Changing an Order in Preble County

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

Preble County, Ohio · Eaton

Life changes after a decree — incomes shift, children's needs change, a parent moves. Ohio lets you ask the court that issued your order to change custody, parenting time, or child support. You file a post-decree motion in the same court — the Common Pleas General Division for divorce/dissolution cases, or the Juvenile Court for never-married-parent cases.

How do I change a custody, parenting-time, or support order in Preble County, Ohio?

File a post-decree motion in the same court that issued the order — the Court of Common Pleas General Division ((937) 456-8160) for divorce/dissolution/legal-separation cases, or the Juvenile Court ((937) 456-8136) for never-married-parent cases. Use Form 27 to change custody (which requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding under R.C. 3109.04(E)), Form 26 to change parenting time (a lower standard), or Form 28 to change child support after a change of circumstances. The Court may order the Seminar for Separating Parents in connection with a post-decree custody or parenting-time motion. A magistrate may hear it, and objections are due within 14 days.

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: 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)

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

You already have a custody, parenting-time, or support order.
Circumstances have changed since the order was entered.
You want to change which parent is residential, the schedule, or the support amount.
You're filing in the same court that issued the original order.
You can show the change serves the child's best interest.

Filing Fees

File in the court that issued the order — Common Pleas ((937) 456-8160) for divorce/dissolution cases or the Juvenile Court ((937) 456-8136) for never-married-parent cases · confirm the current motion deposit with that court · custody changes need a change of circumstances + best-interest finding (R.C. 3109.04(E))

Forms & Filing Packets

Change custody (Form 27) — Confirm the motion deposit with the issuing court

File Form 27 in the issuing court showing a change in circumstances since the last order plus that the change serves the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(E)).

Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 21) — Used when one parent will be designated residential parent and legal custodian.
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.
Preble County Model Parenting Time Schedule (effective Nov. 1, 2019) — The Domestic Relations Court's detailed, age-banded guideline parenting-time schedule. Posted under download forms at preblecountyohio.net; it guides companionship time when parents do not file their own agreed plan.

Change parenting time (Form 26) — Confirm the motion deposit with the issuing court

File Form 26 to adjust the schedule; the county's Model Parenting Time Schedule guides the resulting order.

Preble County Model Parenting Time Schedule (effective Nov. 1, 2019) — The Domestic Relations Court's detailed, age-banded guideline parenting-time schedule. Posted under download forms at preblecountyohio.net; it guides companionship time when parents do not file their own agreed plan.
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.

Change child support (Form 28) — Confirm the motion deposit with the issuing court

File Form 28 with a fresh Ohio worksheet showing the change of circumstances; the CSEA can also review support administratively.

Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) — The Ohio uniform motion to change child support, medical support, or the tax exemption after a change of circumstances. File in the division that issued the order.
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 (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Preble County

Identify the issuing court. File in the same court that entered your order — Common Pleas for divorce/dissolution cases, the Juvenile Court for never-married-parent cases.
Pick the right motion. Use Form 27 for custody, Form 26 for parenting time, or Form 28 for child support, and gather proof of the change in circumstances.
File and serve. File the motion (with a fresh support worksheet for support changes) and serve the other parent; confirm the deposit with the issuing court.
Attend the hearing. A magistrate or judge applies the change-of-circumstances and best-interest standards; objections to a magistrate's decision are due within 14 days.

Preble County Practice Notes

Magistrates and 14-day objections. Domestic Relations matters may be heard by Magistrate Erica J. Gordon, and Juvenile/Probate matters by Magistrate K. Brent Copeland. A party may file written objections to a magistrate's decision within 14 days (Civ.R. 53 / Juv.R. 40).
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.
Juvenile Court filings use the Juvenile Court's own fees. Custody, parenting time, parentage, and child support for never-married parents are filed in the separate Juvenile & Probate Court (Hon. Jenifer K. Overmyer; Magistrate K. Brent Copeland), not the Domestic Relations deposit schedule above. Confirm the current parentage/custody/support deposit, any genetic-testing cost, and any GAL deposit with the Juvenile Court at (937) 456-8136.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change a custody, support, or parenting-time order in Preble County?: File a post-decree motion in the same court that issued the order — the Court of Common Pleas General Division ((937) 456-8160) for divorce/dissolution/legal-separation cases, or the Juvenile Court ((937) 456-8136) for never-married-parent cases. Use the Ohio uniform motions (Form 26 to change parenting time, Form 27 to change custody — which requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding under R.C. 3109.04(E), and Form 28 to change child support). The Court may also order the Seminar for Separating Parents with a post-decree custody or parenting-time motion.
How is child support calculated in Preble County?: Preble County uses Ohio's statewide 2024 Income Shares Model — there is no county formula. Run the official worksheet at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov with both parents' gross incomes, parenting-time, health-insurance, and child-care figures, then file the signed worksheet with your support pleadings. The Preble County CSEA ((937) 456-1499) collects and enforces the order through wage withholding once it is journalized.
What is the standard parenting-time schedule in Preble County?: The Domestic Relations Court encourages parents to agree on their own plan. If they don't, the court's age-banded Model Parenting Time Schedule (effective November 1, 2019) guides companionship time, and the court enters its Standard Parenting Time Order. Both are posted at preblecountyohio.net under download forms. The court sets or modifies a schedule on the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04).
Do I file in Common Pleas or the Juvenile Court in Preble County?: If you are married to (or were married to) the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in the Court of Common Pleas, General Division ((937) 456-8160). If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are handled by the separate Preble County Juvenile & Probate Court (Hon. Jenifer K. Overmyer; Magistrate K. Brent Copeland), (937) 456-8136. Grandparent and other non-parent custody requests are filed in the Juvenile Court.
When does Preble County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?: In a contested custody or parenting-time matter the court may appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) to represent the child's best interest (Sup.R. 48). Under Local Rule DR 9, a party who moves for a GAL must deposit $500.00 in the movant's counsel's trust account as security for the GAL's fees and notify the Court; only the Judge may grant relief from this deposit. GAL reports are filed with the Assignment Commissioner and provided to counsel (not handed to the litigants themselves) under DR 32, and GAL fee statements use the court's form (DR 32A).

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 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.
Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton 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.