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Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17 (2026)

Complaint for divorce or legal separation

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
March 23, 2023
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 210 - 134th General Assembly
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(A) Either party to the marriage may file a complaint for divorce or for legal separation, and when filed the other may file a counterclaim for divorce or for legal separation. The court of common pleas may grant divorces for the causes set forth in section 3105.01 of the Revised Code. The court of common pleas may grant legal separation on a complaint or counterclaim, regardless of whether the parties are living separately at the time the complaint or counterclaim is filed, for the following causes:

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

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

(3) Adultery;

(4) Extreme cruelty;

(5) Fraudulent contract;

(6) Any gross neglect of duty;

(7) Habitual drunkenness;

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

(9) On the application of either party, when husband and wife have, without interruption for one year, lived separate and apart without cohabitation;

(10) Incompatibility, unless denied by either party.

(B) The filing of a complaint or counterclaim for legal separation or the granting of a decree of legal separation under this section does not bar either party from filing a complaint or counterclaim for a divorce or annulment or obtaining a divorce or annulment.

(C) A decree of legal separation may be terminated by the court upon a motion signed by both spouses.

Last updated February 8, 2023 at 12:56 PM

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 90 cases (17 in the last 5 years), 1954–2026 · leading case: Blakemore v. Blakemore, 450 N.E.2d 1140 (Ohio 1983).
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Blakemore v. Blakemore, 450 N.E.2d 1140 (Ohio 1983). · cites it 2× ““(C) In an action brought solely for an order for alimony under section 3105.17 of the Revised Code, any continuing order for periodic payments of money entered pursuant to this section is subject to further order of the court upon changed circumstances of either party.”
Cherry v. Cherry, 421 N.E.2d 1293 (Ohio 1981). · cites it 2× ““(C) In an action brought solely for an order for alimony under section 3105.17 of the Revised Code, any continuing order for periodic payments of money entered pursuant to this section is subject to further order of the court upon changed circumstances of either party.”
Hoyt v. Hoyt, 559 N.E.2d 1292 (Ohio 1990). · cites it 2× ““(C) In an action brought solely for an order for alimony under section 3105.17 of the Revised Code, any continuing order for periodic payments of money entered pursuant to this section is subject to further order of the court upon changed circumstances of either party.”
Bolinger v. Bolinger, 551 N.E.2d 157 (Ohio 1990). · cites it 3× “” R.C. 3105.17 states in pertinent part: “Either party to the marriage may file a complaint for divorce or for alimony, and when filed the other may file a counterclaim for divorce or for alimony.”
Worthington v. Worthington, 488 N.E.2d 150 (Ohio 1986). · cites it 2× ““(C) In an action brought solely for an order for alimony under section 3105.17 of the Revised Code, any continuing order for periodic payments of money entered pursuant to this section is subject to further order of the court upon changed circumstances of either party.”
Ostanek v. Ostanek (Slip Opinion), 2021 Ohio 2319 (Ohio 2021). “” The General Assembly has granted the common pleas courts, and where applicable, their domestic-relations divisions, subject-matter jurisdiction over divorce actions, R.”
Nehme v. Immigr. & Naturalization Serv., 252 F.3d 415 (5th Cir. 2001). “§ 458:26 (2000); Ohio Rev.Code Ann. § 3105.17 (West 2000); S.”
Kahn v. Kahn, 536 N.E.2d 678 (Ohio Ct. App. 1987). · cites it 2× ““(C) In an action brought solely for an order for alimony under section 3105.17 of the Revised Code, any continuing order for periodic payments of money entered pursuant to this section is subject to further order of the court upon changed circumstances of either party.”
Brandon v. Brandon, 2009 Ohio 3818 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “r personal property or interest in real or personal property that was acquired by one spouse prior to the date of the marriage; (iii) Passive income and appreciation acquired from separate property by one spouse during the marriage; (iv) Any real or personal property or interest…”
Okos v. Okos, 739 N.E.2d 368 (Ohio Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 2× “personal property or interest in real or personal property that was acquired by one spouse prior to the date of the marriage; “(Hi) Passive income and appreciation acquired from separate property by one spouse during the marriage; “(iv) Any real or personal property or interest…”
Stevens v. Stevens, 492 N.E.2d 131 (Ohio 1986). · cites it 2× ““(C) In an action brought solely for an order for alimony under section 3105.17 of the Revised Code, any continuing order for periodic payments of money entered pursuant to this section is subject to further order of the court upon changed circumstances of either party.”
Middendorf v. Middendorf, 696 N.E.2d 575 (Ohio 1998). “The plain language of R.C. 3105.17(A)(3)(a)(iii) unambiguously mandates that when either spouse makes a labor, money, or in-kind contribution that causes an increase in the value of separate property, that increase in value is deemed marital property.”
Show all 90 citing cases →
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(A) — 3 cases
Ryan v. Ryan, 2024 Ohio 5691 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).
Gulley v. Gulley, 2018 Ohio 4192 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018).
Brown v. Brown, 2013 Ohio 2709 (Ohio Ct. App. 2013).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(A)(10) — 1 case
McDowall v. McDowall, 2015 Ohio 3213 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(A)(3)(a)(iii) — 5 cases
Middendorf v. Middendorf, 696 N.E.2d 575 (Ohio 1998). “The plain language of R.C. 3105.17(A)(3)(a)(iii) unambiguously mandates that when either spouse makes a labor, money, or in-kind contribution that causes an increase in the value of separate property, that increase in value is deemed marital property.”
Middendorf v. Middendorf, 1998 Ohio 403 (Ohio 1998).
Lucas v. Lucas, 2011 Ohio 6411 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011).
Flynn v. Flynn, 962 N.E.2d 368 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011).
Garrett v. Garrett, 2016 Ohio 262 (Ohio Ct. App. 2016).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(A)(3)(iii) — 1 case
Kraft v. Kraft, 2014 Ohio 4852 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(A)(4)(a)(i) — 1 case
Edelstein v. Edelstein, 2025 Ohio 1514 (Ohio Ct. App. 2025).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(A)(4)(a)(vi) — 1 case
Edelstein v. Edelstein, 2025 Ohio 1514 (Ohio Ct. App. 2025).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(A)(9) — 1 case
Guziak v. Guziak, 610 N.E.2d 1135 (Ohio Ct. App. 1992).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(B) — 4 cases
Feldmiller v. Feldmiller, 2012 Ohio 4621 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012).
Huynh v. Haskell, 2013 Ohio 656 (Ohio Ct. App. 2013).
Shapiro v. Shapiro, 615 N.E.2d 727 (Ohio Ct. App. 1992).
Vogt v. Vogt, 586 N.E.2d 242 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(E) — 1 case
Katz v. Katz, 2014 Ohio 1255 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(E)(1) — 1 case
Devito v. Devito, 2024 Ohio 2234 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(E)(5) — 1 case
Gadson v. Scott, 2025 Ohio 7 (Ohio Ct. App. 2025).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(F)(9) — 1 case
Sheterom v. Sheterom, 2018 Ohio 3377 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(G) — 1 case
Smith v. Smith, 2016 Ohio 3223 (Ohio Ct. App. 2016).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.17(I) — 2 cases
Perkins v. Perkins, 2011 Ohio 2141 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011).
Jowiski v. Gustafson-Jowiski, 2024 Ohio 197 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).
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