Modifying Orders in Ross County

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

Ross County, Ohio · Chillicothe

Life changes — incomes, schedules, and where people live. In Ross County, a custody, parenting-time, or support order is changed by motion in the court that issued it: the General Division for divorce/dissolution orders, or the Juvenile Division for unmarried-parent orders.

How do I modify a custody or support order in Ross County, Ohio?

File a motion in the court that issued your order. For a divorce/dissolution order, file a post-decree motion in the General Division (deposit $200 for Re-open/Custody/Support/QDRO/Other; $250 for a standalone Parental Rights matter); a support change must include an updated worksheet and financial affidavit (Local Rule 20.08). For an unmarried-parent order, file in the Juvenile Division using local Form 27 (change of custody), Form 26 (change of parenting time), or Form 28 (change of support); a Motion to Reopen is $100. A change-of-custody or companionship-modification motion involving minor children requires the Families in Transition class again. A relocating parent files a Notice of Intent to Relocate.

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: www.rosscountycommonpleas.org/

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)

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

There has been a substantial change in circumstances since the last order.
Incomes, parenting time, or health-insurance/childcare costs have changed.
A parent wants to move and it affects the parenting schedule.
The existing order no longer fits the children's needs.

Filing Fees

General Division post-decree $200 (Parental Rights $250; Agreed Entry $200) · Juvenile Motion to Reopen $100 · parenting class again for custody/companionship changes · confirm current amounts with the court

Forms & Filing Packets

Modify a divorce/dissolution order (General Division) — $200 Re-open/Custody/Support/QDRO/Other · $250 standalone Parental Rights · Agreed Entry $200

File a post-decree motion in the original General Division case. A support change must include the updated worksheet and a financial affidavit (Local Rule 20.08). A change-of-custody or companionship motion with minor children requires the parenting class again.

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).
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.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
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.

Modify a Juvenile order (never-married parents) — $100 Motion to Reopen (eff. 12/13/2023)

File the matching Juvenile motion — Form 27 (custody), Form 26 (parenting time), or Form 28 (support) — with a memorandum in support and updated financials, and serve the other parent.

Motion for Change of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Custody) (Local Form 27) — The Juvenile Division motion to change custody (the residential parent and legal custodian). File with a memorandum in support.
Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Companionship & Visitation) (Local Form 26) — The Juvenile Division motion to change a companionship/visitation schedule. File with a memorandum in support.
Motion for Change of Child Support, Medical Support, Tax Exemption, or Other (Local Form 28) — The Juvenile Division motion to change child support, medical support, or the tax exemption after a change of circumstances.
Request for Service (Local Form 31) — Tells the Juvenile clerk how to serve the other parent (certified mail, personal service, etc.).

Relocation notice add-on

A residential parent intending to move files a Notice of Intent to Relocate; the court may set a best-interest hearing on the move (Local Rule 20.10).

Notice of Intent to Relocate (Juvenile Division) — Filed by a residential parent who intends to move; the court may set a best-interest hearing on the move.

How to File Post-Decree Modifications in Ross County

Identify the issuing court. Change a divorce/dissolution order in the General Division; change an unmarried-parent order in the Juvenile Division.
Pick the right motion. Use the Juvenile Form 27 (custody), Form 26 (parenting time), or Form 28 (support), or a post-decree motion in the General Division.
Attach updated financials. A support change must include an updated child-support worksheet and a financial affidavit (Local Rule 20.08).
Take the parenting class if required. A change-of-custody or companionship-modification motion with minor children requires Families in Transition again.
File the deposit and serve. Pay the deposit ($200 General Division / $100 Juvenile Reopen) and serve the other parent; file a Notice of Intent to Relocate for a move.

Ross County Practice Notes

Families in Transition (FiT) class required with minor children. In any divorce, dissolution, change-of-custody, or companionship-modification case with minor children, both parents complete the Families in Transition (FiT) class within 60 days of filing (General Division Local Rule 20.12; Juvenile County Rule 13). It is held at The Child Protection Center, 138 Marietta Road, Suite E, Chillicothe, (740) 779-7431; the fee is $25 (exact cash or PayPal) and the certificate is valid for one year. Confirm current class dates when registering.
Juvenile Division uses its own local form set. Unmarried-parent parentage, custody, support, and parenting-time cases are filed in the Probate/Juvenile Court (2 N. Paint St., Suite A, (740) 774-1177) using its local forms — Forms 11 and 20–31 and Affidavits 1, 3, and 4 — plus Pro Se Instructions re Custody and Visitation. The Ohio Supreme Court standardized forms are also accepted.
Support routed through SCOJFS. All Ross County support is paid through South Central Ohio Job & Family Services (SCOJFS); the Clerk routes support entries through the CSEA box and the required JFS memo is attached to the decree (General Division Local Rule 20.09). Child-support services run through Ross County CSEA, 475 Western Ave, Ste. B, (740) 773-2651.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it cost to reopen or modify a Ross County divorce order?: Per the General Division Clerk's schedule, a post-decree Re-open / Custody / Support / QDRO / Other matter is a $200 deposit and an Agreed Entry is $200; a standalone Parental Rights (Custody/Support) matter is $250. Out-of-state money judgments are filed as a Foreign Judgment for $65. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (740) 702-3010.
What if a parent wants to move with the children in Ross County?: A residential parent intending to move must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate, and the court may schedule a hearing on whether the move is in the child's best interest. The standard companionship order also carries relocation-notice provisions (General Division Local Rule 20.10). Confirm the current procedure with the court that issued your order.
Do I have to take a parenting class in Ross County?: Yes, in any divorce or dissolution involving minor children, and in any change-of-custody or companionship-modification motion — both parents must complete the class within 60 days of filing (General Division Local Rule 20.12; Juvenile County Rule 13). The court-ordered class is Families in Transition (FiT) at The Child Protection Center, 138 Marietta Road, Suite E, Chillicothe ((740) 779-7431). The fee is $25, paid by exact cash at the CPC office or by PayPal. The certificate is valid for one year.
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 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.

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Ohio Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications in Ohio.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
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