Ross County Emergency Custody Attorneys

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

Ross County, Ohio · Chillicothe

While a divorce, legal separation, or annulment is pending, a parent can ask the General Division for temporary orders — spousal support, child support, and temporary allocation of parental rights — under Ohio Civ.R. 75(N). For safety emergencies, a domestic-violence civil protection order is the faster track.

Hire Gavvl for your Ross County emergency orders case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Ross 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 get emergency or temporary custody orders in Ross County, Ohio?

Request temporary relief in your complaint, answer, counterclaim, or by motion, supported by a filed financial affidavit (and a child-support worksheet where support is sought), under Ohio Civ.R. 75(N) and General Division Local Rule 20.08. The court or magistrate can grant temporary orders without an oral hearing, for good cause, based on the affidavits. The opposing party has 14 days from service to file counter-affidavits. Until a temporary order issues, the children stay with the parent who had physical custody when the case was filed. For a safety emergency, file a domestic-violence civil protection order in the General Division — there is no filing fee and an ex parte order can issue the same day.

Ross County emergency and temporary orders — call Gavvl Law

While a divorce, legal separation, or annulment is pending in the Ross County General Division, a parent can ask for temporary spousal support, child support, and temporary allocation of parental rights under Ohio Civ.R. 75(N). For a safety emergency, a no-fee domestic-violence protection order is the faster track. Gavvl Law drafts the affidavit contest to win interim orders and moves quickly on protection when there is real danger.

Interim orders decided on the affidavits. Under Local Rule 20.08 the court or magistrate can grant temporary support and parenting orders for good cause without an oral hearing, and the other parent has only 14 days from service to file counter-affidavits. We file a tight, well-supported affidavit and financial worksheet up front, because these interim orders often set the baseline the final decree follows.
Who the children stay with, right now. Until a temporary order issues in Ross County, the children remain with the parent who had physical custody when the case was filed, and that default matters enormously. We move immediately for the temporary order that reflects the children's real circumstances instead of leaving custody frozen wherever it happened to be on filing day.
The protection-order track when safety is the issue. If the emergency is domestic violence, a DVCPO in the General Division carries no filing fee and an ex parte order can issue the same day, ahead of the full hearing. If the abuser is a juvenile, the Juvenile Division hears the petition on forms 10.05A through 10.05E. We choose the track that protects you fastest and file it correctly.

Every request for temporary relief must carry the 14-day counter-affidavit notice and, where support is sought, a child-support worksheet, and each pleading needs the Confidential Disclosure of Personal Identifiers Form under Local Rule 20.07. We file those pieces together so an urgent motion is not delayed by a technical defect the Clerk would kick back.

Flat-fee options

Flat fee: we prepare and file the ex parte emergency custody motion and the underlying custody motion, and represent you at both the ex parte and full emergency hearings.

Ex parte emergency custody (motion + hearings): $3,500

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. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your emergency orders case or see payment plans & financing.

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: Ross County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

2 N. Paint Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601
Phone: (740) 702-3032
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed legal holidays)
Website: Court website

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Ross County Court of Common Pleas, Probate/Juvenile Division
2 N. Paint Street, Suite A, Chillicothe, OH 45601
Phone: (740) 774-1177
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed legal holidays)

Emergency Custody & Temporary Orders is the right path if…

You need support or a parenting schedule in place while the case is pending.
There is an urgent dispute over who the children live with right now.
You need exclusive use of the home or other temporary relief.
There is a safety concern that may require a protection order.

If the emergency is about safety from an abuser, a civil protection order is the faster, no-fee track. See protection orders.

Filing Fees

Temporary orders requested within the pending case · DVCPO has no filing fee · confirm procedure with the Clerk at (740) 702-3010 · in an emergency call 911

Forms & Filing Packets

Temporary orders under Civ.R. 75(N)

Request temporary support and parenting orders by affidavit; the court can rule without an oral hearing and the other side has 14 days to file counter-affidavits (Local Rule 20.08).

Motion for Temporary Orders (Civ. R. 75(N)) — Asks the court for temporary custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, or exclusive use of the home while the case is pending. Tip: Attach a current Financial Affidavit (Affidavit 1) and Affidavit 2 (Property).
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
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.
Confidential Disclosure of Personal Identifiers Form (Local Rule 20.07) — Required with every Domestic Relations pleading under General Division Local Rule 20.07. Lists protected personal identifiers (SSNs, account numbers) and is filed under seal. Obtain it from the Clerk of Courts.

Safety emergency — protection order — No filing fee for a protection-order petition

For domestic violence, file an adult DVCPO in the General Division (no fee; ex parte order can issue the same day). If the abuser is a juvenile, the Juvenile Division hears Juvenile CPO/DVCPO petitions (forms 10.05A–E).

Clerk of Courts — Protection Orders (Ross County) — The Ross County Clerk's protection-orders page. An adult domestic-violence civil protection order (R.C. 3113.31) is filed in the General Division; there is no filing fee and an emergency ex parte order can issue the same day (Local Rule 20.14).
Juvenile Division — Forms & Juvenile CPO information — The Juvenile Division page listing the Juvenile Civil Protection Order / Juvenile DVCPO local forms 10.05A–10.05E (effective 4/15/2021) and the NCIC notice forms 10-A/10-B, used where the respondent is a juvenile.

How to File Emergency Custody & Temporary Orders in Ross County

Decide which track fits. Use Civ.R. 75(N) temporary orders within your divorce case, or a DVCPO for a domestic-violence safety emergency.
Prepare the affidavit. File a financial affidavit (and a support worksheet where support is sought); the required 14-day counter-affidavit notice must appear in any motion seeking temporary relief.
Request relief in the case. Ask for temporary support, parenting time, or exclusive use of the home in your complaint, answer, counterclaim, or by motion.
Understand interim custody. Until a temporary order issues, the children remain with the parent who had physical custody when the case was filed.
Use the protection-order track if needed. For domestic violence, file a no-fee DVCPO in the General Division; an ex parte order can issue the same day, followed by a full hearing.

Ross County Practice Notes

Adult DVCPO filed in the General Division (no fee). An adult domestic-violence civil protection order (R.C. 3113.31) is filed in the General Division through the Clerk of Courts (740-702-3010). There is no filing fee and an emergency ex parte order can issue the same day, followed by a full hearing (Local Rule 20.14). The building also houses the Probate/Juvenile offices — confirm the in-person intake desk with the Clerk. In an emergency, call 911.
No separate Domestic Relations court. Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment are heard by the General Division of the Ross County Court of Common Pleas — there is no separate Domestic Relations division. Two courtrooms preside: Courtroom 1 (Judge Michael M. Ater) and Courtroom 2 (Judge Matthew S. Schmidt), with Magistrates John DiCesare and Jennifer L. Ater. File through the Clerk of Courts, 2 N. Paint St., Suite B, Chillicothe, (740) 702-3010.
Confidential Disclosure of Personal Identifiers required (Local Rule 20.07). Every Domestic Relations pleading must include a completed Confidential Disclosure of Personal Identifiers Form under General Division Local Rule 20.07; it is filed under seal. Obtain the form from the Clerk of Courts' legal-forms page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get temporary support or parenting orders while my Ross County divorce is pending?: Yes. Under Ohio Civ.R. 75(N) and General Division Local Rule 20.08 you can request temporary spousal support, child support, and temporary allocation of parental rights in your complaint, answer, counterclaim, or by motion, supported by a financial affidavit (and a support worksheet where support is sought). The court can grant temporary orders without an oral hearing; the other party has 14 days from service to file counter-affidavits.
Where do I file for a protection order in Ross County?: An adult domestic-violence civil protection order (R.C. 3113.31) is filed in the General Division through the Clerk of Courts (740-702-3010). There is no filing fee, and an emergency ex parte order can issue the same day, followed by a full hearing (Local Rule 20.14). If the abuser is a juvenile, file a Juvenile CPO/DVCPO in the Juvenile Division using local forms 10.05A–E. In an emergency, call 911.
Which court handles family-law cases in Ross County?: The General Division of the Ross County Court of Common Pleas (2 N. Paint St., Chillicothe) hears all divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment cases — there is no separate Domestic Relations court. The combined Probate/Juvenile Court (2 N. Paint St., Suite A) handles unmarried-parent parentage, custody, support, and parenting time (Juvenile, under R.C. 2151.23) and adoptions (Probate). Cases are filed through the Clerk of Courts at (740) 702-3010.
Married vs. never-married parents — which court decides custody in Ross County?: If you are or were married, custody and parenting time are decided as part of the divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the General Division. If the parents were never married, parentage, custody, support, and parenting time are decided in the Juvenile Division (R.C. 2151.23) using the court's local forms (Forms 11, 20–31; Affidavits 1, 3, 4).

Free Local Resources in Ross County

Ross County Clerk of Courts (General Division / Domestic Relations). 2 N. Paint St., Suite B, Chillicothe, OH 45601; (740) 702-3010. Files all divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment cases, posts the legal forms and the Divorce/Dissolution checklist, and confirms current deposits. Online payment via nCourt; records via eAccess. The General Division hears all DR matters — there is no separate Domestic Relations court.
LegalAtoms — free guided divorce & dissolution prep. https://legalatoms.com/ross/ — the Clerk's free, guided tool (English and Spanish) that prepares Ross County divorce and dissolution paperwork to print and file. It does not give legal advice.
Families in Transition (FiT) parenting class. The Child Protection Center, 138 Marietta Road, Suite E, Chillicothe; (740) 779-7431. Required within 60 days in any divorce/dissolution or custody/companionship-modification with minor children (Local Rule 20.12; Juvenile County Rule 13). Fee $25 (exact cash or PayPal); certificate valid one year. Confirm current class dates when registering.
Ross County Probate/Juvenile Court. 2 N. Paint St., Suite A, Chillicothe; (740) 774-1177 or (740) 774-1179 (https://www.rossprobatejuvenile.com/). Judge J. Jeffrey Benson. Hears unmarried-parent parentage, custody, support, and parenting time (Juvenile) and adoptions (Probate), using local Forms 11 and 20–31.
Ross County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). 475 Western Ave, Ste. B, Chillicothe, OH 45601; (740) 773-2651 (https://jfs.ohio.gov/about/local-agencies-directory/csea-ross). Administrator Rick Reynolds. Establishes, calculates, collects, and enforces support; payments are routed through South Central Ohio Job & Family Services (SCOJFS).

Related to your emergency orders case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Grandparents' Rights — Seek visitation or custody when it serves the child's best interest.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.

Related guides

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

Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.
Ohio Child Custody Laws: What Every Parent Should Know — Ohio custody law turns on one principle: the best interest of the child. This guide explains sole custody, shared parenting, the statutory factors, and how courts decide.
Civil Protection Orders in Ohio: How to Get a CPO — An Ohio civil protection order can provide fast, court-ordered protection from domestic violence — including no-contact terms, exclusive home use, and temporary custody. Here's how to get one.

More Ross County family-law resources

Ohio Emergency Custody guide — Statewide overview of emergency custody in Ohio.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
Ross County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Ross County guide.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
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