Warren County Contempt & Enforcement Attorneys

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

Warren County, Ohio · Lebanon

When the other party ignores a court order — withholding parenting time, skipping support, or refusing to hand over property — a contempt motion asks the court to enforce it. In Warren County, file at the court that issued the order: the DR Court at 500 Justice Drive or the Juvenile Court at 900 Memorial Drive. The filing fee is $75, and the court can award attorney fees and order jail until compliance.

Hire Gavvl for your Warren County contempt 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.

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How do I file a contempt motion in Warren County, Ohio?

File a Motion for Contempt ($75) with the court that issued the order — the Warren County Domestic Relations Court at 500 Justice Drive or the Warren County Juvenile Court at 900 Memorial Drive — and obtain service on the other party. The DR Court can award contempt attorney fees up to $1,000 (Local Rule 3.4); the Juvenile Court up to $500 standard. Penalties escalate with each offense and can include fines and jail (up to $1,000 and 90 days), and the court can order imprisonment until the party complies.

Enforce your Warren County order with Gavvl Law

When the other party ignores a Warren County order — withholding parenting time, skipping support, or refusing to turn over property — a $75 contempt motion asks the court that issued it to enforce it, at the DR Court on 500 Justice Drive or the Juvenile Court on 900 Memorial Drive. Warren's courts can award attorney fees and order jail until the party complies. Gavvl Law documents the violations, files the motion with proper service, and offers a flat fee for clear-cut enforcement or full representation when contempt is disputed.

Attorney-fee recovery built into the ask. The DR Court can award contempt attorney fees up to $1,000 (Local Rule 3.4) and the Juvenile Court up to $500, on top of fines up to $1,000 and 90 days. We present the violations and your costs so the court can shift the burden of enforcement onto the party who broke the order.
The health-care reimbursement prerequisite met. Under DR Local Rule 3.4, a contempt over unreimbursed medical expenses must show the bills were previously sent to the other party and went unpaid. We assemble your prior demands and proof of delivery before filing so this common contempt isn't tossed on a technicality.
Ready for the jail-exposure rules. Warren appoints counsel for a respondent only when jail is a possible penalty (DR Local Rule 3.9), and both courts can order imprisonment until compliance under R.C. 2705.06. We build the record to keep coercive contempt on the table where the violation warrants it.

Contempt turns on proof: a clear order, specific violations, and clean service. We gather payment records, messages, and calendars, file in the issuing court, and offer payment plans so holding the other side accountable in Warren County is within reach even when they're the one who caused the problem.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the motion for contempt / show cause to enforce an order the other party is violating. You appear at any hearing.

Contempt (single issue): $950
Contempt (multiple issues): $1,450

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 contempt case or see payment plans & financing.

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.

Post-Decree Contempt is the right path if…

The other party is violating a current court order (parenting time, support, property, or fees).
You have a clear order and can document the violations.
You want the order enforced with possible fines, attorney fees, or makeup parenting time.
Informal attempts to get compliance haven't worked.

Filing Fees

$75 contempt motion · DR attorney fees up to $1,000 · Juvenile attorney fees up to $500 · Penalties up to $1,000 + 90 days, plus jail until compliance

Forms & Filing Packets

Contempt at the DR Court (married-parent orders) — $75 motion

Motion for Contempt (DR) — Asks the DR Court to enforce a divorce, custody, parenting-time, or support order against a party in violation.
Self-Represented Party Instructions — Step-by-step guidance for completing and filing a DR motion, including service requirements.

Contempt at the Juvenile Court (never-married orders) — $75 motion

Motion for Contempt (Juvenile) — Asks the Juvenile Court to enforce a custody, parenting-time, or support order for never-married parents.

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Warren County

Confirm a clear order is being violated. Identify the exact order and the specific violations (missed parenting time, unpaid support, withheld property).
File the contempt motion in the issuing court. DR Motion for Contempt at 500 Justice Drive, or Juvenile Motion for Contempt at 900 Memorial Drive. The fee is $75.
Obtain service and gather proof. Serve the other party and bring documentation (payment records, messages, calendars) to the hearing.
Attend the hearing. Be ready to prove the violations; the court can award attorney fees, impose fines, order makeup parenting time, and jail for noncompliance.

Warren County Practice Notes

Health-care reimbursement contempt has a prerequisite. Under DR Local Rule 3.4, a contempt over unreimbursed health-care expenses must show the bills were previously sent to the other party and went unpaid. Document your prior demands before filing.
Appointed counsel when jail is possible. Warren County appoints counsel only in contempt cases where jail is a possible penalty (DR Local Rule 3.9), drawing from a rotating list. Both the DR and Juvenile courts can order imprisonment until the violating party complies (R.C. 2705.06).

Frequently Asked Questions

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.
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.
How long does a Warren County case usually take?: Dissolution: the hearing is set 31–90 days after filing. Uncontested (non-contested) divorce or legal separation: the hearing is set 65 or more days after filing. Contested divorce: the Supreme Court guideline is 12 months without children and 18 months with children. Post-decree motions are heard in about 4–6 weeks. Civil Protection Orders: an ex parte order can issue the same day, with a full hearing held shortly after.
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.

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 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.