Enforcing a Van Wert County Order (Contempt)

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)

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

• The other party is violating a Van Wert County court order — unpaid support, withheld parenting time, or ignored terms.
• You have a clear, current order that spells out what the other party was required to do.
• You can document the violations (missed payments, denied visits, dates, and amounts).
• You want the court to compel compliance, award make-up time, or recover fees.

Filing Fees

The motion-to-reopen deposit is $225 (Local Rule 4); confirm the deposit for your specific contempt motion with the Clerk. For unpaid support, the Van Wert County CSEA can also pursue enforcement. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (419) 238-1022.

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Van Wert County

1. Document the violation. Gather proof — missed payments and amounts, or denied parenting-time dates — that shows what the order required and how it was violated.
2. File the show-cause motion. File a Motion, an Affidavit in Support, and an Order to Show Cause Containing Notice in the case that issued the order (Local Rule 6.2(H)), and pay the $225 deposit.
3. Serve the other party. The show-cause order is served so the other party is ordered to appear and explain the violation.
4. Attend the hearing. At the hearing the court decides whether the violation was willful and orders remedies — a purge condition, make-up time, fees, or jail for repeated violations.

Van Wert County Practice Notes

• Show-cause packet under Local Rule 6.2(H). A contempt filing is a Motion plus an Affidavit in Support and an Order to Show Cause Containing Notice. The other party is served and the court holds a hearing; the order to show cause is what compels them to appear and explain the violation.
• Remedies include purge conditions and fees. On a finding of contempt for a willful violation (R.C. 2705.02), the court can impose a purge condition (a way to 'cure' the violation), order make-up parenting time, award attorney fees and costs, and, for repeated or willful violations, impose jail. For unpaid support, the CSEA can also enforce through income withholding, license suspension, and tax intercept.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enforce a Van Wert County support or parenting-time order?

File a Motion to show cause with an Affidavit in Support and an Order to Show Cause Containing Notice in the case that issued the order (Local Rule 6.2(H)). The other party is served and the court holds a hearing; remedies under R.C. 2705.02 can include a purge condition, make-up parenting time, attorney fees, and, for willful violations, jail. The motion-to-reopen deposit is $225.00 — confirm the deposit for your specific motion with the Clerk.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
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