Van Wert County Child Support Attorneys
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026
Van Wert County, Ohio · Van Wert
Ohio sets child support with a statewide Income Shares worksheet. In Van Wert County, support is established inside a divorce or dissolution (General / Domestic Relations) or a parentage case (Probate & Juvenile), and the Van Wert County CSEA collects and enforces it. This guide covers the worksheet, opening a IV-D case, and changing an order later.
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How is child support set and changed in Van Wert County, Ohio?
Support is calculated on the Ohio 2024 Income Shares Child Support Worksheet. Married parents set support inside a divorce or dissolution in the General / Domestic Relations Division; never-married parents set it in a parentage case in the Probate & Juvenile Court. Open a IV-D case with the Van Wert County CSEA at (419) 238-9566 (the DR-2 Application) so support is collected by income withholding through the Ohio CSPC. To change an order, file a Motion under R.C. 3119.79 with Affidavits 1, 3, and 4 and the DR-2, or ask the CSEA for an administrative review (about every 36 months).
Put a flat-fee child-support attorney on your Van Wert County case
Ohio calculates support on the 2024 Income Shares worksheet, but where it is set matters: married parents establish it inside a divorce or dissolution in the General / Domestic Relations Division, and never-married parents in the Probate & Juvenile Court. The Van Wert County CSEA at 121 East Main Street, (419) 238-9566, collects and enforces it through income withholding, with payments routed to the Ohio Child Support Payment Central. Gavvl Law runs the worksheet accurately, files the DR-2 IV-D Application to open the case, and works from one flat fee set up front with payment plans.
- Getting the worksheet inputs right. Support turns on the numbers that go into the 2024 Income Shares worksheet — each parent's income, work-related child-care, and health-insurance cost — and small input errors move the monthly figure for years. We assemble and verify those figures so the order reflects your real finances the first time, not after a costly correction.
- Opening the IV-D case with the DR-2. The DR-2 IV-D Application opens the CSEA record so support is collected automatically by income withholding through the Ohio CSPC rather than hand-to-hand. We file it with the case and coordinate with the Van Wert County CSEA at (419) 238-9566 so collection starts cleanly.
- Modify by motion or administrative review. To change an order you can file a motion under R.C. 3119.79 (the DR motion-to-reopen deposit is $225) or ask the CSEA for an administrative review, generally available about every 36 months. We pick the faster route for your facts and prepare Affidavits 1, 3, and 4 with the DR-2.
For never-married parents, support is set in a Probate & Juvenile parentage case where a new petition deposit is $225 under Juvenile Rule 8, and the parenting-time option chosen under the county's Appendix A schedule does not by itself create a support deviation. We handle whichever court fits your family and explain how the schedule interacts with the guideline number so expectations are realistic.
Flat-fee options
Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the support motion (establish, modify, or terminate). The court filing fee is billed separately and this does not include in-court representation.
- Establish child support: $950
- Modify child support: $950
- Terminate 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.
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Ohio Child Support by the Numbers
- 2024 Year Ohio's updated Income Shares support schedule took effect Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.021
- 10% Change in the calculated amount that justifies a modification Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.79
- 3 years How often either parent can request an administrative review Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.60
- Age 18 When support normally ends — or high-school graduation, whichever is later Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3119.86
What Counts in an Ohio Child Support Calculation
| What the worksheet counts | Counts toward support? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Both parents' gross income | Yes | Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and self-employment earnings |
| Health insurance for the children | Yes | Credited to the parent who pays the premium |
| Work-related childcare | Yes | Daycare and after-school costs are added in |
| Parenting time | Yes | Adjustments apply for substantial or equal parenting time |
| Imputed income | Sometimes | Added when a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed |
| A new spouse's income | No | Only the two parents' incomes are counted |
Where to File: Van Wert County Court of Common Pleas — General / Domestic Relations Division
121 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Van Wert, OH 45891Phone: (419) 238-6935
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current hours with the Clerk of Courts at (419) 238-1022)
Website: Court website
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)
Child Support is the right path if…
- You need a first child-support order, or you want to change an existing one.
- You can provide both parents' income, work-related child-care, and health-insurance costs for the worksheet.
- You want the Van Wert County CSEA to collect support by automatic income withholding.
- Your circumstances have changed enough that a recalculation would qualify under R.C. 3119.79, or it's been about 36 months since the last review.
Filing Fees
New support is part of the divorce/dissolution deposit, or $225 for a new Juvenile parentage/support case. A modification is the $225 motion deposit, or free through a CSEA administrative review. Confirm amounts with the Clerk (419) 238-1022 or the Juvenile Court (419) 238-1118.
Forms & Filing Packets
Establish a new child-support order — Included in the divorce/dissolution deposit · new Juvenile parentage/support case $225
Set inside a divorce/dissolution (General / Domestic Relations) or a parentage case (Probate & Juvenile). Run the worksheet and open a IV-D case with the CSEA.
- Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
- 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.
- Apply for Child Support Services (Title IV-D) — Van Wert County CSEA — Opens a IV-D child-support case with the Van Wert County Child Support Enforcement Agency, which establishes, collects, and enforces support by income withholding. Phone (419) 238-9566.
Modify an existing child-support order — $225 motion-to-reopen deposit (DR) · $225 Juvenile motion to modify
File a Motion to change support under R.C. 3119.79 in the division that issued the order, or request a CSEA administrative review (about every 36 months).
- Motion for Change of Child Support (Ohio SC Form 28) — The Ohio uniform motion to change child support, medical support, or the tax exemption after a change of circumstances. File in the division that issued the order.
- Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
- 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.
- Apply for Child Support Services (Title IV-D) — Van Wert County CSEA — Opens a IV-D child-support case with the Van Wert County Child Support Enforcement Agency, which establishes, collects, and enforces support by income withholding. Phone (419) 238-9566.
How to File Child Support in Van Wert County
- Run the Ohio worksheet. Use the official Ohio Child Support Calculator (2024 Income Shares) with both parents' income, child-care, and health-insurance costs, then print and sign it.
- Open a IV-D case with the CSEA. File the DR-2 IV-D Application / Application for Child Support Services so the Van Wert County CSEA can establish, collect, and enforce support by income withholding.
- Set support in the right court. Married parents set support inside the divorce or dissolution; never-married parents set it in a Juvenile parentage case ($225 new case).
- Modify when circumstances change. File a Motion to change support under R.C. 3119.79 with Affidavits 1, 3, and 4 and the DR-2, or ask the CSEA for an administrative review.
Van Wert County Practice Notes
- DR-2 IV-D Application is required with children. Local Rule 6.2 requires the DR-2 IV-D Application at filing of any Common Pleas domestic case involving children — the Clerk will not accept a children's filing without it. It opens the IV-D child-support record so the Van Wert County CSEA can establish and collect support.
- CSEA administrative review every ~36 months. Besides a court motion, you can ask the Van Wert County CSEA, (419) 238-9566, to review an order administratively — generally available about every 36 months, or sooner on a qualifying change. Support payments run through the Ohio Child Support Payment Central (Ohio CSPC) in Columbus.
- Appendix A Model Parenting Time Schedule is the default. Van Wert County's Appendix A schedules (effective 1/19/19) apply in both the Domestic and Juvenile Divisions. For parents within 30 miles, Option A is week-about (equal time) and Option B is alternating weekends plus a weekday split; Appendices B and C cover long-distance. The option chosen does not by itself create a child-support deviation, and holidays/vacations rotate under the Appendix.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does the Van Wert County CSEA do, and do I need a IV-D application?
- The Van Wert County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), part of Job & Family Services at 121 East Main Street, (419) 238-9566, is the IV-D agency that establishes, collects, and enforces child support. Filing a IV-D Application (DR-2) opens a support case so CSEA can set support under Ohio's guidelines, collect by automatic income withholding, and enforce orders. Support payments run through the Ohio Child Support Payment Central (Ohio CSPC) in Columbus.
- How do I change child support in Van Wert County?
- File a Motion to modify support in the case that issued the order, with Affidavit 1 (Income & Expenses), Affidavit 3 (Parenting Proceeding), Affidavit 4 (Health Insurance), the DR-2 IV-D Application, and an Affidavit in Support (Local Rule 6.2). You can also ask the CSEA for an administrative review — orders are generally reviewable about every 36 months. The motion-to-reopen deposit is $225.00; confirm the deposit for your specific motion with the Clerk.
- What does it cost to file a parentage or custody case in the Van Wert County Probate & Juvenile Court?
- Under Juvenile Local Rule 8, the deposit for petitions, complaints, counter/cross-claims, and a motion to vacate, revive, or modify a former judgment is $225.00. A home investigation, if ordered, is $750.00, and a Guardian ad Litem security deposit is $500.00. If you cannot afford the deposit, a Civil Fee Waiver Form is available. Confirm the current amounts with the Juvenile Court at (419) 238-1118.
- 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 is the default parenting-time schedule in Van Wert County?
- Van Wert County has adopted Model Parenting Time Schedules (Appendix A, effective 1/19/19) that apply in both the Domestic and Juvenile Divisions. For parents who live less than 30 miles apart, Appendix A offers selectable options — Option A (week-about / equal time, transitions Sundays at 7:00 p.m. with a Wednesday evening) and Option B (alternating weekends Friday to Monday plus a weekday split). Long-distance schedules are in Appendices B and C. The parenting-time option chosen does not by itself create a child-support deviation.
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.
Other Family-Law Topics in Van Wert County
- Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
- Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Van Wert County family-law attorney for help with your case.
Related to your child support case
- Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
- Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.
- Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.
Related guides
In-depth, attorney-written guides on child support and related Ohio family law topics.
- Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.
- 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 Van Wert County family-law resources
- Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
- Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
- Van Wert County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Van Wert 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.
