Ohio Civil Rules Form 22 is the Show Cause Order, Notice and Instructions to the Clerk that a party uses to bring another person back into a domestic relations or juvenile court to explain why they broke a court order. It is officially titled Uniform Domestic Relations Form 22 / Uniform Juvenile Form 4, it carries an effective date of 7/1/2013, and it is approved under Ohio Civil Rule 84 and Ohio Juvenile Rule 46.
You cannot file this form by itself. It must travel with the Motion for Contempt and Affidavit, known as Uniform Domestic Relations Form 21, which tells the court exactly what order the other person ignored. Roughly half of all child support cases nationwide carry some unpaid balance, which is why show cause filings are among the most common post-decree motions Ohio courts handle each year.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 📄 What Form 22 does and exactly who must file it
- ✍️ A line-by-line walkthrough of every box, including the parts you must leave blank for the judge
- 👨👩👧 Three real filled-out examples for support, parenting time, and property division
- 📬 How to serve and file the form through every channel a county offers
- ⚠️ The field-level mistakes that get show cause filings rejected or dismissed
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
Form 22 is a court order in waiting. When you fill it out and the judge signs it, it commands the other party to appear in court and show cause why they should not be held in contempt for disobeying a prior order. The form lives at the intersection of three things: your underlying court order, the Motion for Contempt that describes the violation, and the contempt statute found in R.C. 2705.031, which lets a party seek contempt for missed support or denied parenting time.
The people who file it are usually self-represented parents. A mother chasing months of unpaid child support files it. A father who keeps getting turned away at the door on his parenting-time weekends files it. A former spouse who never received the property payment ordered in a divorce files it. These filers are often stressed, behind on bills, or hurt, and the form gives them a direct path back to the judge who made the first order.
The court that receives Form 22 is the same Court of Common Pleas that issued your original order, sitting in either its Domestic Relations Division or its Juvenile Division. The form is a statewide uniform form, so the same version is accepted in all 88 Ohio counties, though each county adds its own local rules about deposits and service. The consequence of skipping this form is simple: without it, the other party never gets a lawful order to appear, and the court cannot punish them for the violation. Many filers wrongly believe a phone call from the clerk or a strongly worded letter forces the other side to court, but only a signed show cause order does that.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Gathering everything before you open the form saves you a second trip to the clerk and prevents a defective filing. Pull these items together first:
- A certified copy of the order that was violated. The court checks the violation against the exact terms of the order, and without it the judge cannot confirm a violation happened.
- Your completed Motion for Contempt and Affidavit (Form 21). Form 22 is invalid without it, and the clerk will refuse the filing if it is missing.
- The case number from your original case. A wrong or missing case number routes your filing into the wrong file or stalls it at intake.
- The full legal name of the person who broke the order. A misspelled name can void service and force you to start over.
- The other party’s current home address. Service fails at a stale address, and failed service means no hearing.
- The name of the judge and magistrate assigned to your case. This tells the clerk which courtroom and docket the matter belongs to.
- The county and division of your court. Filing in the wrong division delays the case while staff transfer it.
- Dates and details of each violation. These belong in Form 21, but you need them ready so the two documents match.
- The filing fee or deposit for your county. Without payment the clerk holds the filing, and your case never moves.
- Your own current mailing address and phone number. The court uses this to reach you about hearing dates, and a bad address means missed notices.
If any single item is missing, the most common result is a rejected filing at the counter or a hearing that never gets scheduled. Treat this checklist as your gate before you write a single word on the form.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official, current version of Form 22 lives on the Supreme Court of Ohio forms page as a fillable PDF. You can type directly into the PDF on a computer, which is cleaner than hand-printing and reduces the chance the clerk cannot read your entries. The form is free, and no website should ever charge you to download it.
Most county Clerk of Courts offices also post the form on their own websites, and many post it inside a packet alongside Form 21 so you grab both at once. If you walk into the clerk’s office in person, the staff can hand you paper copies of both forms. Some counties, such as Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Hamilton, run e-filing portals where the forms are built into the filing flow.
Always confirm the 7/1/2013 effective date printed in the top corner of each page before you fill it out. Counties sometimes leave older drafts online, and an outdated form can be rejected or can omit a current notice provision. If the date on your copy does not match, download a fresh copy straight from the Supreme Court site rather than risk a defective filing.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Form 22 Line by Line
Work through the form in the order the boxes appear. The form runs three pages: page one is the caption and the show cause command, page two is the court’s hearing block and the notice of penalties, and page three is your instructions to the clerk about service. Remember that the court completes part of page two, so some boxes are not yours to touch.
1. Court of Common Pleas, Division, and County
This top block asks which court and which division of that court holds your case. Enter the county name where your original order was issued, then check or write the division, which is usually Domestic Relations or Juvenile. For example, Janet Reyes writes Franklin on the county line and Domestic Relations on the division line because her divorce decree came out of that court. If your case began in Juvenile Court because the parents were never married, you write Juvenile instead, since support and parenting orders for unmarried parents live there. The most common mistake here is naming a county where you now live rather than the county that issued the order, which sends the filing to a court with no power over your case. Many filers think they can move the contempt action to a court closer to home, but the motion must return to the court that made the original order.
2. In the Matter of / Minor Child’s Name
This line names the minor child the case concerns, used in juvenile and parenting matters. Print the child’s full legal name as it appears on the existing court order. For example, Janet Reyes writes Sofia Reyes because that is how her daughter is named in the parenting plan. If your contempt action is purely about property division and no child is involved, you may leave this line blank, since some divorce contempt cases have no minor. The common error is entering a nickname or a changed name, which can make the filing fail to match the existing case file. People often assume the child must be listed in every contempt case, but a pure property or spousal support dispute may have no child at all.
3. Plaintiff/Petitioner Name and Address
This block identifies the person who started the original case, with their name, street address, city, state, and ZIP code. Print the full legal name and current mailing address of that party. For example, Janet Reyes enters Janet Reyes, 4120 Oak Street, Columbus, OH 43215 because she was the petitioner in the divorce. If you have a confidential address because of a protection order, ask the clerk about your county’s address-confidentiality procedure rather than listing your home. The frequent mistake is using an old address, which causes the court to mail hearing notices to a place you no longer live. Filers sometimes believe the “Plaintiff” is always the person filing the contempt, but the labels track the original case, not the contempt motion.
4. Defendant/Petitioner Name and Address
This block identifies the other party, the person you want brought to court, with their name and full address. Print their full legal name and the most current home address you have, because this address drives service. For example, Janet Reyes enters Marcus Reyes, 88 Pine Avenue, Apartment 3, Columbus, OH 43201 for her ex-husband. If you only have a work address or a relative’s address, note that certified mail and sheriff service both need a place where the person actually receives mail or can be found. The biggest mistake on this block is a wrong or outdated address, which guarantees failed service and a hearing that never happens. Many people assume the court will track down the other party for them, but you must supply a usable address or service stalls.
5. Case Number
This box asks for the case number of your original court order. Copy the case number exactly as it appears on your decree or prior entry, including any letters or year prefix. For example, Janet Reyes writes 18 DR 004532 because that is the number on her divorce decree. If you have lost the number, the clerk can look it up by your name, but bring your ID. Leaving this blank or guessing the number is a common error that misfiles your contempt motion or attaches it to the wrong case. People often think a new contempt motion gets a brand-new case number, but in Ohio the contempt rides on the existing case number.
6. Judge and Magistrate
These lines ask which judge and which magistrate are assigned to your case. Enter the names exactly as listed on your most recent court order or docket. For example, Janet Reyes writes Judge A. Holloway and Magistrate L. Pena from her latest entry. If a magistrate is not listed on your paperwork, you may leave the magistrate line blank, since the court can assign one later. Putting the wrong judge here can slow routing while staff correct the docket. Filers sometimes believe they get to pick the judge, but the case stays with the originally assigned judge under the court’s local assignment rules.
7. The Show Cause Command (TO: Plaintiff/Petitioner or Defendant/Petitioner)
This is the heart of page one, where you check which party is being ordered to appear and show cause. Check the box for the party who broke the order, almost always the opposing party. For example, Janet Reyes checks the Defendant/Petitioner box because Marcus is the one who stopped paying. The line that follows already reads that the person must appear and show cause why they should not be held in contempt for failing to obey the order described in the attached motion. The common mistake is checking the wrong party box, which can order you to court instead of the violator. People sometimes think they must write out the violation here, but the details belong in the attached Form 21, not on this line.
8. The Court Hearing Block (Leave Blank)
Page two opens with a block stating the county, the division, the courtroom, the address, and the date and time to appear. This part is labeled The Court will complete this part, so you leave every field in it empty. For example, Janet Reyes writes nothing here and lets the court set Courtroom 4B and a date once a judge reviews her motion. If you fill in a date yourself, you risk setting a hearing the court never scheduled, which voids the notice. The single most common error on the entire form is writing a hearing date in this block. Filers often assume they pick their own court date, but only the court can set and sign the hearing time.
9. The Notice of Penalties (Read, Do Not Edit)
The middle of page two lists seven numbered notices that warn the other party of the consequences. These are preprinted and you do not change them, but you should read them so you understand what the other side faces. They warn that failing to appear may trigger a bench warrant for immediate arrest, may trigger immediate income withholding, and explain the right to an attorney and to apply for appointed counsel within three business days. They also lay out the graduated penalties: a first offense up to a $250 fine and up to thirty days in jail, a second offense up to $500 and sixty days, and a third offense up to $1,000 and ninety days. The mistake here is trying to retype or alter these notices, which can invalidate the uniform form. Many filers believe contempt is only about money, but these notices show jail time is squarely on the table.
10. Judge/Magistrate Signature Line (Leave Blank)
The bottom of page two has a signature line for the judge or magistrate. You leave this blank because only the judicial officer signs the order into effect. For example, Janet Reyes never signs here; she waits for Judge A. Holloway to sign after reviewing her filing. If the line is blank when the order is served, that is correct, because the signed copy comes back through the clerk. The error to avoid is signing it yourself or asking a notary to sign, which has no legal effect and can confuse the clerk. People often think their own signature makes the order official, but a show cause order is only valid once a judge signs it.
11. Instructions to the Clerk: Who to Serve
Page three is yours again. The first part directs the clerk to serve the order and the attached motion on either the Defendant/Petitioner or the Plaintiff/Petitioner, with a checkbox for each. Check the box matching the party you named in the show cause command on page one. For example, Janet Reyes checks Defendant/Petitioner because Marcus is the party who must be served. The common mistake is checking a different party here than you checked on page one, which creates a contradiction the clerk cannot resolve. Filers sometimes think the court automatically knows who to serve, but the clerk follows exactly the box you check.
12. Instructions to the Clerk: Method of Service
Next you choose how the clerk delivers the documents, with three options: Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested; Issuance to Sheriff of a named county for Personal or Residence service; or Other (specify). Check the method most likely to reach the person, and if you choose sheriff service, write the county where they live and check personal or residence. For example, Janet Reyes checks Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested because Marcus reliably signs for his mail. If certified mail has failed before or the person dodges mail, choose sheriff service so a deputy hands over the papers in person. The big mistake is picking certified mail for someone who refuses to sign, which returns unclaimed and forces you to refile service under Civ.R. 4.1. Many filers think any failed delivery still counts as notice, but unclaimed certified mail is not valid service and the hearing cannot proceed.
13. Your Signature on the Instructions to the Clerk
The bottom of page three has a line for Your Signature, where the filing party signs the instructions to the clerk. Sign and date this line yourself, since you are the one directing how service should happen. For example, Janet Reyes signs Janet Reyes and dates it the day she files. If you are represented by an attorney, the attorney may sign here instead on your behalf. The mistake to avoid is leaving this unsigned, which can cause the clerk to hold the filing because no one authorized the service instructions. People sometimes confuse this signature with the judge’s signature on page two, but this one is the filer’s signature and it is required.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
These three walkthroughs follow real fact patterns from start to finish so you can see what gets written in each major part of the form.
Example 1: Janet Seeks Contempt for Unpaid Child Support
Janet is owed four months of child support after her ex-husband stopped paying.
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| County and Division | Franklin County, Domestic Relations Division |
| In the Matter of (child) | Sofia Reyes |
| Plaintiff/Petitioner | Janet Reyes, 4120 Oak Street, Columbus, OH 43215 |
| Defendant/Petitioner | Marcus Reyes, 88 Pine Avenue, Apt 3, Columbus, OH 43201 |
| Case Number | 18 DR 004532 |
| Judge / Magistrate | Judge A. Holloway / Magistrate L. Pena |
| Show Cause TO (page 1) | Checks Defendant/Petitioner |
| Hearing block (page 2) | Left blank for the court |
| Method of service (page 3) | Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested |
| Your Signature (page 3) | Janet Reyes, dated the filing day |
Example 2: David Enforces Denied Parenting Time
David keeps getting turned away when he arrives for his court-ordered weekends.
| Form Section | What David Enters |
|---|---|
| County and Division | Hamilton County, Juvenile Division |
| In the Matter of (child) | Ethan Brooks |
| Plaintiff/Petitioner | Karen Brooks, 19 Maple Court, Cincinnati, OH 45202 |
| Defendant/Petitioner | David Brooks, 77 River Road, Cincinnati, OH 45203 |
| Case Number | 20 JF 008811 |
| Judge / Magistrate | Judge R. Tran / Magistrate (blank) |
| Show Cause TO (page 1) | Checks Plaintiff/Petitioner (Karen withheld the child) |
| Hearing block (page 2) | Left blank for the court |
| Method of service (page 3) | Issuance to Sheriff of Hamilton County, Personal service |
| Your Signature (page 3) | David Brooks, dated the filing day |
Example 3: Maria Enforces an Unpaid Property Award
Maria never received the property equalization payment ordered in her divorce.
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| County and Division | Cuyahoga County, Domestic Relations Division |
| In the Matter of (child) | Left blank (no minor child) |
| Plaintiff/Petitioner | Maria Costa, 250 Birch Lane, Cleveland, OH 44113 |
| Defendant/Petitioner | Antonio Costa, 14 Lake Street, Cleveland, OH 44114 |
| Case Number | 17 DR 002204 |
| Judge / Magistrate | Judge S. Okafor / Magistrate D. Lin |
| Show Cause TO (page 1) | Checks Defendant/Petitioner |
| Hearing block (page 2) | Left blank for the court |
| Method of service (page 3) | Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested |
| Your Signature (page 3) | Maria Costa, dated the filing day |
How to File the Completed Form
You file Form 22 with the Clerk of the same Court of Common Pleas that issued your original order, and you file it together with the Motion for Contempt and Affidavit. Because deposits and procedures vary by county, confirm the details with your local clerk before you go. Here is how each channel works.
In person. Bring the signed Form 22, the completed Form 21, and any extra copies to the Clerk of Courts counter at the courthouse for your county, for example the Franklin County Clerk of Courts. Most counties charge a contempt motion deposit in the range of roughly $50 to $150, payable by cash, money order, or card depending on the county. The clerk time-stamps your copy, which is your proof of filing, and you keep it.
By mail. Mail the signed originals to the clerk’s mailing address with a check or money order for the deposit, and include a self-addressed stamped envelope so the clerk can return a time-stamped copy. Processing by mail usually adds several days, so file early if a deadline looms. Your returned, stamped copy is your proof of filing.
By e-filing. Counties such as Cuyahoga County and Franklin run electronic filing portals where you upload the PDFs and pay the deposit online by card. The portal sends an electronic confirmation and a stamped copy, which serves as your proof of filing. Not every county offers e-filing, so check your court’s site first.
Whatever channel you use, keep your stamped copy and any service receipts in a safe place, because you may need them at the hearing to prove the case was properly filed and served.
What Happens After You File
After you file, a judge or magistrate reviews your motion and, if it is in order, signs the show cause order and sets the hearing date and courtroom in the block on page two. The clerk then serves the signed order and your motion on the other party by the method you chose. This step is why correct service instructions matter so much, because the case cannot move forward until the other party is lawfully served under Civ.R. 4.1.
At the hearing, the other party must appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt. If they fail to appear after valid service, the court may issue a bench warrant for arrest, as the notice on page two warns. If they appear and the court finds them in contempt, the judge can impose the graduated fines and jail time, order income withholding, and often sets a purge condition that lets the person avoid jail by paying what they owe or restoring the parenting time.
If service fails, you do not lose your case, but you must arrange new service, often by switching from certified mail to sheriff service. Keep checking the docket so you know whether service succeeded and when your hearing is set, because missing your own hearing can lead to dismissal.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Writing a hearing date in the court’s block on page two. This sets a date the court never approved and can void the notice.
- Filing Form 22 without Form 21. The clerk rejects the show cause order because the motion that describes the violation is missing.
- Checking the wrong party in the show cause command. This can order you to court instead of the violator.
- Using an outdated address for the other party. Service fails and your hearing never gets scheduled.
- Filing in the wrong county or division. The court has no power over your case and staff must transfer or reject it.
- Entering the wrong or no case number. Your motion gets misfiled or attached to the wrong case.
- Signing the judge’s line on page two. Your signature has no legal effect and confuses the clerk.
- Forgetting to sign the instructions to the clerk on page three. The clerk holds the filing because no one authorized service.
- Choosing certified mail for someone who dodges mail. The mail returns unclaimed and you must refile service.
- Altering the preprinted penalty notices. Editing the uniform language can invalidate the form.
- Misspelling the other party’s legal name. A name mismatch can void service and force a restart.
- Skipping the county filing deposit. Without payment the clerk holds your filing and nothing moves.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Do attach Form 21 every time, because Form 22 is legally meaningless without the motion it enforces.
- Do confirm the 7/1/2013 effective date, so you are not using an outdated copy that a clerk may reject.
- Do use the other party’s most current address, because reliable service is the difference between a hearing and a dead file.
- Do keep your time-stamped copy and service receipts, since you may need them to prove proper filing at the hearing.
- Do leave the court’s hearing block and judge’s signature line blank, because only the court fills and signs those.
- Do check your county’s local rules for deposits, so you bring the right payment and avoid a held filing.
Don’t:
- Don’t set your own hearing date, because an unauthorized date voids the notice.
- Don’t guess the case number, since a wrong number misroutes your entire filing.
- Don’t pick certified mail for a known mail-dodger, because unclaimed mail is not valid service.
- Don’t edit the preprinted penalty notices, as altering uniform language can invalidate the form.
- Don’t file in the county where you now live if the order came from elsewhere, because jurisdiction stays with the original court.
- Don’t sign the judge’s signature line, since your signature there carries no legal effect.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
| Filing Pro Se (On Your Own) | Filing With an Attorney |
|---|---|
| Saves money, because you avoid hourly legal fees on a free uniform form | Costs more, since attorneys bill for drafting and hearing time |
| Faster to start, as you can fill and file the same day you gather your documents | May take longer to begin while you retain counsel and they review your file |
| Full control, because you decide the timing and the service method yourself | Less hands-on control, since the attorney manages strategy and deadlines |
| Higher error risk, as one wrong box or bad address can sink the filing | Lower error risk, because counsel knows the local rules and service traps |
| You handle the hearing alone, which is stressful in an emotional contempt case | Professional advocacy at the hearing, which matters when jail time is possible |
FAQs
Do I write my own hearing date on the form?
No. The hearing block on page two is labeled for the court to complete, so you leave it blank and the judge sets the date and courtroom after reviewing your motion.
Can I file Form 22 without Form 21?
No. The form’s own instructions require the Motion for Contempt and Affidavit (Form 21) to be filed with it, and the clerk will reject a Form 22 filed alone.
Do I sign the judge’s signature line on page two?
No. Only the judge or magistrate signs that line, and your signature there has no legal effect on the order.
Which party do I check in the show cause command?
Yes, check the party who broke the order, which is usually the opposing party, not yourself.
Do I put my new county if I moved since the divorce?
No. You file in the county that issued the original order, because jurisdiction stays with that court.
Is the case number a brand-new number for the contempt?
No. The contempt rides on your original case number, so copy it exactly from your prior order.
Can I choose how the other party gets served?
Yes. Page three lets you pick certified mail, sheriff personal or residence service, or another specified method.
Will the court find the other party’s address for me?
No. You must supply a current, usable address, because the clerk serves only the address you provide.
Can the other party go to jail over this?
Yes. The notice warns of fines and jail up to ninety days for repeat offenses, plus possible income withholding.
Do I leave the child’s name blank if there is no child?
Yes. In a pure property or spousal support contempt with no minor, the “In the Matter of” line may be left blank.
Is Form 22 free to download?
Yes. The Supreme Court of Ohio posts it for free, and no site should charge you for it.
Does unclaimed certified mail still count as notice?
No. Unclaimed certified mail is not valid service under Civ.R. 4.1, so you must arrange new service before the hearing can proceed.
Can I get my driver’s license privileges back through this case?
Yes. Notice seven explains the court may grant limited driving privileges under R.C. 4510.021 if your license was suspended over a child support default.
Do I need to bring proof of filing to the hearing?
Yes. Keep your time-stamped copy and service receipts, because they prove the case was properly filed and served.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out Ohio Affidavit of Income, Expenses and Financial Disclosure + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Probate Form 7.0 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Shared Parenting Plan + FAQs
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- How to Fill Out Ohio Probate Form 12.0 (w/Examples) + FAQs
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