Civil Protection Orders in Van Wert County

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

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)

Civil Protection Orders is the right path if…

• You are a family or household member who has been abused, threatened, or harmed and need court protection.
• You need immediate, enforceable protection — no-contact, staying away, or exclusive use of the home.
• You can describe the abuse in a petition the court reviews the same day or promptly.
• You may also need temporary parenting time or support included in the order.

Filing Fees

There is no filing fee for the petitioner in a DVCPO (R.C. 3113.31). The Sheriff serves the order. Victim-advocacy help with a petition may be available — ask the Clerk or the Prosecutor's office. In an emergency call 911. Confirm filing cutoffs with the Clerk at (419) 238-1022.

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Civil Protection Orders in Van Wert County

1. Get the forms. Use the Ohio Supreme Court domestic-violence protection-order forms (the Petition is Form 10.01-D); if you have children together, you can ask for custody or support in the CPO.
2. File at the Clerk's office. File the petition at the Van Wert County Clerk of Courts, 121 East Main Street; there is no filing fee for the petitioner.
3. Attend the ex parte review. The court reviews the petition the same day or promptly and, if the standard is met, issues a temporary ex parte CPO and sets a full hearing (generally within 7–10 court days).
4. Attend the full hearing. Both sides give sworn testimony; the court may issue a final CPO valid up to five years with the protections it finds necessary, then served on the respondent with law-enforcement notification.

Van Wert County Practice Notes

• A CPO is a separate civil case. A Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order is a separate civil case from any divorce or custody case. Parenting/support terms in a CPO can be superseded by later orders in a domestic-relations or juvenile case. Van Wert's posted DR local rules do not set county-specific CPO ex parte timing beyond the statute — confirm same-day filing cutoffs and hearing scheduling with the Clerk at (419) 238-1022.
• What a CPO can order, and for how long. After a full hearing where both sides give sworn testimony, the court may issue a CPO with terms such as no-contact, exclusive use of the home, temporary parenting time and support, counseling, and weapons restrictions, valid for up to five years under R.C. 3113.31. If you and the respondent have children together, the court can address parenting and support as part of the order.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a protection order in Van Wert County, and does it cost anything?

File a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order petition (Ohio Supreme Court Form 10.01-D) at the Van Wert County Clerk of Courts, 121 East Main Street; there is no filing fee for the petitioner (R.C. 3113.31). The court reviews the petition promptly and, if the standard is met, issues a temporary ex parte order and sets a full hearing (generally within 7–10 court days). A final CPO can last up to five years and can include temporary parenting time and support. Confirm same-day filing cutoffs with the Clerk at (419) 238-1022.

Can I get the filing fee waived in Van Wert County?

Yes. The local rules say a party who cannot pay may ask the Court to waive costs; in Ohio you do this by filing a Poverty Affidavit / Affidavit of Indigency in place of the deposit. The Probate & Juvenile Court also provides a Financial Disclosure Form and a Civil Fee Waiver Form. For a Civil Protection Order there is no filing fee for the petitioner at all. Ask the Clerk at (419) 238-1022 for the current waiver form.

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.

Can I get an emergency (ex parte) order in my Van Wert County divorce?

Only in exigent circumstances. Ex parte temporary orders are discouraged and will not be issued except in exigent circumstances supported by a comprehensive affidavit addressing each element of relief (Local Rule 6.4(C)). The Court will not sign an ex parte entry unless it sets a further hearing not sooner than 7 nor later than 28 days from the date the entry is filed. For ordinary temporary support, file an Affidavit of Income & Expenses and the DR-2, plus a journal entry setting (or dispensing with) a hearing (Local Rule 6.4).

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 protection orders case

• Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
• Divorce & Dissolution — End your marriage through a contested divorce or an amicable dissolution.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

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

• Civil Protection Orders in Ohio: How to Get a CPO — An Ohio civil protection order can provide fast, court-ordered protection from domestic violence — including no-contact terms, exclusive home use, and temporary custody. Here's how to get one.
• Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.

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