Annulment in Richland County

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

Richland County, Ohio · Mansfield

An annulment declares a marriage void or voidable on a specific statutory ground (R.C. 3105.31), treating it as never validly formed. It is a different action from a divorce, filed in the Richland County Domestic Relations Court, and it is not available just because a marriage was brief.

What are the grounds for annulment in Richland County, Ohio?

Annulment (R.C. 3105.31) requires a specific statutory ground — underage marriage, bigamy, mental incapacity, fraud, force, or non-consummation. File a Complaint for Annulment in the Richland County Domestic Relations Court with the Financial Affidavit (Form 05.00), Personal Identifiers (Form 20.00), Case Designation (Form 21.00), and — with children — the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Form 06.00). The deposit is $450, and the court must find a valid statutory ground. It is not a faster shortcut out of a valid marriage.

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: Richland County Domestic Relations Court

50 Park Ave. East, Third Floor, Mansfield, OH 44902-1861
Phone: (419) 774-5573
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/domesticrelations

Annulment is the right path if…

Your marriage qualifies on a statutory ground — underage, bigamy, mental incapacity, fraud, force, or non-consummation.
You want the marriage declared void or voidable rather than dissolved.
At least one spouse meets Ohio's six-month residency.
You can present proof of the specific ground (a brief marriage alone isn't enough).

Filing Fees

$450 annulment deposit · fee waiver via Form 01.00 · pay through the Clerk or PayGov · confirm current amounts with the Clerk of Courts at (419) 774-3526

Forms & Filing Packets

File for annulment — $450 annulment deposit

File the Complaint for Annulment with the Financial Affidavit, Personal Identifiers, and Case Designation; with children add the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit. The court must find a valid R.C. 3105.31 ground.

Financial Affidavit (Richland Form 05.00) — Richland uses its own local Financial Affidavit for income, expenses, and assets — confirm via the matching pleadings checklist whether the local form or the SCOO affidavit is wanted.
Personal Identifiers (Richland Form 20.00) — Confidential sheet listing SSNs and other identifiers, filed separately from the public record.
Case Designation Form (Richland Form 21.00) — Identifies the case type for the Clerk when you open a new DR action.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Richland Form 06.00) — Required in any case with minor children — lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years to confirm Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.

How to File Annulment in Richland County

Identify the ground. Confirm your marriage qualifies on a statutory ground under R.C. 3105.31 — underage, bigamy, mental incapacity, fraud, force, or non-consummation.
Prepare the complaint. Complete the Complaint for Annulment with the Financial Affidavit (Form 05.00), Personal Identifiers (Form 20.00), and Case Designation (Form 21.00).
File with the $450 deposit. File at the Richland County Clerk of Courts for the DR Court in Mansfield, or file the fee-waiver Application (Form 01.00).
Prove the ground at hearing. Serve the other spouse and present proof of the statutory ground; the court must find it valid before granting the annulment.

Richland County Practice Notes

Annulment requires a statutory ground. Annulment (R.C. 3105.31) is available only on a specific ground — underage marriage, bigamy, mental incapacity, fraud, force, or non-consummation. It is not a shortcut out of a valid marriage, and it is not available just because a marriage was brief. The court must find the ground proven before granting the annulment.
Mandatory "Successful Co-Parenting" seminar (cases with children). Any divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment with minor children requires both parents to complete Richland's "Successful Co-Parenting" seminar (R.C. 3109.053). The court mails class information within 30 days after service is completed (divorce/legal separation/annulment) or within 15 days after filing (dissolution). File the certificate — with the case number at the top — before the final hearing; no final judgment is entered until both parents attend (or are excused for good cause). A parent who attended within one year before filing is exempt. Confirm the provider, cost, and format with the DR Court.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the grounds for annulment in Richland County?: Annulment (R.C. 3105.31) declares a marriage void or voidable on a specific statutory ground — underage marriage, bigamy, mental incapacity, fraud, force, or non-consummation. It is not available just because a marriage was brief, and it is filed in the Domestic Relations Court. The deposit is $450 (confirm with the Clerk).
How much does it cost to file in the Richland County DR Court?: Published DR cash deposits include $450 for a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, paternity, or allocation-of-parental-rights complaint; $200 for a counterclaim; $300 for a reallocation, parenting-time, contempt, or other post-decree motion; $250 each to register a foreign decree or support order; $125 for a motion to compel; $50 for a process server; and $20 for a Notice of Intent to Relocate. A DVCPO has no filing fee. These are deposits against costs, not the total cost of a case — confirm the current schedule with the Clerk. If you can't afford the deposit, file the fee-waiver Application (Form 01.00). Pay through the Clerk or PayGov, not a third-party app.
What are the residency requirements to file in Richland County?: To file in Ohio you must have been an Ohio resident for at least six months before filing (R.C. 3105.03), and venue must be proper in Richland County. The Richland skill does not set a separate county-residency duration — confirm venue questions with the Clerk of Courts.
Which court hears family-law cases in Richland County, Ohio?: Almost all of them go to the Richland County Domestic Relations Court (Judge Beth Owens; Chief Magistrate Brian Kellogg) at 50 Park Ave. East, Third Floor, Mansfield, (419) 774-5573. The DR Court hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, civil domestic-violence (DVCPO), parentage/paternity, allocation of parental rights (custody), parenting time, non-parent custody, and all post-decree matters — even for never-married parents. The separate Juvenile Court handles only abuse/neglect/dependency (CPS), delinquency, unruly, and truancy. A Civil Stalking Protection Order (non-household) is filed in the General Division, not the DR Court.

Free Local Resources in Richland County

Richland County Clerk of Courts. Handles filing and e-filing for the Common Pleas Court, including Domestic Relations. Clerk Heidi Ewing · (419) 774-3526 · https://www.richlandcourtsoh.us/clerkHome.php. All civil case types e-file through the Clerk's CourtView eAccess portal (available since June 1, 2023); online payments run through PayGov on the Clerk's ePayments page. Confirm current deposits and packet requirements before filing.
Richland County DR Court Forms, Fees & Local Rules. Official Domestic Relations forms, fee schedule, pleadings checklists, and the 2026 Local Rules. Forms: https://www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/domesticrelations/domesticforms · Fees: https://www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/domesticrelations/courtfees · Pleadings checklists: https://www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/domesticrelations/procedureinformationlinks · Self-represented help: https://www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/domesticrelations/proceedingwithoutanattorney.
Richland County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Richland County's IV-D agency opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. CSEA scheduling at the DR Court: Rhiannon Wright · (419) 774-5692. File a Title IV-D Application (JFS-07076) when establishing or modifying support.
Legal Aid & Ohio Legal Help. Free and low-cost legal information for Richland County residents who cannot afford an attorney. Legal Aid: https://www.richlandcourtsoh.us/legalAid.php · Ohio Legal Help: https://www.richlandcourtsoh.us/legalHelp.php. If you can't afford the filing deposit, ask the Clerk about an Affidavit of Indigency (fee waiver) under Ohio Civil Rule 3(E).

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.

Keep exploring

Ohio Annulment guide — Statewide overview of annulment in Ohio.
Medina family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Medina 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.