Changing Orders in Portage County

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

Portage County, Ohio · Ravenna

Life changes after a divorce or custody order — incomes shift, children's needs change, and parents move. When that happens you ask the same court that issued your order to modify it. In Portage County, custody, parenting-time, and support modifications are filed in the Domestic Relations Court that entered the original order.

How do I change a custody or support order in Portage County, Ohio?

File a motion in the Portage County Domestic Relations Court that issued your order. Changing the residential parent / legal custodian requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding under R.C. 3109.04(E); parenting time is changed on the lower best-interest standard (R.C. 3109.051). Changing child support requires a Motion for Change of Child Support under R.C. 3119.79 with a fresh Ohio worksheet and current financial disclosure, and you give the CSEA a copy. If you plan to move with the child, file a Notice of Intent to Relocate under R.C. 3109.051(G). Confirm the current motion deposit with the Clerk at (330) 297-3475.

Ohio Custody by the Numbers

Best interest The single standard that governs every Ohio custody decision Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04
No set age There is no age a child can choose a parent — the judge weighs a mature child's wishes Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(B)
Change in circumstances Required, plus a best-interest finding, before the residential parent can be changed Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(E)(1)
Shared parenting Either parent may ask the court for a joint parenting plan Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(G)

Compare Types of Custody in Ohio

Custody type	Who makes major decisions	Where the child lives	Best when
Shared parenting	Both parents jointly, under a written plan	Time is split per the plan (not always 50/50)	Parents can communicate and cooperate on decisions
Sole legal & residential	One parent	Primarily with that parent	One parent is unable or unwilling to co-parent
Split custody	Each parent for the child in their care	Siblings are divided between the two homes	Rare — only when it serves each child's best interest
Legal custody to a non-parent	The relative or caregiver granted custody	With the non-parent caregiver	Neither parent can safely care for the child

Where to File: Portage County Domestic Relations Court

203 W. Main Street, Ravenna, OH 44266
Phone: (330) 297-3475
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: www.portagecounty-oh.gov/portage-county-domestic-relations-court

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

You already have a custody, parenting-time, or support order from a Portage County court.
Something significant has changed since the order was entered.
You want to modify the existing order — not enforce it (that is contempt).
You can document the change in circumstances or the new financial picture.

Filing Fees

Post-decree motions are filed in the Domestic Relations Court that issued the order — the motion deposit is set by the Court, so confirm the current amount with the Clerk · a support change needs a fresh Ohio worksheet · relocation uses a Notice of Intent to Relocate. Portage County does not publish a fixed Domestic Relations deposit, so confirm the current amount with the Clerk of Courts – Domestic Relations at (330) 297-3475 before filing.

Forms & Filing Packets

Modify custody (change of residential parent) — Motion deposit set by the Court — confirm with the Clerk

Reallocating the residential parent / legal custodian requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding under R.C. 3109.04(E). File in the court that issued the order.

Domestic Relations Forms (Portage County Domestic Relations Court) — The Domestic Relations Court's forms page — divorce, dissolution, parentage/custody, parenting-time, support, and temporary-order forms, plus the 'Children Are Forever' class information.
Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — Required in any case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.

Modify child support — Motion deposit set by the Court — confirm with the Clerk

File a Motion for Change of Child Support under R.C. 3119.79 with a fresh Ohio worksheet and current financial disclosure; give the CSEA a copy.

Domestic Relations Forms (Portage County Domestic Relations Court) — The Domestic Relations Court's forms page — divorce, dissolution, parentage/custody, parenting-time, support, and temporary-order forms, plus the 'Children Are Forever' class information.
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.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.

Relocation with the child — Confirm any filing cost with the Clerk

A residential parent who intends to move files a Notice of Intent to Relocate (R.C. 3109.051(G)); the court notifies the other parent, who may request a hearing.

Domestic Relations Forms (Portage County Domestic Relations Court) — The Domestic Relations Court's forms page — divorce, dissolution, parentage/custody, parenting-time, support, and temporary-order forms, plus the 'Children Are Forever' class information.

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Portage County

Identify what changed. Pin down the change in circumstances (for custody) or the income/needs change (for support) that justifies a modification.
Prepare the motion. Use the Domestic Relations Court's forms; for support add a fresh Ohio worksheet and a current financial affidavit.
File in the issuing court. File the motion in the Portage County Domestic Relations Court that entered your order and pay the motion deposit set by the Court.
Notify the CSEA / other parent. For support, give the CSEA a copy; for relocation, file the Notice of Intent to Relocate so the court can notify the other parent.

Portage County Practice Notes

Different standards for custody vs. parenting time. Changing the residential parent / legal custodian requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding (R.C. 3109.04(E)). Changing parenting time uses the lower best-interest standard (R.C. 3109.051). Knowing which applies shapes the evidence you need.
Support changes need a fresh worksheet. A child-support modification under R.C. 3119.79 requires a new Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet and current financial disclosure, and the CSEA must receive a copy. The court generally needs about a 10% change (or another qualifying basis) to modify.

Frequently Asked Questions

What standard applies to changing custody in Portage County?: Reallocating the residential parent / legal custodian requires the R.C. 3109.04(E) change-in-circumstances standard plus a best-interest finding. Parenting time is changed on the lower best-interest basis (R.C. 3109.051). File the motion in the Domestic Relations Court that issued the order.
How do I change a child-support order in Portage County?: File a Motion for Change of Child Support under R.C. 3119.79 with a fresh Ohio worksheet and current financial disclosure in the Domestic Relations Court that issued the order, and give the Portage County CSEA a copy. Confirm the current motion deposit with the Clerk at (330) 297-3475.
What do I file to relocate with my child in Portage County?: A residential parent who intends to move files a Notice of Intent to Relocate (R.C. 3109.051(G)); the court notifies the other parent, who may request a hearing on whether the move and any parenting-time change serve the child's best interest.
How is child support calculated in Portage County?: Using the statewide Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 income-shares model) from the official calculator at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov. The order must contain the mandatory statutory support language and any deviation findings, and the Portage County CSEA administers and enforces it.

Free Local Resources in Portage County

Portage County Domestic Relations Court (Judge Paula Giulitto). 203 W. Main Street, Ravenna, OH 44266; Clerk of Courts – Domestic Relations (330) 297-3475, open 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, protection orders, and all unmarried-parent parentage, custody, parenting-time, and support cases. Hosts the Domestic Relations Forms page, the divorce and parentage checklists, and the free 'Children Are Forever' parenting class. Offers e-filing; fax/email filing is $1 per transmission plus $1 per page.
Portage County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA / PCJFS). Portage County Job & Family Services, (330) 297-3750. Opens IV-D cases, sets and collects support by wage withholding, can establish paternity and order genetic testing, and runs the Child & Adult Protective Services abuse hotline at 330-296-CARE (330-296-2273).
Portage County Juvenile/Probate Court. Part of the combined Juvenile/Probate Court in Ravenna. Handles abuse/neglect/dependency and delinquency (Juvenile) and adoptions (Probate). Note: in Portage County, routine parentage and custody for unmarried parents are heard in the Domestic Relations Court, not here.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov — run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet yourself before filing so you know the likely support amount.

Related to your modifications case

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 modifications and related Ohio family law topics.

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.
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.
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.

Keep exploring

Ohio Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications in Ohio.
Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
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