Divorce in Ohio involves different documents as your case moves forward. Some forms start the case, while others respond to papers your spouse filed. Later documents record terms you and your spouse agree on before the court ends your marriage.
Knowing what these forms are and what they do may make the process easier to follow. The exact paperwork depends on who filed first, whether you have children and what issues you resolve before the final hearing.
What you sign when the divorce begins
If you start the case, the main filing is a Complaint for Divorce with Children or Complaint for Divorce without Children. Your packet also includes an Affidavit of Basic Information, Income and Expenses and an Affidavit of Property and Debt. If you start a case involving children, it also includes a Parenting Proceeding Affidavit and Health Insurance Affidavit.
If your spouse files first, you respond with an Answer to Complaint for Divorce with Children or Answer to Complaint for Divorce without Children. Your response packet also includes the two financial affidavits and, in a case with children, both a Parenting Proceeding Affidavit and a Health Insurance Affidavit. You sign the affidavits in front of a notary.
What you sign later in the case
If you use a Separation Agreement to settle the divorce terms, you and your spouse sign it to put those terms in writing. If you have children, the paperwork may also include a Parenting Plan or Shared Parenting Plan that records your parenting terms.
Near the end of the case, the court may ask you to complete a proposed Final Judgment for Divorce with Children or Final Judgment for Divorce without Children. Local rules control how you submit this paperwork. The judge reviews and signs the final judgment before the court enters it and your divorce becomes final.
Reviewing paperwork before the case ends
As you get closer to ending your marriage, you may want to check each document against the facts you gave the court and the terms you agreed to. Keeping copies gives you a record of what you filed. It also helps to review your county’s rules for any extra forms or local steps.