Post-Decree Contempt in Summit County

How do I enforce a Summit County order by contempt?

File a Motion for Contempt at the Summit DR Court, 205 South High Street, Akron. Summit splits the filing into Form 24(1) (the motion), Form 24(2) (a sworn affidavit of the specific violations), and a proposed Order to Appear and Show Cause (Form 25). The fee is $240; support contempt is served through CSEA. Document each violation precisely — missed payment dates and amounts, or denied parenting-time exchanges. At the hearing the court can order compliance, set a purge condition, award attorney fees, or impose jail for willful violations. Remember that support and parenting time are enforced separately — you can't withhold one because the other was violated.

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

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.

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• The other party is violating a custody, parenting-time, or support order.
• You have a Summit County (or registered) order to enforce.
• You can document specific violations with dates and amounts.
• Informal attempts to get compliance haven't worked.

Filing Fees

Contempt actions: $240 · DR Court splits the filing into Form 24(1) motion + Form 24(2) affidavit + Form 25 show-cause order · Support contempt also enforced through CSEA · Remedies include purge conditions, attorney fees, and jail for willful violations

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Summit County

1. Confirm the order and the violation. Identify the exact order term being violated and gather proof of each violation with dates and amounts.
2. Try documented compliance first. Where safe, send a written request to comply; this strengthens your case and sometimes resolves the issue.
3. Prepare the contempt papers. Complete Form 24(1) (motion), Form 24(2) (affidavit), and Form 25 (order to appear and show cause).
4. File and serve. File at the Summit DR Court, 205 South High Street, Akron, pay $240, and serve the other party. For support, coordinate with CSEA.
5. Attend the show-cause hearing. Present your documentation; the court can order compliance, set a purge condition, award fees, or impose jail for willful contempt.

Summit County Practice Notes

• Document every violation. Contempt rises or falls on specifics. Keep a log of missed payments (dates and amounts) or denied parenting-time exchanges (dates, times, and what happened). Vague complaints rarely succeed.
• Summit splits the contempt filing. Unlike the single uniform form, Summit uses Form 24(1) for the motion, Form 24(2) for the supporting affidavit, and Form 25 as the proposed Order to Appear and Show Cause. File all three together.
• Support and parenting time are independent. You cannot stop paying support because parenting time was denied, and you cannot deny parenting time because support is unpaid. Each violation must be enforced on its own through the proper channel.
• Purge conditions and consequences. The court usually gives the violating party a chance to "purge" the contempt by complying — paying arrears or making up parenting time. Willful, continued violations can lead to attorney-fee awards and jail.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enforce a Summit County order by contempt?

File a Motion for Contempt at the court that issued the order. At the DR Court, Summit splits the filing into Form 24(1) (the motion) and Form 24(2) (a sworn affidavit of the specific violations), with a proposed Order to Appear and Show Cause (Form 25). The fee is $240; support contempt is served through CSEA. Document each violation precisely — missed payment dates and amounts, or denied parenting-time exchanges. The court can order compliance, set a purge condition, award fees, or impose jail for willful violations.

How does child support get collected in Summit County?

Once a court sets support, the Summit County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) opens a IV-D case and collects payments through wage withholding, then distributes them to the receiving parent. You open a CSEA case by filing the Application for Child Support Services (Local Form 115) with your case. CSEA also handles administrative reviews and can help enforce arrears. CSEA filings are exempt from the cost deposit.

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 are the Summit County Domestic Relations filing fees?

Summit's Clerk fee schedule: divorce $420 with children / $370 without; dissolution $400 with children / $370 without; legal separation and annulment $420 with children / $370 without; a private parenting (unmarried) complaint or a complaint for legal custody $420; all post-decree motions and contempt actions $240; and a counterclaim $50. CPO petitions and CSEA filings are exempt from the deposit. If you can't afford the deposit, file Local Form 124 to proceed in forma pauperis.

Does my case go to the Domestic Relations Court or the Juvenile Court?

Summit splits family work by courthouse. Married and divorcing parents — and their custody, support, and parenting-time issues — are handled at the Domestic Relations Court, 205 South High Street, Akron. Never-married parents and non-parent (grandparent/relative) custody cases are handled at the Summit County Juvenile Court, 650 Dan Street, Akron. Filing in the wrong court delays your case, so confirm venue before you file.

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.

Other Family-Law Topics in Summit County

• Summit County Divorce — Full filing guide with forms, fees, and the court's parenting class.
• Ohio Grandparents' Rights — Statewide overview of custody and companionship options for grandparents.
• Ohio Child Support Calculator — Run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet yourself.
• Ohio family-law resources — 88-county directory of courts and legal aid.

Related to your contempt case

• Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
• Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
• Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
• Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.