Recently updated on October 13th, 2026 at 01:46 pm
Prepare your Court Forms Online in Ohio
This website helps individuals understand the available legal options and guides them through creating the official court forms required for their specific case in Ohio.
HOW IT WORKS
1. Take Screening
Start with an online screening tool to help you decide which protection order fits your situation the best.
2. Prepare Documents
Instead of looking at the legal forms themselves, you will be guided through a series of detailed questionnaires. These will gather the necessary information topic by topic. The questions are in plain and non-legal language. To make this process as simple as possible, our system will then generate the official court forms with your responses printed on them.
3. Consult Advocate (Optional)
You can consult a victim advocate or pro bono (free) lawyer to get guidance on protection orders. These resources are typically paid for by the government and can help you review your case documents and talk to you directly to discuss your case and safety planning.
4. File with the Clerk
You can formally begin the case by filing with your local court. You will be informed about which specific court you need to file at as it’s important to go to one that has jurisdiction over your case. You can file by either printing and visiting the clerk’s office at the court or in many locations online directly from this website.
TYPES OF PROTECTION ORDERS
Civil Protection Order
An Ohio Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (DVCPO), under Ohio Revised Code § 3113.31, protects individuals from abuse, threats, or violence by family or household members such as spouses, former spouses, cohabitants, relatives, or those with whom the petitioner shares a child. It may include no-contact provisions, removal from shared residence, temporary custody or support orders, and can remain in effect for up to five years, even without a criminal conviction.
Dating Violence Civil Protection Order
An Ohio Dating Violence Civil Protection Order (DTCPO), under Ohio Revised Code § 3113.31(A)(8), protects individuals from abuse or threats by a current or recent intimate dating partner. The relationship must have existed within the past 12 months. The order can include no-contact provisions, removal from shared housing, and may last up to five years, even without criminal charges.
Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order
An Ohio Stalking or Sexually Oriented Offense Protection Order (SSOOPO), established under Ohio Revised Code § 2903.214, protects individuals from menacing by stalking or sexually oriented offenses committed by someone who is not a family or household member. It can be requested without a criminal charge and may include no-contact provisions, stay-away orders, and restrictions on firearms. The order can remain in effect for up to five years and is available to both adults and minors.
FAMILY LAW
Dissolution
A dissolution in Ohio is a mutual agreement between spouses to end their marriage without assigning fault, finalized through a joint petition to the court.
Divorce
In Ohio, divorce ends a marriage and requires at least six months of residency. Couples can file based on incompatibility or fault. The process covers property, support, and custody issues. If both spouses agree on all terms, they may file for dissolution instead, which is faster and simpler.
CONVENIENCES
Privacy
You can explore legal options for getting a protection order while maintaining your complete privacy. Nothing is shared with the government unless you share or submit.
Resources
Learn about free community and pro bono resources. Connect with them and share your case data with a few clicks.
Comprehensive
Covers all common situations such as those involving minors, or firearms, or others permitted by Ohio law, thereby saving you time.
Forms Selection
The correct forms, in their most up-to-date versions, are automatically selected based on your situation.
Automated Checks
Run automated checks to verify the correctness of your responses and to avoid mistakes that may cause delays in securing a protection order.
Simplified
All questions are presented in plain, non-legal language. Difficult concepts are broken down into simpler steps.
NOTES
Legal Information
The legal information contained here does not constitute legal advice or substitute for legal advice.
Courts
This website provides services to prepare cases across Ohio, as all counties share the same state-wide law. It also covers slight court-specific differences, such as additional required court forms.
CONTACT TECHNICAL SUPPORT
This contact form is for technical support questions only. For non-technical questions please contact the victim advocates at the telephone numbers listed at the bottom of this page.
