Filing for Divorce with Children in Summit County

Summit County Domestic Relations Court

Clerk's Office, 205 S. High Street, 1st Floor. Court main: (330) 643-2365 • Clerk: (330) 643-2202

Filing Fees

$420 divorce with children • $370 without • Dissolution: $400 with children, $370 without

Payment methods: Cash, certified check, money order, personal check, corporate/business check, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex).

Summit County Procedure Quirks

• Two-floor court: Magistrate hearings and trials are on the 3rd floor; Judge hearings and trials are on the 4th floor. Check in at the security desk on the relevant floor.
• All visitors clear a metal detector — arrive early.
• Clerk's Office is on the 1st floor; hours are 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (earlier than the court itself).

Parenting Class

Summit DR Parenting Class (court-run) — Summit County DR Court — its own learning management system (Register / learn more)
Both parents complete the class online at their own pace through the court's LMS.

Judges

• Administrative Judge Katarina Cook
• Judge Kani Harvey Hightower

Summit County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Division

Two main divisions — Child Protection Unit and Delinquency Division — handling abuse/neglect/dependency, delinquency, unruly, juvenile traffic, parentage, custody, parenting time, and child support.

Domestic Relations vs. Juvenile

Summit splits the work geographically: DR Court at 205 S. High Street (downtown Akron) for divorces and dissolutions; Juvenile Court at 650 Dan Street (north Akron) for never-married-parent cases and juvenile matters.

Free Local Resources in Summit County

• Summit Free Legal Clinic at Open M. Court-hosted community clinic offering free advice for self-represented parties.
• Summit County DR Court website. drcourt.org — forms, Local Rules, judge bios, and the parenting LMS.

Required divorce-with-children packet (11 forms)

• Complaint for Divorce with Children — The main document that starts your case and lists what you're asking the court to decide.
• New Case Designation Form — Summit local form — categorizes your case for assignment.
• Affidavit of Income & Expenses — Your income and monthly bills.
• Affidavit of Property & Debt — Lists what you own and owe — house, vehicles, accounts, retirement, debts.
• Parenting Proceeding Affidavit — The children's 5-year address history.
• Health Insurance Affidavit — Confirms who provides insurance for the family and the cost.
• Motion for Temporary Orders — Requests temporary parenting, support, etc. while the case is pending.
• Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with the IV-D child support enforcement agency.
• Service Request — Tells the Clerk how to deliver papers to your spouse (mail, sheriff, etc.).
• Affidavit of Military Service — Confirms whether your spouse is on active military duty.
• Judgment Entry — Decree of Divorce With Children — Court's final order at the final hearing — bring a witness who can testify to the grounds.

Temporary orders while your case is pending

Summit's temp-orders Motion sets rules for support and custody while pending. The spouse has 14 days to respond with a counter-affidavit; decisions are typically made on affidavits alone.

• Motion for Temporary Orders — Requests temporary parenting, support, etc. while the case is pending.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on divorce, custody, 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.

Related to your divorce

• 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.