Supreme Court standardized protection-order forms.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a domestic-violence protection order in Pickaway County?

File a petition for a domestic-violence civil protection order (DVCPO, R.C. 3113.31) with the Clerk for the General & Domestic Relations Division using the Ohio Supreme Court protection-order forms. There is no filing or service fee for the person seeking protection. If the petition shows immediate danger, the court can issue an ex parte (same-day) order, then hold a full hearing generally within about 7–10 court days; a final order can last up to five years. If the abuser is a minor, the petition is a Juvenile Division matter.

Can a Pickaway County protection order give me temporary custody?

Yes. A domestic-violence civil protection order in Pickaway County can include temporary custody of the children and possession of the home as part of its safety terms, along with no-contact, stay-away, and firearms terms. That custody order lasts while the protection order is in effect; longer-term custody is decided in a divorce, dissolution, or Juvenile Division parentage case.

Which Pickaway County court handles my family-law case?

If you are or were married to the other parent, file your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, or protection order with the Clerk of Courts for the Pickaway County Court of Common Pleas, General & Domestic Relations Division (Hon. P. Randall Knece), 207 South Court Street, 2nd Floor, Circleville; (740) 474-5231. If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and child support are handled by the combined Pickaway County Probate & Juvenile Court (Judge Shelly R. Harsha), 207 South Court Street; Juvenile Division (740) 474-3117.

Can I get temporary orders while my Pickaway County divorce is pending?

Yes. Request temporary (pendente lite) orders under Local Rule 15.04 in your complaint, answer, or by motion, supported by financial affidavits and (for support) a child-support worksheet. Get a non-oral hearing date from the Assignment Commissioner, Deanna Reeser, (740) 474-6027, before serving the other side. The court generally decides temporary custody, parenting time, support, and possession of the home on the affidavits, without an oral hearing.

Free Local Resources in Pickaway County

• Pickaway County Clerk of Courts (General & Domestic Relations Division). Clerk Grant L. Davis, 207 South Court Street, 2nd Floor, P.O. Box 280, Circleville, OH 43113; (740) 474-5231. Files all divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and adult protection-order cases. Confirm current filing deposits and procedures at https://www.pickawaycountyclerk.com/Filing-Fee-Costs.html. The original complaint that starts a case cannot be filed by e-mail (Local Rule 4.02(B)(4)); in-person or mailed filing is strongly preferred.
• Pickaway County Probate & Juvenile Court. Judge Shelly R. Harsha; Magistrate Carrie L. Charles. 207 South Court Street, Circleville, OH 43113; Juvenile Division (740) 474-3117 (https://www.pickawaypjcourt.com/). Hears never-married parentage, custody, parenting time, and support, and publishes its own juvenile forms at https://www.pickawaypjcourt.com/formsJU.php. The filing/reactivation fee is $135.
• Pickaway County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Pickaway County Job & Family Services, Child Support Division, 110 Island Road, P.O. Box 610, Circleville, OH 43113. Opens IV-D cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. Confirm the current direct phone with the office before filing.
• Ohio Legal Help. https://www.ohiolegalhelp.org/ — free, plain-English explanations and statewide court forms for divorce, custody, child support, and protection orders.

Other Family-Law Topics in Pickaway County

• Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
• Ohio Child Support Calculator — Run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet yourself.
• Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Pickaway County family law attorney for help with your case.

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.

Related guides

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

• Civil Protection Orders in Ohio: How to Get a CPO — An Ohio civil protection order can provide fast, court-ordered protection from domestic violence — including no-contact terms, exclusive home use, and temporary custody. Here's how to get one.
• Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.

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