Enforcing Orders & Contempt in Warren County

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.

Where to File: Warren County Domestic Relations Court

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Warren County Juvenile Court (Probate/Juvenile Division)
900 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036, 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

How to File Post-Decree Contempt in Warren County

1. Confirm a clear order is being violated. Identify the exact order and the specific violations (missed parenting time, unpaid support, withheld property).
2. 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.
3. Obtain service and gather proof. Serve the other party and bring documentation (payment records, messages, calendars) to the hearing.
4. 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.

Other Family-Law Topics in Warren County

• Warren County Divorce — Contested divorce filing guide for the DR Court at 500 Justice Drive.
• Warren County Dissolution — The agreed, both-spouses-sign track with a hearing 31–90 days after filing.
• Warren County Custody — Married parents file in DR; never-married parents file at the Juvenile Court.

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.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Post-Decree Contempt guide — Statewide overview of post-decree contempt in Ohio.
• Cincinnati family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cincinnati metro.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
• Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.