Ohio Divorce Laws
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The following is a summary of Ohio divorce laws, and is by no means intended to be an all-inclusive description of what to expect in your particular case. In some cases, the exact text of the statute may have been simplified and/or modified to provide for easier understanding. For a more specific understanding of the laws, you should consult the full Ohio Statutes and/or consult with an attorney about how the law might apply to your particular situation.

 

Grounds for Divorce.
A divorce under Ohio laws can be granted based on incompatibility or living separate and apart without cohabitation, uninterrupted for at least one year. Ohio laws also recognize the following fault-based grounds:

(A) Either party had a husband or wife living at the time of the marriage from which the divorce is sought;

(B) Willful absence of the adverse party for one year;

(C) Adultery;

(D) Extreme cruelty;

(E) Fraudulent contract;

(F) Any gross neglect of duty;

(G) Habitual drunkenness;

(H) Imprisonment of the adverse party in a state or federal correctional institution at the time of filing the complaint;

(I) Procurement of a divorce outside this state, by a husband or wife, by virtue of which the party who procured it is released from the obligations of the marriage, while those obligations remain binding upon the other party;

-From 3105.01 of the Ohio Statutes.

 

Residency Laws.
To file a divorce in Ohio, the plaintiff must have been a resident of the state for at least 6 months immediately before filing the divorce complaint.

-From 3105.03 of the Ohio Statutes.

 

Additional Information.
If the divorce is uncontested, you must file a joint petition, and both spouses are required to attend the final divorce hearing.

-From 3105.62 of the Ohio Statutes.

 

Final Hearing.
At least 30 days but no more than 90 days after filing the divorce petition, the final divorce hearing will be held, and both parties must attend.

-From 3105.64 of the Ohio Statutes.

 

***NOTE***: We regret that we are unable to prepare divorce papers for Mahoning County, Montgomery County, or Lucas County.

 

If your divorce is uncontested, we would love to guide you through the process from beginning to end. Learn more about how our uncontested divorce services can help you through your divorce.

Other pages on Ohio laws:
General Ohio Divorce Laws
Alimony Divorce Laws in Ohio
Ohio Child Custody Laws
Ohio Child Support Laws
Ohio Laws on Property Division

 

© Help Yourself Divorce 2002-2008

 

IMPORTANT: Help Yourself Divorce is a paralegal service, not a law firm. Please don't rely on this information for legal advice. Seek help from an attorney if you need legal advice.

This information has been summarized from the Ohio statutes. You can find the full-text version of these and other Ohio divorce statutes online here: Ohio Divorce Laws.