Annulment in Preble County

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

Preble County, Ohio · Eaton

An annulment is a court declaration that a marriage was never legally valid — different from a divorce, which ends a valid marriage. Ohio allows annulment only on specific grounds (R.C. 3105.31), and most couples do not qualify. Annulments are filed in the Preble County Court of Common Pleas General Division in Eaton.

Can I get an annulment in Preble County, Ohio?

Only if you have specific legal grounds that the marriage was void or voidable under R.C. 3105.31 — for example bigamy, an underage spouse without consent, fraud, force, or incapacity (including being of unsound mind or unable to consummate). An annulment declares the marriage was never valid; it is not available just because a marriage was short. There are also time limits tied to each ground. File a Complaint for Annulment in the Preble County Court of Common Pleas General Division, 101 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Eaton, (937) 456-8160. Most couples do not qualify and use divorce or dissolution instead.

Ohio Divorce by the Numbers

6 months Ohio residency required before you can file Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03
90 days Residency in the county of filing (venue) Source: Ohio Civ. R. 3
30–90 days Typical time to finalize an uncontested dissolution Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.64
1 year Living separate and apart that qualifies as no-fault grounds Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.01

Compare Your Options for Ending a Marriage in Ohio

Path	Ends the marriage?	Agreement required?	Best when
Dissolution	Yes	Yes — on every term before filing	Both spouses agree on everything and want the fastest, lowest-cost path
Divorce (contested)	Yes	No	Spouses disagree on property, support, or parenting and need a judge to decide
Divorce (uncontested / default)	Yes	No	One spouse will not respond or cannot be located
Legal separation	No — you stay married	Optional	You need court orders but must stay married (religion, insurance, or benefits)
Annulment	Treated as never valid	No	The marriage was never legally valid (fraud, bigamy, underage, or incapacity)

Where to File: Preble County Court of Common Pleas — General Division (Domestic Relations)

101 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Eaton, OH 45320
Phone: (937) 456-8160
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: preblecountyohio.net
e-Filing: https://pa.preblecountyohio.net/eservices/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Preble County Juvenile & Probate Court
101 East Main Street, 2nd Floor, Eaton, OH 45320
Phone: (937) 456-8136
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed national holidays)

Annulment is the right path if…

You have specific legal grounds the marriage was void or voidable (R.C. 3105.31).
Possible grounds include bigamy, underage without consent, fraud, force, or incapacity.
You're acting within the time limit that applies to your ground.
You want a declaration the marriage was never valid, not a divorce.
You understand most short marriages don't qualify and use divorce or dissolution.

If you don't have annulment grounds, a divorce or dissolution is the usual path. Compare divorce.

Filing Fees

Filed in the Common Pleas General Division on the Domestic Relations deposit schedule — confirm the amount with the Clerk at (937) 456-8160 · annulment grounds are limited to R.C. 3105.31 and carry time limits · poverty affidavit (fee waiver) available

Forms & Filing Packets

Complaint for annulment — Domestic Relations deposit — confirm with the Clerk at (937) 456-8160

File a Complaint for Annulment stating the R.C. 3105.31 ground and that you're within the time limit, with the income and property affidavits. The court holds a hearing on the grounds.

Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Affidavit of Property (Ohio SC Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt. Required at filing.

How to File Annulment in Preble County

Confirm you have grounds. Check whether your situation fits an R.C. 3105.31 ground and whether you're within the time limit for that ground.
Prepare the complaint. Complete a Complaint for Annulment stating the ground, plus Affidavit 1 (income) and Affidavit 2 (property).
File and serve. File with the Clerk on the Domestic Relations deposit (or a poverty affidavit) and serve your spouse.
Attend the hearing. The court hears evidence on the grounds and, if proven, declares the marriage void; if not, you may proceed by divorce or dissolution.

Preble County Practice Notes

Annulment grounds are narrow (R.C. 3105.31). Ohio annulment is available only on specific grounds: the spouse was already married (bigamy), an underage party married without required consent, mental incapacity, fraud, force, or the marriage was never consummated. Each ground carries its own time limit, and some require that the parties stopped living together after discovering the problem. Because the grounds are narrow, most couples do not qualify and use divorce or dissolution instead.
Two separate courts: Common Pleas (Domestic Relations) and Juvenile. Preble County runs two separate family-law courts in the Preble County Courthouse, 101 East Main Street, Eaton. The Court of Common Pleas, General Division (Domestic Relations) on the 3rd floor (Hon. Stephen R. Bruns, Magistrate Erica J. Gordon, Clerk of Courts Shonda Haynes, (937) 456-8160) handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment — plus the custody, parenting time, and support that travel with them for married or divorcing parents. The separate Juvenile & Probate Court on the 2nd floor (Hon. Jenifer K. Overmyer, Magistrate K. Brent Copeland, Juvenile (937) 456-8136) handles paternity, custody, parenting time, and support for never-married parents, and non-parent custody.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get an annulment in Preble County?: Only if you have specific legal grounds that the marriage was void or voidable — for example bigamy, an underage spouse without consent, fraud, force, or incapacity (R.C. 3105.31). An annulment is a declaration that the marriage was never valid; it is not available just because a marriage was short. Most couples do not qualify and use divorce or dissolution instead. Annulments are filed in the Court of Common Pleas General Division at 101 East Main Street, Eaton.
What are the residency requirements to file for divorce in Preble County?: For divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you or your spouse must have been an Ohio resident for at least six months before filing (R.C. 3105.03), with proper Preble County venue under Civ.R. 3. For dissolution, only the six-month Ohio residency applies. There is no separate county-residency rule. For Juvenile Court cases (parentage, never-married custody, support), Ohio must be the child's 'home state' under the UCCJEA (R.C. 3127) — generally the child has lived in Ohio for the last six consecutive months. Confirm any specific venue question with the Clerk at (937) 456-8160.
How much does it cost to file for divorce or dissolution in Preble County?: Per the Clerk's current pro se filing information, the Domestic Relations deposit is $400.00 without minor children and $500.00 with minor children; a counterclaim is $500.00. A separate $25.00-per-person Seminar for Separating Parents fee is paid from the cost deposit when there are minor children under 16. Other deposit items under Local Rule DR 34 include re-opening a case $220.00, a QDRO filing $65.00, a subpoena $20.00, a garnishment $115.00, and a Court of Appeals filing $225.00. These are deposits and the final cost can differ — confirm the exact amount at the time of filing with the Clerk at (937) 456-8160. If you cannot afford the deposit, file a poverty affidavit.
Does Preble County have a separate divorce (Domestic Relations) court?: Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment are heard in the Preble County Court of Common Pleas, General Division (the Domestic Relations docket), before Judge Stephen R. Bruns with Magistrate Erica J. Gordon, on the 3rd floor of the Preble County Courthouse, 101 East Main Street, Eaton, OH 45320. File with the Clerk of Courts (Shonda Haynes) at (937) 456-8160. Custody and support for never-married parents are handled by the separate Juvenile & Probate Court on the 2nd floor at (937) 456-8136.
Is an uncontested divorce the same as a dissolution in Preble County?: No. A dissolution is a joint filing used only when you and your spouse already agree on everything and sign a Separation Agreement first; there is no party being sued. An uncontested (default-style) divorce is still a lawsuit — a divorce is uncontested unless the defendant files an answer within 28 days of service — used when your spouse won't participate, won't sign, or can't be found (served by posting or publication), and the court grants the divorce on your evidence.

Free Local Resources in Preble County

Preble County Court of Common Pleas (Domestic Relations). Local forms, the Model Parenting Time Schedule, the Standard Parenting Time Order, and filing information for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, custody, support, and protection orders at https://preblecountyohio.net. E-filing is required (pro se filers may file on paper); the Clerk of Courts (Shonda Haynes, (937) 456-8160) handles intake at 101 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Eaton. Court staff cannot give legal advice or complete forms.
Preble County Juvenile & Probate Court. Handles never-married-parent parentage, custody, parenting time, and child support, plus non-parent custody, at 101 East Main Street, 2nd Floor, Eaton (Hon. Jenifer K. Overmyer; Magistrate K. Brent Copeland). Juvenile Court (937) 456-8136; Probate Court (937) 456-8137. Website https://prebleohiojuvenileprobate.org. Confirm current deposits and genetic-testing costs with the court.
Preble County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Opens IV-D cases, establishes paternity administratively, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, collects support by wage withholding, and enforces orders. Located at 1500 Park Avenue, Eaton, OH 45320; phone (937) 456-1499. Support payments run through the Ohio Child Support Payment Central.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares child-support worksheet at https://ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov/ before any case that sets or changes support.
Child abuse / neglect hotline. Report suspected child abuse or neglect to Preble County Job & Family Services — Children Services at 1500 Park Avenue, Eaton: 24-hour hotline (937) 456-1135, Option 1. Statewide hotline 1-855-642-4453 (1-855-O-H-CHILD), 24/7. In an emergency, call 911.

Related to your annulment case

Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.
Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

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

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 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.

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Ohio Annulment guide — Statewide overview of annulment in Ohio.
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