New Domestic Relations Cases

After the filing of a complaint for divorce or a petition for dissolution of marriage in which minor children are involved and before said action will proceed to final hearing, every party seeking the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities for the care of minor children, and both parties seeking a dissolution, shall attend one session of a parenting class sponsored by the Common Pleas Court of Williams County, Ohio, Division of Domestic Relations.

Post - Decree Domestic Relations Cases

Before any motion for a change of allocation of parental rights and responsibilities, including visitation, will be set for final hearing, every party seeking any allocation of such parental rights and responsibilities shall attend the above referred to parenting class if they have not done so within the last two years immediately prior to the filing of such motion. A certification of attendance will be filed in the case file for each participant after each class.

Rule 11.03

Pursuant to local rule 11.03, if you have children ages 5 to 17 they will be required to attend the What About Me? Program. Parents are expected to bring their child(ren) with them for the What About Me session. The parents will attend their A - OK session and afterwards participate in What About Me with their child(ren).

Fee

The fee for attendance at said What About Me? session shall be thirty dollars ($30) per attendee. In most cases, a deposit was posted with the Clerk of Courts at the time the original pleadings were filed which included the cost of the What About Me? session. In the event your pending case was filed without posting a deposit with the Clerk or if the deposit has been exhausted, you will be required to pay $30 for each child to participate in What About Me? at the door on the date of your session. 

If you have a step-child(ren) you wish to participate in What About Me?, you will need to contact the Assignment Commissioner at 419-636-2644 or via email to have them registered. There will be a $30 fee, per child, to be paid at the door for any step-child(ren) you register to attend this program.

Attendance

Attendance at What About Me? shall be mandatory. The Court may impose appropriate sanctions as in Rule 11.01 for failure to comply.

* Please keep in mind that the What About Me Program is not available online. As stated, if you have children between the ages of 5 and 17 who are required to attend the What About Me Program, the children must attend the live class held in either Williams or Henry Counties.