Warren County Child Support Attorneys

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 4, 2026

Warren County, Ohio · Lebanon

Warren County handles calculating child support under Ohio's Income Shares model using the statewide worksheet, basing child support on each parent's income. Married parents set support inside a divorce or dissolution at the DR Court; never-married parents establish it at the Juvenile Court alongside paternity or custody. The Warren County CSEA at (513) 695-1580 collects and enforces every order and child support payment, adding a 2% processing charge.

Hire Gavvl for your Warren County child support case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Warren County local forms, the court strategy, and the hearings — and you know the price before we start.

Start with a $25 consultation and talk through your options with an Ohio family-law attorney before you commit to anything. Get started online or see payment plans & financing.

How do I get a child-support order in Warren County, Ohio?

Run the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — the basis for calculating child support and setting each parent's child support obligation — then file it with the IV-D Application and Health Insurance Information at the right court: the Domestic Relations Court at 500 Justice Drive for married parents (included in a divorce/dissolution or a $350 Married Living Separately complaint), or the Warren County Juvenile Court at 900 Memorial Drive for never-married parents (a $160 Support complaint, or a $75 motion). The Warren County CSEA at (513) 695-1580 collects child support payments through wage withholding and adds a 2% processing charge.

Warren County child support, calculated and defended right

Child support in Warren County runs on Ohio's Income Shares model and the statewide worksheet, but the number on that worksheet is only the start — the Warren County CSEA at (513) 695-1580 adds a 2% processing charge on every payment and 20% of the current order on arrearages, and the county rejects final entries that omit the required child-support language. Gavvl Law runs the worksheet accurately, files it in the right court with the IV-D Application, and offers a flat fee to establish or modify support or full representation when income is disputed.

Worksheet inputs that hold up. Cash medical runs $510.21 per child per year and health insurance is 'reasonable' only up to 5% of annual gross income — figures that feed the calculation. We build the Income Shares worksheet with the right income, insurance, and parenting-time inputs so the order reflects reality, not guesswork.
Filed where your case lives. Married parents set support inside a divorce or dissolution (or a $350 Married Living Separately complaint) at the DR Court; never-married parents use a $160 Juvenile Support complaint or a $75 motion. We file in the right court so support attaches cleanly to your custody or paternity case.
CSEA compliance that avoids penalties. Failing to update CSEA brings escalating fines of $50, $100, then $500, and final support entries must attach the Notifications form. We wire the IV-D Application and DR Form 11 income notice so wage withholding starts correctly and you stay out of penalty territory.

Because the county rejects documents that leave out the current child-support language, the difference between a self-filed worksheet and an accepted order often comes down to the templates. We use the court's current forms, present the worksheet the way the Magistrate expects, and offer payment plans so establishing or changing support is affordable from the start.

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.

Start your child support case or see payment plans & financing.

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: Warren County Domestic Relations Court

500 Justice Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036
Phone: (513) 695-1344
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (closed for lunch 12:30–1:00 p.m.)
Website: Court website
e-Filing: Online e-filing portal

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Warren County Juvenile Court (Probate/Juvenile Division)
900 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036
Phone: (513) 695-1160
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Child Support is the right path if…

You need a new child-support order, or a substantial change in circumstances means your current order no longer fits your income or parenting time.
You want child support payments collected and enforced through automatic wage withholding.
You have, or are opening, a custody or paternity case the child support attaches to.
Ohio has jurisdiction over the children.

Filing Fees

Included in a divorce/dissolution at DR · Married Living Separately complaint $350 · Juvenile Support complaint $160 + $50/additional child · Juvenile motion $75 · CSEA adds 2% processing for calculating child support

Forms & Filing Packets

Child support for married parents (DR Court)

Support is set inside a divorce or dissolution, or by a Married Living Separately complaint, at the DR Court at 500 Justice Drive.

Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.
Health Insurance Affidavit — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Warren County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.
Information Sheet — Notice to Income Provider (DR Form 11) — Provides the employer/income information CSEA needs to set up wage withholding.

Child support for never-married parents (Juvenile Court) — $160 complaint (or $75 motion)

Filed at the Warren County Juvenile Court, 900 Memorial Drive. A Support complaint is $160 (plus $50 per additional child); a motion to establish support is $75.

Motion for Child Support (Juvenile pro se) — Asks the Warren County Juvenile Court to establish or address child support, often filed with a paternity or custody complaint.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Warren County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.

How to File Child Support in Warren County

Calculate support on the Ohio worksheet. Run the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet using both parents' incomes and the parenting schedule.
Pick the right court. Married parents → DR Court (inside a divorce/dissolution or a Married Living Separately complaint). Never-married parents → Juvenile Court at 900 Memorial Drive.
File the worksheet with the IV-D and health-insurance forms. Include the IV-D Application so the Warren County CSEA can collect and enforce, plus the Health Insurance Information form.
Keep CSEA updated. Report income and address changes promptly to avoid notification fines and to keep wage withholding accurate.

Warren County Practice Notes

Warren County CSEA add-ons. Warren adds a 2% processing charge on all child support payments and 20% of the current order on arrearages. Cash medical is $510.21 per child per year, and health insurance is 'reasonable' when it costs no more than 5% of annual gross income — a figure that feeds into calculating child support. Failing to update CSEA brings escalating fines ($50/$100/$500).
Required child-support language. Since 8/6/2024, Warren rejects initial and final documents that omit the updated child-support language, and final support entries must attach the Notifications form so the child support obligation is recorded correctly. Use the court's current templates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Warren County CSEA do?: The Warren County Child Support Enforcement Agency at 500 Justice Drive, P.O. Box 440, Lebanon, OH 45036-0440, phone (513) 695-1580, opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, collects support by wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. Warren adds a 2% processing charge on all support, plus 20% of the current order on arrearages. File the IV-D Application (DR Form 12 or WCJC Form 11) whenever a support order is set.
How much does it cost to file in Warren County?: Domestic Relations deposits (Clerk Breighton Smith, eff. 7/1/2025): a divorce or dissolution case is $400 with children and $300 without children; a case served by publication is $500; a married-living-apart custody/support complaint is $350; a post-decree motion is $75; and personal service by the Sheriff is $50 per party. An Affidavit of Indigency reduces the deposit to $15. Juvenile Court complaints (custody, parentage, support, visitation, shared parenting) are $160 plus $50 per additional child, and Juvenile motions are $75. Civil Protection Orders have no filing fee.
Do I file in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Warren County?: Warren County splits the two courts onto different campuses. The Domestic Relations Court at 500 Justice Drive hears married-parent matters — divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and the custody/support that travels with them. The Juvenile Court at 900 Memorial Drive hears never-married-parent matters — paternity, custody, parenting time, child support, and grandparent/non-parent custody. Under Rees v. Rees (2026-Ohio-1235, 12th Dist.), grandparent and relative visitation goes to DR when the parents are or ever were married or a parent is deceased.
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 Warren County

Warren County DR Help Center & Document Center. The DR Help Center at 500 Justice Drive helps self-represented parties fill out printed Document Center forms on Tuesdays 1–3 p.m. and Thursdays 9–11 a.m. All Domestic Relations forms and case-type filing packets are posted at warrencountyohio.gov/Domestic_Relations_Court/Forms.
Warren County Probate/Juvenile Legal Help Center. Walk-in help at 900 Memorial Drive on Thursdays 8 a.m.–noon, where an attorney answers legal questions and provides filing packets regardless of financial situation (no attorney-client relationship is formed).
Warren County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Warren County's IV-D agency at (513) 695-1580, csea.warrencountyohio.gov, opens and enforces support cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, and processes payments through OCSPC.
Warren County CASA Program. More than 50 trained CASA volunteers, directed by Melissa Perduk, advocate for abused and neglected children in the child-welfare system. Details at warrencountyohio.gov/Probate_Juvenile/CASA/CASA/Index.

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 Warren County family-law resources

Ohio Child Support guide — Statewide overview of child support in Ohio.
Cincinnati family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cincinnati metro.
Warren County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Warren 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 (513) 643-1969 or email support@gavvl.com.