Enforcing a Union County Order

Where to File: Union County Court of Common Pleas - Domestic Relations Division

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• You have a final Union County order the other party is violating.
• The other parent is withholding parenting time, not paying support, or ignoring the decree.
• Informal efforts to get compliance haven't worked.
• You want the court to enforce — not change — the existing order.

Filing Fees

Juvenile show-cause motion $100 · DR post-decree motion $485 · support enforcement can also go through CSEA at (937) 644-1010 · confirm amounts with the Clerk at (937) 645-3015

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Union County

1. Identify the order and the violation. Pin down the specific order and exactly how the other party is violating it (missed payments, denied parenting time, etc.).
2. Prepare the motion to show cause. Draft the motion in the case that issued the order, state the specific violation, and include the statutory contempt warning.
3. File with the right deposit. File in the Juvenile Court ($100 show-cause) or as a DR post-decree motion ($485). For support, you can also ask CSEA to enforce.
4. Serve and attend the hearing. The other party is served and the court holds a hearing; bring proof of the violation (payment records, a parenting-time log, messages).
5. Seek the remedy. A person found in contempt can face fines, make-up parenting time, attorney fees, or jail; the court can also order compliance going forward.

Union County Practice Notes

• Contempt enforces, modification changes. A motion to show cause asks the court to enforce the order as written; if you want to change the order, you file a post-decree motion to modify instead. The two are different requests, though they're sometimes filed together.
• Where you file sets the deposit. A show-cause motion in the Union County Juvenile Court carries a $100 deposit; in a Domestic Relations case the same enforcement is filed as a post-decree motion with the $485 deposit. The motion must state the specific order being violated.
• CSEA can enforce support directly. For unpaid support, the Child Support Enforcement Agency can enforce through wage withholding, license suspension, tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals — call (937) 644-1010.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enforce a Union County custody or support order?

File a motion to show cause (for contempt) in the case that issued the order. In the Juvenile Court a show-cause motion has a $100 deposit; in a Domestic Relations case it is filed as a post-decree motion with the $485 deposit. The motion must state the specific order being violated. Support enforcement can also go through the Child Support Enforcement Agency at (937) 644-1010.

What does it cost to file for custody in the Union County Juvenile Court?

An agreed custody case costs $75 to file in the Union County Juvenile Court (Room 107, (937) 645-3029 ext. 3411); a contested one costs $115. A show-cause motion to enforce an order has a $100 deposit. Registering an out-of-state custody order is $115, or $175 if you also ask to enforce or modify it at the same time.

How much does it cost to change a Union County order after the decree?

A post-decree motion to modify custody, parenting time, or support has a $485 deposit and is filed in your original Domestic Relations case. A counterclaim in a divorce is $100, and a guardian ad litem deposit is $500. Support changes can also start through the Child Support Enforcement Agency at (937) 644-1010. Some post-decree motions may require the co-parenting class again.

What is a IV-D application and why do I need one?

A IV-D Application opens a child-support case with your county's Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Once opened, CSEA collects support through automatic wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and can enforce the order through license suspension, federal tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals. Filing a IV-D Application is standard whenever a child-support order is issued.

Free Local Resources in Union County

• Union County Clerk of Courts. Provides current filing fees, local forms, and filing instructions for custody, divorce, and dissolution cases. Call (937) 645-3015 or visit https://www.unioncountyohio.gov/departments/CommonPleasCourt before filing to confirm deposits and packet requirements.
• Union County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Union County's IV-D agency opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. File a IV-D Application when establishing or modifying support.

Other Family-Law Topics in Union County

• Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
• Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Union County custody attorney for help with your case.

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.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on contempt and related Ohio family law topics.

• 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.
• 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.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
• Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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