Sample packet · Ohio
A sample Ohio divorce packet
This is what we put in front of someone who is about to start an Ohio divorce or dissolution without a lawyer: which route applies, which forms go with which answers, what happens in what order, what it costs, and three worksheets to fill in before any meeting. If you work with people going through a divorce, you can print it and hand it over as it is. Sections 1 to 4 come from our Ohio guide, Ohio DIY Divorce Kit, where each figure carries its source. Sources last checked 19 October 2026, so check your county’s current fee schedule before you quote a number to anyone.
1. Which route
| Route | When it applies | What is different |
|---|---|---|
| Dissolution (R.C. 3105.64) | Both spouses have worked out a complete agreement on property, debts and, where there are children, parenting time and support, and both will sign the petition as co-petitioners and appear at the final hearing together. | No service of process and no contested hearing. The final hearing must happen between 30 and 90 days after filing; if it has not by day 90, the court can dismiss and the case starts over, filing fee included. The Separation Agreement must be signed and notarized before filing. |
| Divorce (Civ.R. 75(K); Civ.R. 12(A)(1)) | The spouses have not fully agreed, one spouse will not co-file, or the case is contested or the other spouse will not engage. | Nothing can be finalized before 42 days after the other spouse is served, and the Answer is due 28 days after service. There is no 90-day wall, but no fast track either. |
Ohio requires one spouse to have lived in the state for 6 months before filing, and 90 days in the county where the case is filed. A cooperative spouse can sign Form 30, the Waiver of Service of Summons, which skips formal service and its cost but does not shorten the 42-day and 28-day clocks.
2. Forms that depend on the answers
| Route or situation | Forms |
|---|---|
| Dissolution | Form 17 petition for dissolution and waiver of service; Form 19 separation agreement (notarized); Form 18 judgment entry, decree of dissolution |
| Divorce, no children | Form 6 complaint; Form 10 answer; Form 14 decree |
| Divorce, with children | Form 7 complaint; Form 11 answer; Form 15 decree |
| Spouse cooperates | Form 30 waiver of service of summons |
| Spouse is served | Summons, issued automatically by the clerk; Form 8 or Form 9 counterclaim if they contest and raise their own claims |
| Minor children (either route) | Affidavit 3 parenting proceeding affidavit; Affidavit 4 health insurance affidavit; Form 20 shared parenting plan or Form 21 parenting plan; JFS 07768 child support computation worksheet |
| Every case | Affidavit 1 (basic information, income and expenses); Affidavit 2 (property and debt) |
| Cannot afford the fee | Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit and Order |
All forms are free from the Ohio Supreme Court’s Uniform Domestic Relations Forms. Courts can require local forms on top of these, so this is the statewide floor, not necessarily a county’s whole packet. Download fresh each time, because clerks reject superseded revisions.
3. The order it happens in
| Route | Steps | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Dissolution | Confirm residency; negotiate and sign Form 19 together; file Form 17 together; the clerk schedules the hearing 30 to 90 days out; both appear together; the judge incorporates the agreement and signs Form 18 | $150 to $450 all-in |
| Divorce | Confirm residency; file the complaint (Form 6 or 7); get the spouse served, or Form 30; answer due 28 days from service; exchange financial disclosure (Affidavits 1 and 2); parenting paperwork if there are children; earliest final hearing 42 days from service; hearing or trial and decree (Form 14 or 15) | $150 to $450 all-in |
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing fee, Franklin County (divorce $275, dissolution $225) | $225 to $275 |
| Filing fee, Cuyahoga County (divorce $200 to $300, dissolution $150 to $200, by children) | $150 to $300 |
| Filing fee, Hamilton County (no children $325, with children $375) | $325 to $375 |
| Sheriff or process server, per person (divorce only) | $30 to $50 |
| Remote online notarization, per session | about $25 |
| Parenting class, per parent, if your county requires one | $25 to $75 |
Ohio’s 88 counties each set their own domestic relations filing fees, so the county decides the real number.
4. What we could not settle for you
Which forms a specific case needs depends on facts only the person and their lawyer know. Ohio has no uniform statewide mandatory disclosure list; the two affidavits are standard, but how much documentation sits behind them depends on the county’s local rules. Confirm the county’s rule, the fee and the current form revision before filing.
5. Sample worksheets
These three are sample prep sheets from The Cusp’s planning tools, shortened to one page each. They are examples of the format, not Ohio legal forms, and they are not filed with any court.
Document inventory
| Document | Where it is | Have it? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last 3 years of tax returns | |||
| Recent pay stubs | |||
| Bank, brokerage and retirement statements | |||
| Mortgage and property records | |||
| Credit card and loan statements | |||
| Insurance policies |
Two-household monthly budget
| Item | Today (one household) | After: me | After: spouse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| Utilities | |||
| Food | |||
| Transportation | |||
| Insurance and health | |||
| Children | |||
| Debt payments | |||
| Total |
Meeting prep sheet
| Question for the meeting | Answer or next step |
|---|---|
| What do I most need decided first? | |
| What deadlines am I already facing? | |
| What am I unsure I can afford? | |
| What documents am I still missing? |
Sources last checked 19 October 2026. Spot something out of date? Email hello@thecusp.app. Full source list: Ohio DIY Divorce Kit.
What would you change? Reply with the two edits that would make this more useful to you: hello@thecusp.app.