Divorce in Summit County

Summit County, Ohio · Akron

A divorce ends your marriage and lets the court divide property and debt, set spousal support, and — when there are children — order custody, parenting time, and child support. In Summit County you file at the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, 205 South High Street, Akron. If your spouse won't respond or you can't agree, divorce is your path; if you agree on everything, a dissolution is usually faster.

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

File a Complaint for Divorce at the Summit County Domestic Relations Court, 205 South High Street, Akron — Form 6 if you have no minor children or Form 7 if you do. Add the Affidavit of Income and Expenses (Affidavit 1), the Affidavit of Property and Debt (Affidavit 2), the New Case Designation (Local Form 130), and, with children, the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3), Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4), child-support worksheet, and Application for Child Support Services. The deposit is $420 with children or $370 without. At least one spouse must have lived in Ohio for six months. Married parents must complete the "Remember the Children" program before the final hearing.

Where to File: Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

205 South High Street, Akron, OH 44308, Akron, OH 44308
Phone: (330) 643-2365
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: drcourt.org
e-Filing: https://drcourt.org/wp/forms/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Summit County Juvenile Court
650 Dan Street, Akron, OH 44310, Akron, OH 44310
Phone: (330) 643-2900
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Divorce is the right path if…

You want to end the marriage and can't reach a full agreement, or your spouse won't participate.
At least one spouse has lived in Ohio for six months.
You need the court to divide property and debt or set spousal support.
You have minor children and need custody, parenting time, and support decided.

If you and your spouse agree on everything, a dissolution avoids a contested divorce. See dissolution in Summit County.

Filing Fees

Summit County divorce deposit: $420 with children · $370 without · "Remember the Children" online class required with children · Mutual restraining order issues automatically on filing · File Local Form 124 if you can't afford the deposit

Forms & Filing Packets

Divorce without minor children — $370 deposit

Opened with the Complaint for Divorce Without Children (Form 6) plus the financial affidavits and new case designation. Filing automatically issues the mutual restraining order against both spouses.

Complaint for Divorce Without Children (Summit Form 6) — Opens a divorce with no minor children at the Summit County DR Court, 205 South High Street, Akron. File the Summit-hosted version — not the generic Supreme Court PDF. Tip: Flatten the completed PDF before filing (open → fill → Print → save to the PDF printer). Summit may reject un-flattened fillable forms.
Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses (Summit Affidavit 1) — Sworn statement of your income and monthly expenses. Required with every divorce, legal separation, annulment, and any support filing.
Affidavit of Property and Debt (Summit Affidavit 2) — Lists marital and separate property and debts so the DR Court can divide them. Filed with the complaint in a divorce, legal separation, or annulment.
New Case Designation Form (Summit Local Form 130) — Required with every new case, answer, or counterclaim so the Clerk can route and assign the matter.
Service Request / Instructions to Clerk (Summit Form 31) — Tells the Clerk how to serve the other party (certified mail, personal service, or publication). File it at the time of filing the complaint.

Divorce with minor children — $420 deposit

Opened with the Complaint for Divorce With Children (Form 7) plus the parenting and support paperwork so the court can set custody, parenting time, and child support. Both parents complete "Remember the Children" before the final hearing.

Complaint for Divorce With Children (Summit Form 7) — Opens a divorce involving minor children at the Summit DR Court. Filed with the parenting and support paperwork so the court can set custody, parenting time, and child support.
Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Summit Affidavit 3) — Lists each child's address history for the last 5 years and any other custody cases, confirming Ohio's jurisdiction. Required whenever minor children are involved.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Summit Affidavit 4) — States what health coverage is available for the children and at what cost — used to set the medical-support part of a child-support order.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you ask a Summit court to set or change support.
Application for Child Support Services (Summit Local Form 115) — Opens a CSEA (IV-D) case so the agency can collect and distribute support by wage withholding. Required with any DR filing that involves children.
Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses (Summit Affidavit 1) — Sworn statement of your income and monthly expenses. Required with every divorce, legal separation, annulment, and any support filing.
Affidavit of Property and Debt (Summit Affidavit 2) — Lists marital and separate property and debts so the DR Court can divide them. Filed with the complaint in a divorce, legal separation, or annulment.

Finishing an uncontested divorce — Included in case deposit

If your spouse files no answer, the court sets an uncontested final hearing. Bring the proposed Decree of Divorce (Form 14 without children, Form 15 with children) — submit it at least 2 business days ahead — and a Waiver of Service if your spouse cooperated.

Judgment Entry – Decree of Divorce Without Children (Summit Form 14) — The final order that ends the marriage and divides property when there are no minor children. Submit the proposed decree at least 2 business days before an uncontested hearing.
Judgment Entry – Decree of Divorce With Children (Summit Form 15) — The final order ending the marriage that also sets custody, parenting time, and child support. Submit the proposed decree at least 2 business days before the hearing.
Waiver of Service of Summons (Summit Form 30) — Lets a cooperating spouse accept the case without formal Sheriff or certified-mail service — useful in an uncontested divorce when the other side agrees to participate.

How to File Divorce in Summit County

Confirm residency and gather records. Make sure a spouse has six months of Ohio residency. Collect income, property, debt, and (for children) insurance and parenting information.
Prepare the complaint and affidavits. Complete Form 6 (no children) or Form 7 (with children), Affidavit 1, Affidavit 2, and the New Case Designation (Local Form 130). Add the parenting affidavit, health-insurance affidavit, support worksheet, and child-support application if you have children.
File and arrange service. File at the Summit DR Court Clerk, 205 South High Street, Akron, or e-file. Pay $370 or $420 and file the Service Request so your spouse is served (or have them sign a Waiver of Service).
Complete required steps while the case is pending. If you have children, complete the "Remember the Children" program online. Comply with the automatic mutual restraining order and any temporary orders.
Attend the hearing and submit the decree. For an uncontested case, attend the final hearing and submit your proposed Decree of Divorce (Form 14 or 15) at least 2 business days in advance. For a contested case, the court schedules pretrials and trial.

Summit County Practice Notes

Uncontested is the default path, not an agreement. In Ohio, "uncontested" means the other spouse files no answer — because they agree, won't respond, or can't be found. The court then sets an uncontested hearing and can grant the divorce on your testimony and proposed decree. A fully agreed case is usually handled as a dissolution instead.
A mutual restraining order kicks in automatically. Under Local Rule 2.04, filing a divorce in Summit County issues a Mutual Restraining Order against both spouses — no separate motion needed. It bars hiding assets, running up debt, harassment, and moving a child's residence out of the area while the case is pending.
Flatten every form before filing. Summit's Clerk may reject fillable PDFs that still have live fields. Fill the form, choose Print, save it to a PDF printer, and file that flattened copy. File in person or e-file 24/7 at clerkefile.summitoh.net.
Best-interest standard governs the children. R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) lists the factors a Summit judge weighs: each parent's and the child's wishes, the child's adjustment to home and school, each person's health, which parent better supports the other's parenting time, support compliance, and any history of abuse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I file a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in Summit County?: All of these are filed at the Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, 205 South High Street, Akron, OH 44308. The Clerk of Courts handles filing — in person, or by e-filing 24/7 at clerkefile.summitoh.net. Summit hosts its own versions of the Ohio forms on drcourt.org, so use the Summit-hosted form rather than the generic Supreme Court PDF, and remember to flatten any fillable PDF before you file.
What does "uncontested" divorce mean in Summit County?: In Ohio, an uncontested divorce is one where the other spouse does not file an answer — often because they agree, won't respond, or can't be found. If no answer is filed, the court sets an uncontested final hearing and can grant the divorce on your testimony and proposed decree. This is different from a dissolution, which is the fully agreed path where both spouses sign a settlement up front. If your spouse agrees on everything, a dissolution is usually faster and cheaper.
What are the residency requirements to file in Summit County?: Under R.C. 3105.03, at least one spouse must have lived in Ohio for at least six months before filing for divorce, legal separation, or annulment. You then file in the county where you or your spouse resides — Summit County, for Akron-area families. A dissolution has the same six-month Ohio requirement. If you don't yet meet Ohio residency, a legal separation can sometimes be filed sooner and later converted.
Do I have to take a parenting class in Summit County?: Yes. Married parents of minor children who file for divorce or dissolution must complete the court's "Remember the Children" program (Local Rule 32). It is delivered online through the court's Learning Management System at lms1.drcourt.org and can be done in increments. For a dissolution, the court will not set a final hearing until both parents complete it. Family Court Services at (330) 643-2355 can help with access.
How long does a divorce take in Summit County?: An uncontested Summit County divorce (no answer filed) can finish in roughly 6-10 weeks after service is complete and the uncontested hearing is held. A contested divorce takes much longer — often 9-18 months — because of pretrials, discovery, temporary orders, and trial. Cases with minor children also require the "Remember the Children" program before the final hearing.

Free Local Resources in Summit County

Summit Free Legal Clinic at Open M. Court-hosted community clinic in Akron offering free legal advice for self-represented parties.
Summit County DR Court. drcourt.org — CPO forms, Local Rules, judge bios, and the parenting-class LMS. Clerk's Office (1st floor) opens at 7:30 a.m.
Summit County Juvenile Court. juvenilecourt.summitoh.net · (330) 643-2900. Custody, visitation, support, and Grandparent Power of Attorney forms at 650 Dan Street.
Summit County CSEA (Child Support Enforcement Agency). Opens IV-D cases and collects/distributes child support through wage withholding once a support order is in place.
Victim Assistance Program of Summit County. Free advocates who help domestic-violence survivors complete CPO petitions and prepare for hearings.

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.

Keep exploring

Ohio Divorce guide — Statewide overview of divorce in Ohio.
Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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