General Information

This page provides general information about the divorce process, the Court and its services. This information is not a substitute for legal counsel. Readers are encouraged to consult with an attorney for more detailed information, and/or refer to Title 31 of the Ohio Revised Code, the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Rules of the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court.

You may also find answers to specific questions on our "FAQ" (Frequently Asked Questions) page. (Click here for FAQ)

The Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court handles divorces, dissolutions, legal separations, annulments, and domestic violence petitions. Because of the special nature of cases involving families, the Court possesses “continuing” jurisdiction to enforce its orders and to modify orders concerning the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities of children, child support, and spousal support under certain circumstances. The Domestic Relations Court does not handle marriage licenses or adoptions (handled by the Probate Court), or delinquency, parenting and support issues involving children of unmarried parents (handled by the Juvenile Court). The Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court is one of the largest and busiest courts in Ohio, handling over 5,000 newly-filed and post-decree cases annually.

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TERMINATING MARRIAGE	DOMESTIC VIOLENCE	CHILD SUPPORT
DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE	LEGAL SEPARATION	PARENTING SERVICES
DIVORCE	FILING FEES & COURT COSTS	ALLOCATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITES
ANNULMENT	SERVICE OF PROCESS	INFORMATION CENTER