Online Divorce
in Ohio
Divorce Online in Ohio
If a couple has an uncontested divorce in Ohio and is unsure of the process, this problem is solvable. You can turn to an online divorce platform for help. OnlineOhioDivorce.com offers its services for selecting and filling your divorce forms.
How does it work? A spouse (or spouses together) who wants to file for divorce completes a special questionnaire. Based on the information provided, the system selects the forms for your specific case and fills them out. It's fast, efficient, and much cheaper than the most budget-friendly lawyer in Ohio.
Here are the main advantages of an online divorce service:
- The couple works with documents from the comfort of their home or any other convenient location. Spouses are not tied to the schedule of a lawyer.
- Ex-partners can fill out the forms at their own pace — no one will push you. Also, the couple has complete freedom to edit documents at any time.
- You will receive ready-made forms for download in your account within two business days, which is very fast and much easier than selecting documents on your own.
- The platform offers clear and concise filing instructions for every state, including Ohio.
- The site's services are several times cheaper than the services of the most affordable lawyer in Ohio, with a flat fee for uncontested divorces.
We have created a convenient and transparent platform so that spouses will never again experience stress associated with selecting a set of documents for divorce.
Compare Your Options for Filing for Divorce in Ohio
Divorce With a Lawyer
In the traditional divorce process, each spouse has a separate lawyer to represent their interests in court.
- Litigation is the most prolonged and most stressful divorce process;
- Lawyers may provoke more conflict without caring about a peaceful environment;
- The couple needs to adjust to the lawyer's schedule;
- The atmosphere in the courtroom can harm the couple's children;
- Lawyers in Ohio charge $245 an hour on average.
The premier uncontested divorce tool
Quick, cheap, and easy option to file for an uncontested divorce with no stress.
- Work with documents online from anywhere;
- Ideal for amicable divorces;
- Simple and intuitive website interface with no hidden extras;
- One price for access to all forms;
- It costs less than the services of the most affordable lawyer in Ohio.
DIY divorce
The cheapest way is to have a do-it-yourself divorce without anyone's help. However, it does not guarantee speed and efficiency and can often be complicated without help.
- Ignorance of the rights can lead to an unfair outcome;
- There is no guarantee of completing all the documents correctly;
- One mistake in a form and the court will not accept the documents;
- May be delayed for the reasons mentioned above;
- Requires additional financial costs if it develops into a contested divorce.
What Forms Do I Need to File for Divorce in Ohio?
To file for divorce in Ohio, spouses can find and download all the necessary blank forms on the Ohio Supreme Court website.
There are two types of divorce forms — initial and additional.
To start the divorce process in Ohio, the couple needs to fill out these initial forms:
- Complaint for Divorce (or Complaint for Dissolution);
- Statement of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses;
- Statement of Property and Debt;
- Request for Service (not required in a dissolution).
If spouses have children together, they need to complete and submit the following additional forms:
- Complaint for Divorce with Children (instead of a Complaint for Divorce);
- Parenting Proceeding Affidavit;
- Affidavit of Income and Expenses;
- Affidavit of Property;
- Answer to Complaint for Divorce with Children;
- Counterclaim for Divorce;
- Motion and Affidavit or Counter Affidavit for Temporary Orders;
- Health Insurance Affidavit;
- Separation Agreement (if spouse files for separation, not divorce).
How to Fill Out Ohio Divorce Papers
1. The applicant decides whether they file for divorce or separation.
Ohio distinguishes between such concepts as "divorce" and "dissolution." The difference is that divorce implies fault as the reason for ending the marriage, while there is no guilt in dissolution. Dissolution is often referred to as a no-fault divorce.
If a claimant is filing for dissolution, they will also need to file a Separation Agreement along with the initial forms — Complaint for Dissolution, Statement of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses; Statement of Property and Debt.
2. The petitioner completes the initial and additional forms to start the divorce proceedings.
To decide what additional forms are needed, it is advisable to learn more about them:
- Parenting Proceeding Affidavit is a form used to determine who gets custody rights and visitation rights of the children;
- Affidavit of Income and Expenses is a form used by the court to get the income and expenses of both parties in the divorce;
- Affidavit of Property is a form used to find out the husband and wife's current assets and debts;
- The Health Insurance Affidavit is a form to get the health insurance information of both spouses and their children;
- Request for Service is a form to request that the Court gives certain Divorce documents to the other party;
- Answer to Complaint for Divorce with Children is a form for a Motion and Affidavit or to file a Counter Affidavit without having an oral hearing;
- Counterclaim for Divorce is a form to provide counterclaims if your spouse filed for Divorce;
- Motion and Affidavit or Counter Affidavit for Temporary Orders is a form for use after a Motion and Affidavit or a Counter Affidavit without having an oral hearing has been filed;
- Separation Agreement is used to file for separation from one's spouse if you wish to live separate from your spouse but remain married.
3. The petitioner submits all required paperwork to the correct county court.
To file for divorce or dissolution in Ohio, the petitioner must file in the Court of Common Pleas in the county where either spouse has lived for at least 90 days. If they both live in the same county, they must apply in that county.
4. The couple pays court filing fees.
Each county in Ohio has different court fees. Ex-partners should contact the court clerk for more information. The filing fee for divorce and dissolution of marriage in most counties is between $300 and $400. In addition, the registration fee may be higher in some courts if the couple has minor children.
File for Divorce Online in Ohio Without a Lawyer
Filing Requirements for Online Divorce in Ohio
Before the couple files for divorce in Ohio, the spouses must meet residency requirements. These requirements are slightly different for divorce (fault-based) and dissolution (no-fault).
For example, to file for divorce in Ohio, the petitioner must have resided in the state for at least six months immediately before filing for divorce. If the couple wants to get a dissolution, one of the spouses must have lived in the state for at least six months immediately before filing the complaint.
If the couple files for dissolution, the spouses need to sign a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and include a Proposed Separation Agreement in a Petition. The court will later have it in the final decree.
In the Separation Agreement, the ex-partners stipulate all the key points: the division of all property and debts, spousal support (alimony), custody and visitation of the child if they have children in common, the appointment of a "residential parent" and "legal custodian" of minor children, as well as child support.
Here are the options to file for divorce and dissolution in Ohio:
- Spouses can file the required paperwork online through the Domestic Relations Court Electronic E-filing system;
- A couple can send documents by mail to the court;
- Spouses can come to court in person and file divorce papers;
- Ex-partners can use the additional services of OnlineOhioDivorce.com for filing documents with the court in the necessary county.
When filing for divorce in Ohio, the spouses need to pay court filing fees, $200 for divorce without children, and $300 for the divorce procedure with them. The dissolution costs $200 with kids and $150 without them.
Do-It-Yourself Divorce in Ohio
In Ohio, the spouses need to follow a few steps to have a successful do-it-yourself divorce. So, what should a couple do if they want to complete a DIY divorce?
1. Meet the residency requirements.
One or both spouses must have lived in Ohio a minimum of 6 months before filing for divorce. Also, at least one spouse must reside in the county where the claimant wishes to divorce for a minimum of 90 days.
2. Define legal grounds for divorce.
Ohio marriage law adopts 11 grounds for divorce:
- Adultery
- Habitual drunkenness
- Fraudulent contract (one spouse committed a fraudulent act to force the other spouse to marry)
- The other spouse divorced the filing spouse in another state
- Gross "neglect of duty"
- The non-filing spouse has left voluntarily for a year or more
- Extreme cruelty
- Spouse's incarceration in a state or federal correctional facility at the time of filing for divorce
- One of the spouses had a husband or wife at the time of marriage
- The spouses lived apart for a year
- Incompatibility (unless one of the spouses denies that the couple is incompatible).
The plaintiff may claim that the marriage ended for one or more of these reasons, but they will only need to provide proof for one of them. However, listing two or more grounds on the petition may be helpful if the claimant cannot prove one of them.
3. Prepare and fill out necessary forms.
The applicant must complete the required documents (initial and additional forms) to file for divorce, including those detailing income, expenses, property, debts, etc.
4. Request for "temporary orders."
Since divorce is often a lengthy process (especially fault-based), the petitioner can file "requests for temporary orders." The couple does this to determine the critical points while waiting for the final divorce. For example, these "temporary orders" will specify who will be responsible for child custody or debt payments until the ex-partners are officially divorced.
5. File forms and serve the spouse.
When spouses have completed all required documents, they submit them electronically online or in-person to the clerk's office in the couple's county. Also, the filing spouse must serve the divorce papers to the defendant. Usually, the clerk's office does this for an additional fee.
6. Participate in the court hearing.
The court will ask the spouses to attend a "pre-trial hearing" to discuss the divorce terms. If the couple agrees on all issues, the judge will read the written agreement and confirm it is acceptable under Ohio marriage law. The divorce is considered complete when a signed "Judgment Entry for Divorce" is filed with the court. It is usually filed automatically after the judge approves the divorce.
- All Required Ohio State Forms.
- Ohio-Specific Court Filing Instructions.
- Unlimited Revisions for as long as your account is active.
Getting a Divorce With Children in Ohio
If a couple has children together, they need to understand the types of custody available.
In sole physical custody, one parent is responsible for the child's day-to-day care, the same parent is the child's primary caretaker, and the child lives with them for more than 50% of the time. The second parent does not have the right to make essential decisions in the child's life and can only see the child according to a particular schedule.
In joint physical custody, both parents act as primary guardians. The child lives in both households, though time spent with both ex-spouses is often not divided in half. Each parent spends as much time with the child as the court determines best for the child.
In joint legal custody, both parents are actively involved in the child's life, for example, in everything related to education, health care, and religious beliefs. Therefore, joint legal custody is considered the most favorable since both parents are actively involved in the child's upbringing.
Residency Requirements in OH
To get a divorce in Ohio, spouses must meet the following requirements:
- One or both spouses must have lived in Ohio for at least six months before filing for divorce;
- At least one spouse must have lived in the county they want to divorce for a minimum of 90 days to file for a divorce in Ohio.
If the couple chooses dissolution, it must be mutual. This means that the spouses agree in advance on all essential aspects of the divorce, such as custody, alimony, division of property, etc. If spouses sign a Settlement Agreement, a no-fault divorce may be their only recourse. In this case, the filing spouse can specify the following grounds:
- Spouses have been physically separated for at least one year;
- Spouses are incompatible.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Divorce in Ohio
Of course, the duration of a divorce in Ohio will directly depend on the type of divorce.
For example, in a contested divorce case, the process usually lasts at least a year and often longer if the couple has children in common and disagrees on custody issues, sharing of joint property, etc.
If a couple has an uncontested divorce in Ohio, then they have every chance of finishing it in 2-3 months. In this case, the ex-partners sign a Settlement Agreement in advance, which spells out all the critical points of the divorce. The presence of children in a couple may slightly prolong the process.
In a dissolution, a final hearing will be scheduled between 30 and 90 days after the application for dissolution is filed. If everything is in order with the parties' agreements, the judge signs the divorce order, it is submitted to the court clerk, and the dissolution is considered complete. As with an uncontested divorce, a dissolution in Ohio usually takes 45-90 days.
Divorce waiting periods in Ohio differ depending on the type of divorce. In a no-fault divorce, the residency requirement is six months, and the couple must live apart for one year. The six-month residency requirement is the only limitation for a fault-based divorce. There is no waiting period for dissolution if the spouses agree on all key points.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to file for an uncontested divorce in Ohio?
Firstly, the spouses should meet the residency requirements. Then, the couple defines legal grounds for divorce, prepares, and fills out necessary forms. The next step is to request "temporary orders" and file the required forms. Afterward, one spouse serves the documents to the other. Finally, ex-partners participate in the court hearing.
How much does a divorce cost in Ohio?
The cost of a divorce in Ohio is directly affected by the specifics of the particular case. However, if both parties have signed the Settlement Agreement on all significant issues, the costs can be relatively low. If a petitioner files the forms themselves for an amicable and uncontested divorce, it will cost less than $500.
How to get a free divorce in Ohio?
If spouses cannot afford to pay the filing fees, they can ask the court to waive this requirement. If their income is 187.5% of the federal poverty level or less, the court must waive the fees. However, even if a couple does not meet the living wage rule, they can still apply for a fee waiver. The decision will depend on the individual judge.
How to get divorce papers in Ohio?
The spouses can find all the necessary blank forms on the Ohio Supreme Court website. However, if they don't want to waste their time and nerves on this, they can always turn to OnlineOhioDivorce.com. We will send the ready-made forms focused on the specific case in two business days.
Where do I go to file for an uncontested divorce in Ohio?
To file for a divorce or dissolution in Ohio, the couple files divorce papers in the Court of Common Pleas in the county where one spouse has lived for at least 90 days. If they both live in the same county, a petitioner must file in that county.
What are the grounds for divorce in Ohio?
Grounds for divorce in Ohio are: adultery, habitual drunkenness, fraudulent contract, gross "neglect of duty," the spouse has left voluntarily for a year or more, extreme cruelty, spouse's incarceration in a correctional facility at the time of filing for divorce, the spouses lived apart for a year, and incompatibility.
How is property divided in a Ohio Divorce?
Ohio law requires spouses' property to be divided equally unless such a division would be unfair. It is assumed that each of the ex-partners equally contributed to the acquisition of jointly acquired marital property.