Annulment in Van Wert County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026

Van Wert County, Ohio · Van Wert

An annulment is a court declaration that a marriage was never legally valid — for example, bigamy, fraud, being underage, or incapacity (R.C. 3105.31). It differs from a divorce, which ends a valid marriage. In Van Wert County it is filed in the General / Domestic Relations Division and requires proof of a specific statutory ground.

How do I get an annulment in Van Wert County, Ohio?

File a complaint for annulment (the divorce complaint forms are adapted) in the General / Domestic Relations Division with Affidavit 1 (Income & Expenses) and Affidavit 2 (Property), and with children Affidavits 3 and 4 and the DR-2. You must prove a specific R.C. 3105.31 ground — a party under the age of consent, a prior existing marriage (bigamy), mental incompetence, fraud, duress or force, or a marriage never consummated. The Clerk's fee schedule does not separately list annulment, so confirm the deposit with the Clerk at (419) 238-1022. The Magistrate hears the matter; an annulment requires proof of the specific ground.

Ohio Divorce by the Numbers

6 months Ohio residency required before you can file Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03
90 days Residency in the county of filing (venue) Source: Ohio Civ. R. 3
30–90 days Typical time to finalize an uncontested dissolution Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.64
1 year Living separate and apart that qualifies as no-fault grounds Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.01

Compare Your Options for Ending a Marriage in Ohio

Path	Ends the marriage?	Agreement required?	Best when
Dissolution	Yes	Yes — on every term before filing	Both spouses agree on everything and want the fastest, lowest-cost path
Divorce (contested)	Yes	No	Spouses disagree on property, support, or parenting and need a judge to decide
Divorce (uncontested / default)	Yes	No	One spouse will not respond or cannot be located
Legal separation	No — you stay married	Optional	You need court orders but must stay married (religion, insurance, or benefits)
Annulment	Treated as never valid	No	The marriage was never legally valid (fraud, bigamy, underage, or incapacity)

Where to File: Van Wert County Court of Common Pleas — General / Domestic Relations Division

121 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Van Wert, OH 45891
Phone: (419) 238-6935
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current hours with the Clerk of Courts at (419) 238-1022)
Website: www.vwcommonpleas.org

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Van Wert County Probate & Juvenile Court
108 East Main Street, Van Wert, OH 45891
Phone: (419) 238-1118
Hours: Monday 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Tuesday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed on legal holidays)

Annulment is the right path if…

You have a specific legal ground to show the marriage was invalid from the start (R.C. 3105.31).
Your situation fits a ground — bigamy, fraud, incapacity, being underage, duress/force, or non-consummation.
You understand a short marriage alone is not a ground for annulment.
You're ready to file the adapted complaint and the Rule 6.2 affidavits and prove the ground.

No specific ground? A divorce or dissolution ends a valid marriage. Compare divorce.

Filing Fees

The Clerk's fee schedule does not separately list annulment — confirm the current deposit with the Clerk at (419) 238-1022. With children, the parenting class (Rule 6.5) and the Appendix A schedule apply as in a divorce.

Forms & Filing Packets

Annulment in the General / Domestic Relations Division — Confirm the deposit with the Clerk (not separately listed on the fee schedule)

Filed with the Clerk of Courts using adapted divorce complaint forms with the Rule 6.2 affidavits. An annulment requires proof of a specific R.C. 3105.31 ground.

Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Affidavit of Property (Ohio SC Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt. Required at filing.
Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — Required in any case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.
DR-2 IV-D Application (Van Wert County-required attachment) — Required at filing of any Common Pleas domestic-relations case involving children — the Clerk will not accept a children's filing without it (Local Rule 6.2). Opens the IV-D child-support record. Tip: Obtain the current DR-2 from the Clerk of Courts at (419) 238-1022 when you file.
Van Wert County Common Pleas Local Rules (revised 8/18/2025) — The local DR rules — Rule 4 (deposits), Rule 6.2 (required attachments + DR-2), Rule 6.4 (temporary/ex parte orders + Standing Orders), Rule 6.5 (parenting class), Rule 6.12/6.12A (relocation), and Rule 6.13 (pre-trials).

How to File Annulment in Van Wert County

Confirm a valid ground. Check that your situation fits an R.C. 3105.31 ground — bigamy, fraud, incapacity, being underage, duress/force, or non-consummation.
Prepare the adapted complaint. Adapt the divorce complaint for annulment and attach Affidavit 1 and Affidavit 2; with children, add Affidavits 3 and 4 and the DR-2.
File and confirm the deposit. File with the Van Wert County Clerk of Courts and confirm the deposit (annulment is not separately listed on the fee schedule) at (419) 238-1022.
Prove the ground at the hearing. The Magistrate hears the matter; you must prove the specific statutory ground before the court declares the marriage void or voidable.

Van Wert County Practice Notes

Annulment is narrow and needs a specific ground. An annulment requires a specific statutory ground under R.C. 3105.31 — a party under the age of consent, a prior existing marriage (bigamy), mental incompetence, fraud, duress or force, or a marriage never consummated. A short marriage alone is not a ground. It is not an easier divorce.
Adapted complaint forms and confirm the deposit. There is no single statewide annulment complaint form; the divorce complaint forms are adapted with the Rule 6.2 affidavits (and the DR-2 with children). Because annulment is not separately listed on the Clerk's fee schedule, confirm the deposit with the Clerk before filing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the grounds for annulment in Van Wert County?: An annulment (R.C. 3105.31) is a court declaration that a marriage was never legally valid, on specific grounds: a party under the age of consent, a prior existing marriage (bigamy), mental incompetence, fraud, duress or force, or a marriage never consummated. It is narrow — a short marriage alone is not a ground. The divorce complaint forms are adapted with the Rule 6.2 affidavits. The Clerk's fee schedule does not separately list annulment — confirm the deposit with the Clerk at (419) 238-1022.
Which Van Wert County court hears my family-law case?: If you are (or were) married to the other parent, divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, post-decree matters, and civil protection orders are heard in the General / Domestic Relations Division of the Van Wert County Court of Common Pleas (Judge Martin D. Burchfield; domestic cases heard by Magistrate Christina L. Steffan) and filed with the Clerk of Courts at 121 East Main Street, (419) 238-1022. If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and child support — and non-parent custody requests — are heard in the Van Wert County Probate & Juvenile Court (Judge Kevin H. Taylor), 108 East Main Street, Juvenile (419) 238-1118.
What are the residency requirements to file in Van Wert County?: To file for divorce, dissolution, or legal separation, at least one spouse must have been an Ohio resident for at least 6 months before filing (R.C. 3105.03) and meet county venue under Civil Rule 3. The Van Wert County local rules do not set a separate minimum county-residency period. For never-married custody in the Probate & Juvenile Court, Ohio must be the children's 'home state' under the UCCJEA (R.C. 3127) — generally, the children have lived in Ohio for the last 6 consecutive months.
How much does it cost to file a divorce or dissolution in Van Wert County?: Under Local Rule 4 (revised 8/18/2025), the Clerk's deposit for a divorce is $375.00 (the Sheriff fee is already included) and for a dissolution is $325.00. A divorce counterclaim/cross-claim deposit is also $375.00. These are deposits — the final cost can be higher or lower, and the Clerk may require an additional deposit within 10 days if costs run short. Confirm the current amounts with the Clerk at (419) 238-1022 before filing.

Free Local Resources in Van Wert County

Van Wert County Clerk of Courts (Domestic Relations). Where divorce, dissolution, legal-separation, annulment, post-decree, and protection-order filings are made — Van Wert County Courthouse, 121 East Main Street, (419) 238-1022 (fax filing (419) 238-4760 under Local Rule 5). The Clerk confirms current deposits and packet requirements; the Local Rules are posted at https://www.vanwertcountyohio.gov/government/courts/common_pleas_court/index.php.
Van Wert County Probate & Juvenile Court. Hears never-married parentage, custody, support, and non-parent custody, plus adoption — 108 East Main Street, Juvenile (419) 238-1118, Probate (419) 238-0027. New parentage/custody/support case $225 (Rule 8). Forms and e-filing at https://vwprobjuvcourt.com and https://efile.henschen.com.
Van Wert County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). The IV-D agency that establishes, collects, and enforces child support by income withholding — Van Wert County Job & Family Services, 121 East Main Street, (419) 238-9566. Apply for services at https://www.vanwertcountyohio.gov/services/job_and_family_services/child_support_enforcement_agency.php. Payments run through the Ohio Child Support Payment Central (Ohio CSPC).
Parenting class (Local Rule 6.5). The court-ordered parenting-education requirement in any domestic case with minor children — approved online programs and the live 'A-OK' course, due within 60 days of the final entry. Confirm the approved-program list with the Court Administrator at (419) 238-6935.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares child-support worksheet at https://ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov/ before any case that sets or changes support.

Related to your annulment case

Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.
Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

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

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 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.

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Ohio Annulment guide — Statewide overview of annulment in Ohio.
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