Legal Separation with Children Form Assistant

This interview will help you fill out the forms to file for legal separation with children in the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court. 

Learn more about filing for legal separation in Cuyahoga County.

You will need to:

  • Register for an account. Registering will allow you to save and complete this form on your own schedule.  
  • Start with Step 1 do not skip ahead. The Steps must be completed in order. 
  • Enter your information completely and correctly. 
  • Pace yourself and take breaks. All the information you fill out will be saved. You can click "Save & Exit" and return to complete your form.   
Start This Form (registration required)

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After You Finish

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Once you have completed the forms and are ready to file:

  • Print your completed forms.You can print your forms at any Cleveland Public Library for .10 per page. On Wednesdays, you can also print your forms at the Law Library, which is located on the fourth floor of the Cuyahoga County Court House at 1 W. Lakeside Ave.  You can print up to 25 pages for free at the Law Library. There is a fee of .20 per additional page. You should make at least one extra copy of your forms for your records.
  • After you print your forms, you will need to sign your documents in front of a notary. The Law Library has staff who can notarize your forms for you. You also can find a notary by searching on your browser for “a notary near me.” The Help Center at the Domestic Relations Court also has staff who can notarize your forms for you.
  • Bring your completed, signed and notarized forms to the Clerk of Court. The Domestic Relations Clerk of Court is located on the ground floor of the Cuyahoga County Court House at 1 W. Lakeside Ave.
  • Give the clerk your forms to file. You also will need to pay the filing fee.

As of March 1st, 2024, the cost to file for legal separation is $200.

You also have the option to efile your forms. Learn more about efiling from the Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts.

If you have a low income and can’t afford the filing fee, you can choose to add a Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit, or Poverty Affidavit, to create an additional form to file with your packet of documents. This form asks that you be allowed to file without paying a fee upfront. You may still be responsible for paying the fee at the end of the case.

The Court has to tell your spouse that you have filed for legal separation. This is called “serving” the papers. One of the forms that you will have to fill out asks you how you want the forms to be served. The preferred method in Cuyahoga County is certified mail. See more about “serving” your court papers.

If you have questions about the process of filing for legal separation, you can contact the Help Center at (216) 443-8880.

Learn more about the next steps in the separation process after you file.

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