Summit County Post-Decree Modification Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Summit County modifications case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Summit County local forms, the court strategy, and the hearings — and you know the price before we start (flat fees from $1,095).

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.

Modify your Summit County order with Gavvl Law

Life changes after a decree, and Summit County has a specific motion for each change: Form 27 to change the residential parent or legal custodian, Form 26 to adjust the parenting-time schedule, and Local Form 102 to change child support, cash medical, or the tax exemption. Each carries the post-decree filing fee at the Domestic Relations Court in Akron. Gavvl Law files the right motion on the right standard, with a flat fee approved up front and financing offered.

• The right motion on the right legal standard. Changing custody under R.C. 3109.04(E) requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding, while adjusting only parenting time uses a lower best-interest test. We match your facts to Form 27 or Form 26 so you are not held to a heavier burden than the law actually requires.
• Support motions built on the 10% threshold. Ohio treats a 10% change in the guideline number as the trigger to modify support, and Summit's Local Form 102 is the vehicle at the DR Court. We rerun the 2024 Income Shares worksheet with your current pay stubs and tax returns so the motion shows that change on paper.
• CSEA review or court motion, whichever is faster. CSEA can review support administratively about every 36 months, or sooner on a substantial change, which is sometimes quicker than a motion. We tell you which path fits, handle the filing when court is the answer, and quote one flat fee up front with payment plans.

Post-decree work files back at the Domestic Relations Court, 205 South High Street in Akron, using Summit's own numbered forms and the deposit, with the in-forma-pauperis affidavit (Local Form 124) available if cost is a barrier. We keep your modification on the county's flatten-before-filing forms so the motion is docketed instead of bounced.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the motion to modify an existing custody, parenting-time, or support order. You appear at any hearing.

• Modify custody or parenting time: $1,670
• Modify child support: $1,095

Prefer full representation? An Ohio attorney can carry the entire case on a $3,500 retainer.

On limited-scope services of $2,000 or more, Gavvl Direct — our in-house plan with no interest and no credit check — takes 60% down to start, then the balance in three monthly payments, the first due 28 days after your initial payment. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your modifications case or see payment plans & financing.

Real people — with direct lines

• Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
• Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
• Niva Elgin — Director of Attorney Relations · Licensed New Mexico Attorney

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — or Niva Elgin, our Director of Attorney Relations and a licensed New Mexico attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Summit County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Director of Attorney Relations. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

• 95+ five-star Google reviews
• 60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
• Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
• Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained — and every step after

1. Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, or Niva Elgin about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
2. Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
3. Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
4. Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder

Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

• Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
• Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
• Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
• Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
• Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
• 24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Can I do this without an attorney?

sometimes, yes. Ohio lets you represent yourself, and for a genuinely agreed dissolution or a simple motion, some people do. The Summit County forms and local rules are linked in the questions below, and our free tools will draft a parenting plan or estimate child support before you spend anything.

Here's what the online-divorce platforms leave out: most Ohio counties require their own forms and language on top of the statewide ones, and a rejected filing is the most common reason people call us after trying it alone. A $25, 30-minute call tells you whether you can do this yourself — and if you can, we'll say so.

• Free parenting plan builder
• Free child support estimate
• Attorney-written guides
• See the Summit County forms & local rules

Schedule Your $25 Consultation

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
Phone: (330) 643-2900
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Post-Decree Modifications is the right path if…

• Your circumstances have changed since the last order.
• You need to change custody, parenting time, or support.
• You already have a Summit County (or registered) order.
• You can document the change with current records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which forms do I need to file for modifications in Summit County?

Changing custody or parenting time

File the Motion for Change of Parental Rights (Form 27) to change the residential parent, or the Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Form 26) to adjust the schedule, with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit.

• Motion for Change of Parental Rights and Responsibilities (Summit Form 27) — Post-decree motion to change the residential parent or legal custodian. Requires a change in circumstances plus a best-interest finding under R.C. 3109.04(E). Fee.
• Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Summit Form 26) — Post-decree motion to adjust the parenting-time (companionship and visitation) schedule. The post-decree filing fee is set by the Clerk.
• 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.

Changing child support

File the Post Decree Motion for Change of Child Support / Medical / Tax (Local Form 102) with an updated Ohio worksheet and current income proof, or ask CSEA for an administrative review.

• Post Decree Motion for Change of Child Support / Medical / Tax (Summit Local Form 102) — Summit's local form (formerly uniform Form 28) to modify child support, cash medical, or the tax exemption after a decree. The post-decree fee applies.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

How to file post-decree modifications in Summit County

1. Pinpoint what you're changing. Identify whether you need to change the residential parent, the parenting-time schedule, or support — each has a different standard and form.
2. Gather your evidence. Document the change in circumstances: new income, a move, school or health needs, or safety concerns, with records and dates.
3. Complete the right motion. Use Form 27 (change custody), Form 26 (change parenting time), or Local Form 102 (change support), plus the parenting or income affidavits as required.
4. File and serve. File at the Summit DR Court, 205 South High Street, Akron, pay the filing fee, and serve the other party with notice of the hearing.
5. Attend the hearing. Present your evidence; the court may order mediation or a Guardian ad Litem before deciding whether to modify the order.

What does post-decree modifications cost in Summit County?

Two numbers matter. The court's filing fee, which the Clerk sets and can confirm. And the attorney work: Our published flat fees from $1,095 cover drafting and filing the paperwork (limited scope — the court's filing fee is invoiced separately), with payment plans available. Prefer full representation? An attorney can carry the whole case on a retainer — every number is published in the pricing section above.

What forms do I need for post-decree modifications in Summit County?

It depends on your situation — children, temporary orders, and which court you file in all change the packet. Answer the quick questions in the paperwork section above and your exact Summit County checklist appears, with every official form linked as a PDF.

How long does post-decree modifications take in Summit County?

It depends on how much you and the other side agree. Agreed matters generally move through Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division in months, not years; contested cases take longer. The part you control is filing a complete, correct packet the first time — bounced paperwork is the most common self-filing delay.

Do we really need lawyers if we agree?

Maybe not — and we'll say so at a $25 consultation. But an agreement only counts if it survives on paper, in the exact packet Summit County's court expects, and what you file becomes a binding court order that is hard to fix later. Precision drafting for people who already agree is most of what our flat-fee work is: done once, done right.

Where are the Summit County local rules, and what does this court do differently?

Judges, magistrates, and filing fees change, so we do not publish them here. Summit County posts the current information itself:

• Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division — local rules, standing orders, and the current judges and magistrates.
• Summit County local rules — the court's own rules for filings, hearings, and required local forms.
• Summit County Clerk of Courts — current filing fees and deposits, e-filing, and case records.

• Custody changes need a change in circumstances. Under R.C. 3109.04(E), modifying the residential parent requires a change in circumstances since the last order, plus findings that the change serves the child's best interest and that its benefit outweighs the harm of disruption. This is a higher bar than adjusting the schedule.
• Parenting-time changes are easier. Adjusting only the parenting-time (companionship) schedule uses a straightforward best-interest standard — no change-in-circumstances showing required. Form 26 is the tool for schedule changes.
• Support modifications need a real change. Run a fresh Ohio worksheet. Courts look for roughly a 10% change in the calculated amount before modifying support. File Local Form 102 with current pay stubs and tax returns, or request a CSEA administrative review.
• Relocation has its own notice rule. A residential parent planning to move must file a Notice of Intent to Relocate; the court can then revisit parenting time. Don't move the children out of the area without addressing the order first.

Are there free legal 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 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.
• My Ex Leaves Our Child With the Grandparents During Their Parenting Time. Can I Do Anything About It? — Ohio courts favor grandparent relationships, so a few nights a month at grandma's is not a problem. It becomes one when the grandparents replace the parent. This guide explains why the court cannot order the grandparents to do anything, how to tell whether you have shared parenting or sole custody, and the six realistic options — from a documented conversation to a right of first refusal, contempt, a parenting time modification, a custody change, or an emergency motion.
• I Think My Ex Is Drinking or Using Drugs. Is There Anything I Can Do? (Ohio) — You do not have to prove your co-parent is using before you ask an Ohio court for help — you have to give the court a credible reason to look. This guide covers what a judge actually cares about, emergency filings versus modification, how to ask for the right test panel (fentanyl and alcohol are not on standard screens), EtG, PEth, hair and nail testing windows, alcohol monitoring during parenting time, guardians ad litem, and supervised time with step-up plans.
• 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.

More Summit County family-law resources

• Ohio Post-Decree Modifications guide — Statewide overview of post-decree modifications in Ohio.
• Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
• Summit County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Summit County guide.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
• Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.