Summit County Post-Decree Modification Attorneys

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated May 26, 2026

Summit County, Ohio · Akron

Life changes after a divorce or custody order — a parent moves, incomes shift, or a child's needs change. Summit County lets you ask the Domestic Relations Court to modify custody, parenting time, or support after the decree. What you must prove depends on what you're changing, and every post-decree motion carries a $240 filing fee.

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.

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.

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

File a post-decree motion at the Summit DR Court, 205 South High Street, Akron, for $240. To change the residential parent, use the Motion for Change of Parental Rights and Responsibilities (Form 27) — you must show a change in circumstances, that the change serves the child's best interest, and that its benefit outweighs the disruption (R.C. 3109.04(E)). To adjust only the parenting-time schedule, use the Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Form 26), which uses a lower best-interest standard. To change support, file the Post Decree Motion (Local Form 102) with an updated worksheet, or request a CSEA review. Add the parenting affidavit for children and the income and health-insurance affidavits when support changes.

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 $240 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 $240 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 $240 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: $1,450
Modify child support: $950

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

Split any flat fee with Gavvl Direct — our in-house plan at 19% APR, $500 minimum — on a 60%-down schedule of 18 weekly, 8 bi-weekly, or 4 monthly payments, or full financing where work begins once 60% is paid. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your modifications case or see payment plans & financing.

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: Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

205 South High Street, Akron, OH 44308
Phone: (330) 643-2365
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: Court website
e-Filing: Online e-filing portal

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.

Filing Fees

All Summit post-decree motions: $240 · Change of residential parent (Form 27) needs a change in circumstances + best interest + benefit outweighs harm · Parenting-time changes (Form 26) use a best-interest standard · Support changes (Local Form 102) need ~10% change

Forms & Filing Packets

Changing custody or parenting time — $240 post-decree motion

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 $240.
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 $240.
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 — $240 post-decree motion

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 $240 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

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.
Gather your evidence. Document the change in circumstances: new income, a move, school or health needs, or safety concerns, with records and dates.
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.
File and serve. File at the Summit DR Court, 205 South High Street, Akron, pay $240, and serve the other party with notice of the hearing.
Attend the hearing. Present your evidence; the court may order mediation or a Guardian ad Litem before deciding whether to modify the order.

Summit County Practice Notes

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I have to prove to change a custody order in Summit County?: Under R.C. 3109.04(E), changing the residential parent generally requires showing a change in circumstances since the last order, that the modification serves the child's best interest, and that the benefit of the change outweighs the harm of disruption. Adjusting only the parenting-time schedule uses a lower best-interest standard. File the change-of-custody motion (Form 27) or change-of-parenting-time motion (Form 26) at the DR Court; the post-decree fee is $240.
How do I change a child-support order in Summit County?: You can ask CSEA for an administrative review (generally available every 36 months, or sooner on a substantial change), or file a post-decree motion at the DR Court using Local Form 102 (Motion for Change of Child Support, Medical, or Tax). Ohio treats a 10% change in the calculated amount as the threshold for modification. Bring recent pay stubs and tax returns. The post-decree filing fee is $240.
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.
What standard does a Summit County court use to decide custody?: Ohio courts decide custody by the child's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F)(1). The factors include each parent's wishes, the child's wishes (when the court interviews the child), the child's relationships with parents and siblings, adjustment to home, school, and community, the mental and physical health of everyone involved, which parent is more likely to honor parenting time, child-support compliance, any history of abuse or neglect, and whether a parent plans to move out of state.

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 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.

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.

Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.