The Ohio Petition for Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (Form 10.01-D) is the court paper a victim files in the Domestic Relations Division of the Court of Common Pleas to ask a judge to order an abuser to stop the abuse, leave the home, and stay away. It is filed under Ohio Revised Code 3113.31 by any “family or household member” who has been hurt, threatened, stalked, or sexually abused by another family or household member.
Filing this petition is free, can be done the same day, and can result in a temporary order in hours and a final order that lasts up to five years. According to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, Ohio courts grant tens of thousands of civil protection orders each year, and roughly one in three women in Ohio will experience intimate partner violence in her lifetime, making this one of the most-used emergency civil filings in the state.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 📝 How to fill out every box on Form 10.01-D in plain English
- 🏛️ Where to file, what it costs, and how fast the judge will see you
- 👨👩👧 How to ask for kids, the house, pets, and guns to be addressed
- ⚖️ How three real Ohio filers walked their petitions through the system
- 🚫 The most common field-level mistakes that get petitions denied or delayed
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
Form 10.01-D is the statewide petition adopted by the Ohio Supreme Court Commission on the Rules of Superintendence under Sup. R. 10.01. It is the only approved petition for adult civil protection orders based on domestic violence in Ohio, and every Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations, must accept it. The current revision date is printed in the lower-left footer of the form, and you should always download the newest copy from the Ohio Supreme Court forms library before filing.
You may file this petition if you are a “family or household member” of the person you fear, a definition that includes spouses, former spouses, people who live or have lived together, parents, children, blood relatives, the other parent of your child, or a person you are dating or have dated. A parent, adult household member, or other person with an interest may also file on behalf of a minor child or an incompetent adult who cannot file alone. The respondent must be 18 or older, since juvenile abusers are handled through a separate juvenile-court petition under R.C. 2151.34 and R.C. 3113.31(A)(2).
The form solves a specific problem. Police can arrest, but they cannot order the abuser to move out, surrender firearms, pay support, or stay 500 feet away from your job. Only a civil protection order can. A poorly completed petition, however, can be dismissed at the ex parte stage, leaving the petitioner unprotected overnight. That is why every box matters.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Gathering paperwork before you open the petition saves you from rewriting the form at the clerk’s window while the respondent is still at large. The Ohio courts will not give you a continuance to “go home and look it up.” Build a folder with the items below before you walk into the courthouse.
- Your full legal name, current safe address, and a phone number the court can reach. If you fear discovery, ask the clerk for the Confidential Disclosure of Personal Identifiers form so your address is sealed.
- The respondent’s full legal name, date of birth, address, employer, and physical description. Without DOB or address, the sheriff cannot serve the order, and an unserved order is unenforceable.
- Names and dates of birth of every minor child who lives with either party, needed for the parenting orders and the UCCJEA affidavit (Form 10.01-E).
- Dates, places, and details of recent incidents of abuse, ideally written out chronologically with the most recent first; the judge will read this section first.
- Police report numbers, 911 call dates, and case numbers from any prior criminal or civil case against the respondent, since active cases must be disclosed in Section X.
- Photos of injuries, threatening texts, voicemails, medical records, and witness names, all of which can be shown to the judge at the ex parte hearing if you bring them.
- A list of firearms you know the respondent owns, including type and location, so the court can order surrender under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8).
- Any current custody, divorce, or child-support orders, because the CPO judge must know what other courts have already ordered to avoid conflicting decrees.
- A safety plan and a safe address for service, including the respondent’s work schedule so the deputy knows when to find him.
- Photo ID for yourself, which most clerks now require to open a new case file.
If any of these items is missing, the petition can still be filed, but the judge may delay the ex parte order or limit the relief, leaving gaps that the respondent can exploit.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official, fillable PDF lives on the Supreme Court of Ohio domestic violence forms page and can be downloaded free of charge. Every county clerk also keeps paper copies at the intake window of the Domestic Relations Division, and most county law libraries and YWCA advocacy offices stock them. You do not have to use the county’s local version; the statewide 10.01-D is accepted in all 88 counties.
Larger counties offer additional access channels. Cuyahoga County provides a self-help kiosk and a victim advocate who will sit with you while you complete the form. Franklin County runs the Domestic Violence and Stalking Unit out of Room 24 of the Domestic Relations Court. Hamilton County and Summit County both publish a packet that combines 10.01-D with the parenting affidavit and identifier form.
If you are in immediate danger after the courthouse closes, you can ask a municipal or county court for a Temporary Protection Order under R.C. 2919.26, but that is a criminal TPO tied to a charge, not a civil CPO. A civil CPO must wait until the Common Pleas clerk opens the next business day. Many counties keep a duty magistrate available until 4:30 p.m.; arriving before noon is the surest way to get an ex parte hearing the same day.
E-filing is now available in Lucas, Montgomery, and a growing list of counties through the statewide Ohio Courts Network, but most petitioners still file in person because the ex parte hearing must happen the same day, which requires you to be physically present.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Form 10.01-D Line by Line
The petition is divided into a caption, ten numbered sections, a verification, and a signature block. Number every page, write in blue or black ink, and never leave a blank where “N/A” or “None” belongs. Empty fields read to the judge as missing facts.
Caption: Court, County, and Case Number
The caption is the heading at the top of page 1. It identifies which Common Pleas Domestic Relations Division will hear your case and reserves a case number that the clerk will stamp.
Write the county where you live, where the respondent lives, or where the abuse happened, since R.C. 3113.31(A)(2) gives venue in any of the three. Maria Lopez writes “Franklin County” on the top line because she lives in Columbus, even though the assault happened in Delaware County, where her ex still lives. The case number is left blank for the clerk to fill in. If you have an existing divorce case in the same court, write that case number in the “Related Case” box so the same judge can hear both.
A nuance many filers miss: if you and the respondent share a divorce case in another county, the CPO is still filed where you are now, not where the divorce sits. The most common mistake is writing the wrong court — for example, putting “Municipal Court” because the police gave you a TPO there — which causes the clerk to reject the filing on the spot. A widespread misconception is that you must file in the county of the abuse; you may file where you have fled to for safety.
Section I: Petitioner Information
This section asks for your identifying information so the court and sheriff can reach you. It includes your name, date of birth, address, and phone.
Write your full legal name as it appears on your driver’s license, your date of birth as MM/DD/YYYY, and an address where mail can reach you. Aisha Johnson writes her name as “Aisha Marie Johnson,” her DOB as “07/22/1991,” and her mother’s address as her mailing address. If you fear the respondent will see the file, check the box requesting an alternate address and attach the Confidential Disclosure of Personal Identifiers.
The nuance here is the safe-address rule: under Sup. R. 45, personal identifiers must be filed on a separate sealed form, not on the petition itself. The most common mistake is writing your home address on the petition when the respondent does not know you have fled, which gives him your new location the moment he is served. The misconception is that the court will automatically hide your address; it will not unless you ask in writing.
Section II: Respondent Information
Section II identifies the person you want restrained. The judge cannot issue an order against a person the sheriff cannot find.
Enter the respondent’s full legal name, any aliases, DOB, race, sex, height, weight, eye color, hair color, current address, and employer. Carlos Rivera writes the respondent’s name as “Daniel J. Rivera,” DOB “11/04/1986,” 5‘10”, 190 lbs., brown eyes, employer “Kroger Distribution, 4500 Westerville Rd.” If you do not know an item, write “unknown” rather than guessing.
A nuance: if the respondent is on probation, parole, or post-release control, list the supervising officer in the margin so the court can copy the order to the officer. The most common mistake is leaving the address blank, which makes service impossible and forces the magistrate to dismiss the ex parte request without prejudice. The misconception is that the sheriff will “find him at work” without the work address; deputies serve only the addresses listed on the petition.
Section III: Family or Household Member Relationship
This box establishes jurisdiction. If you are not a “family or household member” under R.C. 3113.31(A)(3), the judge cannot issue a CPO and you must instead use a Civil Stalking Protection Order, Form 10.03-D.
Check every box that applies — spouse, former spouse, parent of a common child, person living together, person formerly living together, dating relationship, blood relative, etc. Janet Williams checks “former spouse” and “parent of a common child,” because she divorced the respondent in 2022 and they share a 9-year-old.
The nuance is the dating-relationship definition: it requires a romantic or intimate association, not a casual friendship, and the court will ask how long and how often you saw each other. The most common mistake is checking only one box when several apply, which narrows the legal basis for the order. The misconception is that you must currently live with the respondent; past cohabitation within five years is enough under Ohio case law including Felton v. Felton, 79 Ohio St.3d 34 (1997).
Section IV: Incidents of Domestic Violence
This is the heart of the petition. The judge decides the ex parte order almost entirely on what is written here.
Describe the most recent incident first, then earlier incidents, with dates, places, what was said, what was done, what weapons were used, what injuries you suffered, and who witnessed it. Maria Lopez writes: “On 05/18/2026 at our apartment at 123 Maple St., Columbus, Daniel grabbed my neck with both hands, said ‘I will kill you,’ and squeezed until I could not breathe. My son, age 7, saw it. I went to OhioHealth Riverside ER and have photos of bruises.”
The nuance is to use sensory, specific language and to include the words “I am in fear of imminent serious physical harm,” because that phrase tracks the statute. The most common mistake is writing vague summaries like “he has been abusive for years,” which give the judge nothing to anchor a finding of immediate danger and often result in a denial of ex parte relief. The misconception is that you need a police report for the judge to believe you; sworn testimony alone is enough under R.C. 3113.31(D).
Section V: Children of the Parties
Section V lists every minor child of the petitioner and respondent and any other minors living in the home. The court uses this list to decide temporary custody, parenting time, and child support.
Write each child’s full name, DOB, and current residence. Carlos Rivera lists his daughter “Sofia Rivera, DOB 02/11/2018, lives with petitioner.” If a child is not the respondent’s biological child but lives in the home, list them and note “petitioner’s child, not respondent’s.”
The nuance is that listing children triggers the duty to file Form 10.01-E, the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit, which the UCCJEA requires whenever custody is at issue. The most common mistake is omitting a child to “keep things simple,” which later prevents the court from ordering protection for that child. The misconception is that an unmarried father has no rights to list; he does, and the order will reflect any existing paternity adjudication.
Section VI: Relief Requested
Here you check the specific orders you want the judge to make. Every box you fail to check is relief you do not get.
Common boxes include: order respondent not to abuse, threaten, follow, stalk, or contact you; order respondent to vacate the residence; grant you exclusive use of the home and a vehicle; allocate temporary parental rights; set temporary child support and spousal support; order respondent to surrender firearms; order no contact with pets; require batterer-intervention counseling; and any “other” relief written in. Janet Williams checks vacate, exclusive use of the home, temporary custody of her son, supervised visitation, firearm surrender, and orders the respondent to stay 500 feet from her workplace at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
The nuance: the firearm-surrender box, when checked and granted, triggers the federal firearm prohibition in 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), which is more powerful than state law alone. The most common mistake is failing to check the “vacate” box when you still live with the respondent, leaving you in the home with him after the order is signed. The misconception is that the judge will “figure out” what you want; the judge will only grant boxes you check.
Section VII: Firearms
Section VII asks whether the respondent owns, possesses, or has access to firearms, and where they are kept. The court uses this to craft a surrender order.
List every firearm you know about, by type, caliber, and location. Aisha Johnson writes: “1 black 9mm Glock 19 in nightstand of master bedroom; 1 Remington 12-gauge shotgun in basement gun safe, combination 24-18-06.”
The nuance is that under R.C. 2923.13 and federal law, a respondent under a CPO with required findings becomes a prohibited person, and surrender is enforced by the sheriff or local police. The most common mistake is leaving this section blank because “I’m not sure what he has,” which lets the respondent retain weapons during the protective period. The misconception is that the court will not order surrender without proof of registration; Ohio does not register firearms, and your sworn description is enough.
Section VIII: Other Court Cases
This box discloses every active or recent case involving you and the respondent — divorce, dissolution, custody, paternity, criminal, juvenile, prior CPO, or out-of-state matter.
List the court, case number, type, and status. Carlos Rivera writes: “Franklin County Common Pleas, Case 24DR1234, Divorce, pending; Franklin County Municipal Court, Case 24CRB5678, Domestic Violence, pending.”
The nuance is that an active divorce does not prevent a CPO; the CPO judge will coordinate with the divorce judge but issue the protective order independently. The most common mistake is hiding a prior dismissed CPO, which the respondent’s attorney will surface and use to attack your credibility. The misconception is that a pending criminal TPO covers civil relief; it does not, since criminal TPOs end when the criminal case ends.
Section IX: Prior Acts of Domestic Violence
Section IX lets you describe earlier incidents that did not make it into Section IV because they happened months or years ago. Pattern evidence helps the judge see the full risk.
Summarize each prior incident with date, place, and a one-sentence description. Maria Lopez writes: “Summer 2024 — choked me in the kitchen of our Delaware home, no police called. December 2024 — broke my phone when I tried to call my sister, Columbus.”
The nuance is that older incidents are admissible to show a course of conduct under Evid. R. 404(B). The most common mistake is listing only the most recent event, which makes the abuse look isolated and weakens the request for a five-year order. The misconception is that incidents the police never investigated do not count; sworn descriptions of unreported abuse are routinely accepted.
Section X: Verification and Signature
The verification is your sworn oath that everything in the petition is true. False statements can be prosecuted as falsification under R.C. 2921.13.
Sign your full legal name in front of the deputy clerk or notary, who will then sign and stamp the jurat. Aisha Marie Johnson signs “Aisha Marie Johnson” and the deputy clerk notarizes it at 9:42 a.m. on 05/22/2026.
The nuance: do not sign before you reach the clerk’s window, since the notary must witness the signature. The most common mistake is signing at home, which forces the clerk to reject the petition and have you re-sign. The misconception is that you can have a friend or advocate sign for you; only the petitioner (or a guardian for a minor or incompetent adult) may sign.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
The three walkthroughs below show how three different Ohio filers complete Form 10.01-D from caption to signature. Names are fictional.
Scenario 1: Maria Lopez — Married, Two Children, Strangulation
Maria, age 35, fled her Columbus apartment after her husband Daniel choked her in front of their 7-year-old son. She drove to her mother’s house in Franklin County and filed the next morning.
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption — County | Franklin County, Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations |
| Section I — Petitioner | Maria Elena Lopez, DOB 03/14/1991, c/o mother’s address, phone listed on confidential identifier form |
| Section II — Respondent | Daniel Lopez, DOB 11/04/1988, 123 Maple St., Columbus, employer Kroger Distribution |
| Section III — Relationship | Checks spouse and parent of common child |
| Section IV — Incidents | Detailed strangulation on 05/18/2026, ER visit, child witness |
| Section V — Children | Mateo Lopez, DOB 06/10/2018; Sofia Lopez, DOB 02/11/2021 |
| Section VI — Relief | Vacate, exclusive use of home, temporary custody, supervised visits, firearm surrender, no contact |
| Section VII — Firearms | Glock 19 9mm in nightstand |
| Section X — Signature | Signed before deputy clerk at 9:30 a.m., 05/19/2026 |
Scenario 2: Carlos Rivera — Father Filing for Minor Child
Carlos, age 40, files on behalf of his 8-year-old daughter Sofia after her mother’s boyfriend slapped her during a weekend visit. Carlos has shared parenting under a Hamilton County divorce decree.
| Form Section | What Carlos Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption | Hamilton County, Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations |
| Petitioner | Carlos Rivera as parent and natural guardian of Sofia Rivera, minor |
| Respondent | Brandon Hayes, DOB 09/02/1990, address in Norwood, employer unknown |
| Relationship | Checks person living with the child’s parent |
| Incidents | 05/15/2026, Sofia returned with handprint bruise; pediatrician documented it |
| Children | Sofia Rivera, DOB 02/11/2018, lives with mother during week, with petitioner alternate weekends |
| Relief | No contact with Sofia, stay 500 feet from school, counseling for respondent |
| Other Cases | Hamilton County DR Case 19DR4567, shared parenting |
| Signature | Carlos signs as parent and guardian, notarized at clerk’s window |
Scenario 3: Janet Williams — Long Marriage, Spousal Support, Firearms
Janet, age 58, files after 22 years of marriage. Her husband threatened her with a hunting rifle when she said she wanted a divorce. She files in Summit County where they live.
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption | Summit County, Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations |
| Petitioner | Janet Marie Williams, DOB 04/30/1968, confidential address on file |
| Respondent | Robert Williams, DOB 01/15/1965, marital home in Akron, retired |
| Relationship | Checks spouse |
| Incidents | 05/20/2026, pointed Remington 700 rifle and said “I will end this tonight” |
| Children | None — adult children listed for context only |
| Relief | Vacate, exclusive use of home and 2019 Subaru, temporary spousal support, firearm surrender, batterer intervention |
| Firearms | Remington 700 rifle, Ruger 10/22, two handguns in basement safe |
| Prior Acts | Documents 2019 push-down-stairs incident and 2022 broken-arm incident |
| Signature | Janet signs in presence of victim advocate and deputy clerk |
How to File the Completed Form
You file Form 10.01-D with the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, in the county where you live, where the respondent lives, or where the abuse happened. There is no filing fee under R.C. 3113.31(J), and the clerk cannot charge for service or certified copies of the order.
In person is the most common channel and the only one that guarantees a same-day ex parte hearing. Walk into the Domestic Relations clerk’s office, hand over the petition, the parenting affidavit if children are involved, and the confidential identifier form. The clerk will stamp the case number, swear you in, and walk the file to the duty magistrate. Bring a photo ID and any evidence — photos, texts, medical paperwork. Expect to spend three to five hours at the courthouse. Keep the time-stamped copy the clerk hands back; that is your proof of filing.
By mail is allowed in most counties, but mail filing forfeits the same-day ex parte hearing because the magistrate cannot swear you in by mail. Send the original signed and notarized petition by certified mail with return receipt to the Domestic Relations clerk; processing takes three to seven business days, and the court will mail you a hearing notice. Acceptable payment for optional certified copies is check or money order, though the petition itself remains free.
E-filing is available in roughly two dozen counties through the Ohio Courts Network and county portals such as the Cuyahoga County e-File system. E-filing accepts PDF uploads, signed and notarized in advance through an Ohio-authorized remote online notary. Processing the ex parte request still happens the same day if filed before the cutoff (commonly 2:00 p.m.). Save the e-file confirmation receipt and the assigned case number as your proof of filing.
By fax is rare but accepted in a few rural counties under local rule; check the county clerk’s website before relying on it. After-hours emergencies should go to the local police, who can request a criminal Temporary Protection Order under R.C. 2919.26; the civil CPO process resumes when the Common Pleas clerk reopens.
What Happens After You File
After the clerk stamps your petition, a magistrate or judge holds an ex parte hearing the same day in most counties. You testify under oath about Section IV, show photos and texts, and answer the magistrate’s questions. If the judge finds immediate and present danger of domestic violence, the court signs a Temporary Ex Parte Civil Protection Order on Form 10.01-F that takes effect the moment the respondent is served by the sheriff.
The full hearing must be held within 7 to 10 court days under R.C. 3113.31(D)(2)(a). At the full hearing, both you and the respondent appear, present witnesses and evidence, and may be cross-examined. The judge then decides whether to issue a final CPO under Form 10.01-I, which can last up to five years and can be renewed.
Service is the moment the order becomes enforceable. The sheriff serves the respondent at home, work, or wherever he can be located, and the order is entered into the Law Enforcement Automated Data System (LEADS) and the National Crime Information Center Protection Order File, making it enforceable in all 50 states under the Violence Against Women Act full-faith-and-credit provision. Carry a certified copy of the order at all times, give one to your child’s school, and call 911 the instant the respondent violates it. Violation is a first-degree misdemeanor under R.C. 2919.27, elevated to a felony for repeat offenses.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Listing your home address when the respondent does not know where you fled — service papers reveal it to him within hours.
- Leaving Section IV vague — the magistrate denies ex parte relief without specific dates, places, and quotes.
- Failing to check the “vacate” box — you remain trapped in the home with the respondent after the order issues.
- Skipping the firearm section — the federal prohibition in 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8) does not attach without findings tied to firearms.
- Forgetting Form 10.01-E when children are listed — the court cannot enter custody orders without the UCCJEA affidavit.
- Signing the petition at home — the notary must watch you sign, so the clerk rejects the document.
- Hiding a prior dismissed CPO — opposing counsel surfaces it and attacks your credibility at the full hearing.
- Filing in Municipal Court — only Common Pleas Domestic Relations issues civil CPOs, so the case is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
- Naming the wrong respondent or wrong DOB — the sheriff cannot serve, and the order never takes effect.
- Failing to disclose pending divorce or custody cases — courts may consolidate or stay your CPO request.
- Writing summaries instead of incidents — generalities like “he is controlling” do not meet the imminent-danger standard.
- Bringing no evidence to the ex parte hearing — testimony alone wins many cases, but photos and texts win more.
- Forgetting to ask for pets — Ohio courts can grant exclusive possession of companion animals if you check “other relief” and write it in.
Dos and Don’ts
- Do download the current 10.01-D from the Supreme Court forms page so you have the latest revision.
- Do call a victim advocate through the Ohio Domestic Violence Network 24-hour line before filing, because advocates can sit with you through the hearing.
- Do bring photo ID, evidence, and a support person to court so you do not face the respondent alone.
- Do keep three certified copies of the final order — one in your purse, one at home, one at work.
- Do report every violation immediately, since unreported violations weaken any later renewal request.
- Do ask for firearm surrender, because the federal prohibition is the strongest deterrent the system offers.
- Don’t discuss the petition with the respondent before he is served, since warnings give him time to hide guns or flee.
- Don’t lie or exaggerate — falsification is a crime under R.C. 2921.13 and destroys your credibility.
- Don’t dismiss the order at the respondent’s request without legal advice, because dismissal often happens during the most dangerous reconciliation phase.
- Don’t rely on text messages as your only evidence — bring printouts, since judges cannot read your phone screen during a hearing.
- Don’t skip the full hearing — non-appearance dissolves the ex parte order automatically.
- Don’t assume out-of-state orders cover you in Ohio without registering them; Ohio honors them under VAWA, but registration speeds enforcement.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Filing pro se is realistic because the form is designed for self-represented petitioners and the court provides intake help. Filing with an advocate or attorney, however, dramatically improves the outcome at the contested full hearing, where rules of evidence apply.
| Filing Pro Se | Filing With an Advocate or Attorney |
|---|---|
| Free, no attorney fee | Advocate is free; attorney may cost or be free through legal aid |
| Full control over your story | Advocate helps you organize the strongest narrative |
| Can file the same day without scheduling | Attorney prep may take a day, delaying ex parte hearing |
| You handle cross-examination at the full hearing | Attorney shields you from direct contact with respondent |
| Risk of missing relief boxes and waiving rights | Attorney spots every available remedy under R.C. 3113.31 |
Pros of pro se filing include speed, control, no cost, immediate action, and the ability to file at any clerk’s window without an appointment. Cons include the emotional toll of facing the respondent, the difficulty of presenting evidence under Ohio Evidence Rules, the risk of cross-examination, weaker negotiation leverage, and a higher chance of missing relief boxes.
Pros of using legal aid or a private attorney include trauma-informed coaching from organizations like Ohio Legal Help, expert evidence handling, courtroom presence, post-hearing enforcement support, and a clean record for appeal. Cons include possible delay while counsel prepares, limited capacity at legal aid offices, conflict checks if the attorney has represented either party before, geographic limits on services, and the small but real risk of fees if you fall outside legal-aid eligibility.
Key Agencies and Statutes That Interact With Form 10.01-D
The petition does not stand alone. It is the gateway into a network of courts, agencies, and statutes that together protect you. The Domestic Relations Division of the Court of Common Pleas issues and enforces the order. The county sheriff serves the order and arrests violators. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation LEADS system and the FBI NCIC Protection Order File make the order enforceable nationwide. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office of Victim Services provides compensation for medical bills and counseling. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services coordinates child support orders that flow from the CPO. Ohio case law, including Felton v. Felton, shapes how judges weigh evidence of fear and threats.
FAQs
Do I need a lawyer to file a CPO petition in Ohio?
No. Form 10.01-D is designed for pro se filers, and clerks and victim advocates will help you complete it. A lawyer or legal-aid attorney helps most at the contested full hearing.
Is there a filing fee for the Ohio Domestic Violence CPO petition?
No. Filing, service, and certified copies are free under R.C. 3113.31(J). The respondent may be ordered to pay costs only if the order is granted.
How quickly will a judge see my petition?
Yes, same day in most counties if you file in person before the afternoon cutoff. The full hearing must be set within 7 to 10 court days after the ex parte order issues.
Do I write my married name or maiden name in Section I?
Yes, write the legal name on your current government ID. If you have legally changed your name, list aliases in the next blank so prior records can be linked.
Should I list children who are not the respondent’s biological children in Section V?
Yes, list every minor in the household. Add a short note such as “petitioner’s child only” so the judge knows which child needs which protections.
Do I have to know the respondent’s date of birth to file?
No, but missing DOB delays service. Write unknown and add any identifier you do know — employer, vehicle plate, social media handle — to help the sheriff locate him.
Is the petition public record?
No, not your personal identifiers if you submit the Confidential Disclosure of Personal Identifiers. The case caption is public, but your address, phone, and SSN are sealed.
Can I include my pets in the relief I request?
Yes, check “other relief” in Section VI and write exclusive possession of companion animals. Ohio courts increasingly grant pet-protection language when specifically requested.
Will the order make the respondent give up his guns?
Yes, if you check the firearm box and the judge makes the required findings, surrender is ordered, and the federal prohibition under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8) attaches automatically.
Do I need to bring witnesses to the ex parte hearing?
No. Your sworn testimony is enough at the ex parte stage, though witnesses help. At the full hearing, witnesses, photos, and records strengthen your case.
Can a CPO survive if we get back together?
No if you ask the court to dismiss it; otherwise yes, the order remains in effect until its expiration date, regardless of contact between the parties.
What if the respondent moves out of state?
Yes, the order still applies. Under the VAWA full-faith-and-credit law, every state must enforce a valid Ohio CPO as if it were their own.
Can I file a CPO against a same-sex partner?
Yes. Ohio’s “family or household member” definition is gender-neutral and covers any cohabitating or dating relationship under R.C. 3113.31(A)(3).
What happens if I lie on the petition?
No, you should never overstate facts. False statements can be charged as falsification under R.C. 2921.13, and the court can dismiss the order and award attorney fees to the respondent.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out Illinois Petition for Order of Protection + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Pennsylvania Petition for Protection from Abuse + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Complaint in Forcible Entry and Detainer + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Petition for Civil Stalking Protection Order + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Petition for Divorce + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Writ of Restitution (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form DV-100 (w/Examples) + FAQs