Richland County Divorce Attorneys

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

Richland County, Ohio · Mansfield

A divorce ends a marriage and is filed by one spouse against the other in the Richland County Domestic Relations Court at 50 Park Ave. East, Third Floor, Mansfield, through the Clerk of Courts. Richland uses the Ohio Supreme Court complaint (SF 6 without children / SF 7 with children) plus its own local intake forms. With minor children, both parents complete the Successful Co-Parenting seminar before the court enters a final decree.

Hire Gavvl for your Richland County divorce case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Richland County local forms, the court strategy, and the hearings — and you know the price before we start.

Start with a $25 consultation and talk through your options with an Ohio family-law attorney before you commit to anything. Get started online or see payment plans & financing.

How do I file for divorce in Richland County, Ohio?

File a Complaint for Divorce — SF 6 (no children) or SF 7 (with children) — with Richland's 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), at the Richland County Clerk of Courts for the Domestic Relations Court, 50 Park Ave. East, Third Floor, Mansfield, (419) 774-3526. You must have been an Ohio resident for at least six months (R.C. 3105.03). The deposit is $450 ($200 for a counterclaim). With minor children, both parents complete the Successful Co-Parenting seminar, and the final decree is held until the certificates are filed.

Hire Gavvl Law for your Richland County divorce

Richland County's Domestic Relations Court in Mansfield pairs the statewide SF 6/SF 7 complaint with its own local paperwork — the Financial Affidavit (Form 05.00), Personal Identifiers (Form 20.00), and Case Designation (Form 21.00) — behind a $450 deposit. Gavvl Law assembles the exact combination the Third Floor clerk expects at 50 Park Ave. East, on a flat fee for an uncontested case or full representation when custody, support, or property is disputed.

The county's own checklists, followed to the line. Richland publishes separate pleadings checklists for divorce with and without children, and a filing that skips a local form gets kicked back. We work directly from the county checklist — SF complaint, Forms 05.00, 20.00, and 21.00, plus the IV-D application when support is involved — so your $450 deposit opens a case that moves.
Successful Co-Parenting handled before it blocks the decree. Mansfield's court will not enter a final decree until both parents' Successful Co-Parenting certificates are on file. We register you at filing and monitor your spouse's certificate too, so the seminar requirement never sits between you and a signed judgment entry.
A vanished spouse handled under Civ.R. 4.4. If your spouse can't be located, we move to service by posting or publication under Civ.R. 4.4 and then prove your case on your own testimony and financial affidavits — the standard path Richland provides for a spouse who has disappeared.

Richland's fee-waiver Application (Form 01.00) is a county-specific filing, not the generic statewide affidavit, and personal identifiers must ride on Form 20.00 rather than in the pleadings. We handle both local quirks routinely, which keeps a Mansfield filing from being rejected over paperwork a statewide packet never mentions.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the correct complaint packet for your situation; you appear at any hearings yourself.

Complaint for Divorce: $1,250
With temporary orders: $1,750
With minor children: $1,750
With children + temporary orders: $2,000

Prefer full representation? An Ohio attorney can carry the entire case on a $3,500 retainer.

Split any flat fee with Gavvl Direct — our in-house plan at 19% APR, $500 minimum — on a 60%-down schedule of 18 weekly, 8 bi-weekly, or 4 monthly payments, or full financing where work begins once 60% is paid. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your divorce case or see payment plans & financing.

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: Court website

Divorce is the right path if…

You want to end the marriage and at least one spouse meets Ohio's six-month residency.
You and your spouse don't have a complete written agreement (otherwise a dissolution may fit).
Your spouse can't be located or won't participate, so you need a default-style (uncontested) divorce.
You need the court to divide property and debt and set support and parenting orders.
You can complete the Successful Co-Parenting seminar if you have minor children.

If you and your spouse fully agree on everything and both will sign and appear, a dissolution is usually faster. Compare dissolution.

Filing Fees

$450 divorce deposit · $200 counterclaim · 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

Divorce with no minor children — $450 divorce deposit

File the SF 6 complaint with Richland's Financial Affidavit, Personal Identifiers, and Case Designation forms, plus the statewide income and property affidavits. Use the Divorce — No Children checklist.

Complaint for Divorce Without Children (Ohio SC Form 6) — Opens your divorce case and tells the court what you're asking for. Use when you and your spouse have no minor children together.
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.
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.
Divorce — No Children pleadings checklist — Confirms the complete divorce-without-children filing packet.

Divorce with minor children — $450 divorce deposit

File the SF 7 complaint and add the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Form 06.00), the Health Insurance Affidavit, the child-support worksheet, and a IV-D application. The Successful Co-Parenting seminar applies. Use the Divorce — With Children checklist.

Complaint for Divorce With Children (Ohio SC Form 7) — The divorce Complaint used when you and your spouse have minor children together. Pleads custody, parenting time, and child-support allegations.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Title IV-D Application (JFS-07076) — Opens IV-D child-support enforcement services through the Richland County CSEA (scheduling: Rhiannon Wright, 419-774-5692).
Divorce — With Children pleadings checklist — Confirms the complete divorce-with-children filing packet.

How to File Divorce in Richland County

Confirm residency and pick the packet. Make sure a spouse meets Ohio's six-month residency, then choose the Richland Divorce — With Children or Divorce — No Children pleadings checklist.
Complete the forms. Fill in the SF 6/SF 7 complaint, the Financial Affidavit (Form 05.00), Personal Identifiers (Form 20.00), and Case Designation (Form 21.00); with children add the Parenting Proceeding and Health Insurance affidavits, the support worksheet, and a IV-D application.
File with the $450 deposit. File at the Richland County Clerk of Courts for the DR Court, 50 Park Ave. East, Third Floor, Mansfield; if you can't afford it, file the fee-waiver Application (Form 01.00).
Serve your spouse. Arrange service through the Clerk; if your spouse can't be found, ask for service by posting or publication (Civ.R. 4.4).
Complete the parenting seminar (if children). Both parents finish Successful Co-Parenting and file the certificates — the final decree won't be entered until they're on file.

Richland County Practice Notes

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.
Six-month residency, venue, and service. A party must have been an Ohio resident for at least six months before filing (R.C. 3105.03), with proper Richland County venue. Serve the defendant by certified mail, then sheriff or process server if needed; if a spouse can't be located, the court allows service by posting or publication (Civ.R. 4.4), and the case can proceed as a default-style (uncontested) divorce on the moving party's evidence.
Richland uses its own local financial and parenting affidavits. The DR Court supplies its own Financial Affidavit (Form 05.00) and Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Form 06.00) rather than only the statewide affidavits. Use the matching pleadings checklist to confirm whether the local form or the Ohio Supreme Court affidavit is wanted for your filing.
E-file through the Clerk's CourtView portal. All civil case types have been e-filable in Richland County since June 1, 2023, through the Clerk of Courts' CourtView eAccess portal (https://eservices.richlandcountycpcourt.org/eservices/home.page.2). Pay deposits through the Clerk or PayGov — the Clerk warns filers not to use third-party payment apps. Protection-order records are not viewable on the public portal (18 U.S.C. 2265(d)(3)).

Frequently Asked Questions

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.
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.
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.
Is a parenting class required in Richland County?: Yes — any divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment with minor children requires both parents to complete the "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 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, current cost, and format with the DR Court.
Can I e-file my case in Richland County?: Yes. All civil case types have been e-filable since June 1, 2023, through the Clerk of Courts' CourtView eAccess portal. E-filing is accessed through the Clerk of Courts office. Pay deposits through the Clerk or PayGov — the Clerk warns filers not to use third-party payment apps.

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 divorce case

Divorce & Dissolution — End your marriage through a contested divorce or an amicable dissolution.
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 divorce and related Ohio family law topics.

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.
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 Much Does a Divorce Cost in Ohio? — The cost of an Ohio divorce ranges widely depending on conflict and complexity. Here's what drives the price — court fees, attorney fees, experts — and how to keep it manageable.
How Long Does a Divorce Take in Ohio? — There is no single answer to how long an Ohio divorce takes — an agreed dissolution can finish in a couple of months, while a contested divorce may run a year or more. Here's what drives the timeline.

More Richland County family-law resources

Ohio Divorce guide — Statewide overview of divorce in Ohio.
Medina family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Medina metro.
Richland County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Richland County guide.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.

Understand the cost

Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio — How the two paths compare on agreement, timeline, and cost.
Ohio Divorce Cost & Timeline by Path — Compare cost and timeline across every path to ending a marriage.
Uncontested vs. Contested Divorce in Ohio — What each path means for your timeline and total cost.

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