Filing for Divorce with Children in Warren County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated May 27, 2026

File for divorce with minor children in the Warren County Domestic Relations Court. Step-by-step guidance, 14 required forms, ~$400 filing fee, parenting class requirements, and Ohio attorney help.

Warren County's DR Court at 500 Justice Drive in Lebanon serves one of Ohio's fastest-growing suburban counties and offers something most courts don't: a free walk-in Help Center for forms (Tuesdays 1–3 p.m. and Thursdays 9–11 a.m.) plus toll-free dial-in numbers for residents in Cincinnati, Dayton, Middletown, Franklin, and southeast Warren. Filing fee is $400 for a divorce with children.

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)

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

Filing Fees

$400 divorce with children

Warren County Procedure Quirks

Toll-free dial-in from across the region: Lebanon (513) 695-1344, Cincinnati (513) 925-1344, Dayton (937) 425-1344, Middletown/Franklin (513) 261-1344, SE Warren (937) 783-4993 ext. 1344.
Help Center for free forms help: Tuesdays 1:00–3:00 p.m. and Thursdays 9:00–11:00 a.m. — bring printed forms completed to the best of your ability.
Closed for lunch 12:30–1:00 p.m. daily.

Parenting Class

Required parenting class — Court-approved providers
Both parents must complete before the final hearing.

Judges

Judge Jeffrey T. Kirby

Warren County Court of Common Pleas — Probate & Juvenile Division

900 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036
Phone: (513) 695-1180
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: Juvenile court website

Probate and Juvenile share a building and a judge but run separate dockets — probate (wills, estates, guardianships) and juvenile (custody, support, delinquency, abuse/neglect).

Domestic Relations vs. Juvenile

Warren splits between buildings on the Justice Drive / Memorial Drive campus in Lebanon: DR Court at 500 Justice Drive for divorces and dissolutions; Probate & Juvenile Court at 900 Memorial Drive for never-married-parent custody/support and juvenile matters.

Free Local Resources in Warren County

Warren County DR Help Center. Free walk-in help filling out forms. Tues 1–3 p.m., Thurs 9–11 a.m.
New-Case Compliance Officer. Carrie Oliver — ext. 1340. Reviews new filings for completeness.

Other Warren County Court Services

Domestic Violence & Dating Violence Protection Orders

A Civil Protection Order under R.C. 3113.31 can order an abuser to stay away, surrender weapons, and leave a shared home. In Warren County, file the petition in person at the Domestic Relations Court, 500 Justice Drive, Lebanon, with a photo ID. There is no filing fee, and the court tries to hold an ex parte hearing the same day.

CPO cases are heard until 3:00 p.m.; bring the respondent's name, address, and date of birth. Dismissal and modification follow DR Local Rules 3.16–3.17, and CPO matters are never sent to mediation. A final CPO can last up to 5 years.

Warren County Probate Court

900 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036
Phone: (513) 695-1180
Email: sroberts@warrencountyohio.gov

e-Filing: e-Filing portal

Forms: All probate forms

Adoptions, name changes, guardianships, and marriage licenses are handled by Probate Court — a separate division from Domestic Relations — at 900 Memorial Drive. Probate e-Filing is available to attorneys only.

Model Parenting-Time Schedule

Warren County's Domestic Relations Court publishes a Basic Parenting Schedule (effective April 1, 2012) that becomes the default parenting time when parents cannot agree. It is a guideline — the court encourages parents to agree on a schedule that fits their family, and the schedule adjusts by the child's age.

The schedule offers two basic options for school-age children plus separate provisions for infants and teenagers, and a long-distance schedule applies when parents live far apart.

Infants (birth to about 18 months). Frequent, shorter daytime visits that build attachment with the non-residential parent, gradually lengthening as the child grows and can handle longer separations.
Basic Schedule Option 1. Alternating weekends with the non-residential parent plus a midweek visit, designed for parents who live near each other.
Basic Schedule Option 2. Alternating weekends plus an added midweek overnight, giving the non-residential parent more time during the school week.
Teenagers (about 13–18). A flexible schedule that respects the teen's school, work, and activity commitments while preserving meaningful time with both parents.

Holidays rotate between the parents by odd/even year and take precedence over the regular weekend and midweek schedule.
Each parent generally receives extended, uninterrupted summer parenting time with advance notice to the other parent.
Mother's Day and Father's Day are spent with the appropriate parent regardless of the regular rotation.
When parents live far apart, a long-distance schedule replaces the midweek visits with longer, less frequent blocks of time.

Required divorce-with-children packet (14 forms)

Complaint for Divorce with Children — The main document that starts your case and lists what you're asking the court to decide.
Notifications — Your contact info so the court can reach you.
Personal History — Basic background info on you, your spouse, and your marriage.
Mandatory Disclosure Order — Order requiring both parties to fully disclose finances within 45 days of service.
Mutual Restraining Order (Warren local) — Restrains both parties from harassment and from moving or hiding money. Filed with the Complaint.
Income, Expense & Property Affidavit — Your income, monthly bills, property, and debts.
Health Insurance Information — Who provides insurance for the family and the cost.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit — The children's 5-year address history.
Basic Parenting Schedule — Default parenting time schedule used unless you propose your own.
IV-D Application (Child Support Services) — Opens your case with the child support enforcement agency.
Motion & Affidavit for Temporary Orders — Requests temporary parenting, support, and other orders while the case is pending.
Entry Granting Temporary Orders — The proposed order the court signs to grant your temporary-orders request.
Final Judgment Decree of Divorce with Children — Court's final order at the end of your case — submitted at the final hearing.
Notice to Withhold (Income Withholding) — Sets up automatic child-support withholding from the obligor's paycheck.

Temporary orders while your case is pending

Warren County's DR 7 Mutual Restraining Order is auto-effective at filing for the Plaintiff and at service for the Defendant. Affidavit 5 separately requests parenting time and support while pending; the spouse has 14 days to respond with a counter-affidavit, and the Entry Granting Temporary Orders is the proposed order the court signs.

Mutual Restraining Order (Warren local) — Restrains both parties from harassment and from moving or hiding money. Filed with the Complaint.
Motion & Affidavit for Temporary Orders — Requests temporary parenting, support, and other orders while the case is pending.
Entry Granting Temporary Orders — The proposed order the court signs to grant your temporary-orders request.

Related guides

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

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.
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 Much Does a Divorce Cost in Ohio? — The cost of an Ohio divorce ranges widely depending on conflict and complexity. Here's what drives the price — court fees, attorney fees, experts — and how to keep it manageable.
How Long Does a Divorce Take in Ohio? — There is no single answer to how long an Ohio divorce takes — an agreed dissolution can finish in a couple of months, while a contested divorce may run a year or more. Here's what drives the timeline.

Related to your divorce

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

Call (513) 643-1969 or email support@gavvl.com.