Establishing Paternity in Ashland County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026

Ashland County, Ohio · Ashland

When parents were never married, the case to establish legal fatherhood and then allocate custody, parenting time, and child support is filed in the Juvenile Division of the Ashland County Court of Common Pleas (R.C. Ch. 3111) — Judge Karen DeSanto Kellogg, 142 West Second Street. It is not handled in the divorce court. Ashland's Juvenile Division moves quickly: on any party's motion it orders DNA testing immediately and without a hearing, and parentage cases run on statutory time standards.

How do I establish paternity in Ashland County, Ohio?

File a parentage complaint with the Juvenile Clerk at 142 West Second Street using the Ohio Supreme Court parentage/custody packet, with UDRF Affidavit 1 (income/expenses), Affidavit 3 (parenting proceeding), Affidavit 4 (health insurance), and a IV-D application. If parentage is in question, any party can move for genetic testing — the court orders it immediately, without a hearing, and the movant prepays (CSEA pays if it opened the case). A two-party case is a $175 deposit (+$25 per additional party); a fee waiver is available. Once parentage is established, the court allocates custody and parenting time under R.C. 3109.04 best-interest factors and sets support. Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Clerk at (419) 282-4205.

Ohio Custody by the Numbers

Best interest The single standard that governs every Ohio custody decision Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04
No set age There is no age a child can choose a parent — the judge weighs a mature child's wishes Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(B)
Change in circumstances Required, plus a best-interest finding, before the residential parent can be changed Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(E)(1)
Shared parenting Either parent may ask the court for a joint parenting plan Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3109.04(G)

Compare Types of Custody in Ohio

Custody type	Who makes major decisions	Where the child lives	Best when
Shared parenting	Both parents jointly, under a written plan	Time is split per the plan (not always 50/50)	Parents can communicate and cooperate on decisions
Sole legal & residential	One parent	Primarily with that parent	One parent is unable or unwilling to co-parent
Split custody	Each parent for the child in their care	Siblings are divided between the two homes	Rare — only when it serves each child's best interest
Legal custody to a non-parent	The relative or caregiver granted custody	With the non-parent caregiver	Neither parent can safely care for the child

Where to File: Ashland County Common Pleas Court - Domestic Relations Division

142 W 2nd St, Ashland, OH 44805, Ashland, OH 44805
Phone: (419) 282-4242
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the Clerk to confirm current hours)
Website: ashlandcommonpleas.com

Paternity is the right path if…

The parents were never married and legal fatherhood needs to be established before custody or support can be ordered.
You want DNA testing ordered to confirm or rule out parentage.
You need a custody, parenting-time, and child-support order to follow once parentage is set.
You're filing in the Juvenile Division (not the divorce court) because the parents were never married to each other.

Inside a divorce, paternity of a child born before or during the marriage is handled by the Form 5.00 Waiver of Paternity Testing instead. See Ashland County divorce.

Filing Fees

Two-party parentage/custody/parenting-time case $175 (+$25 per additional party); support-only $125; CSEA-initiated exempt · genetic testing ordered without a hearing · fee waiver available · confirm at (419) 282-4205

Forms & Filing Packets

Establish parentage, custody and parenting time — $175 two-party (+$25 per additional party) — confirm with the Juvenile Clerk

File the Supreme Court parentage/custody packet with the financial, parenting, and health-insurance affidavits and a IV-D application. Pro se filers must use the standard forms.

New Case — Parentage, Custody and/or Parenting Time (Ohio SC Juvenile packet) — The Supreme Court standard packet the Ashland Juvenile Division directs pro se filers to use to establish parentage, custody, and parenting time for never-married parents.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom, confirming Ohio's jurisdiction over custody under the UCCJEA. Required in any case involving minor children.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you ask the court to set or change support.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services (JFS-07076) — Required with any DR or Juvenile filing involving custody or support. In DR cases it is EMAILED to hadkins@ashlandcommonpleas.com — never filed with the Clerk.

Ask for genetic (DNA) testing

On motion the Juvenile Division orders DNA testing immediately and without a hearing; the movant prepays the cost (taxed as costs later). The DR side uses Form 7.00 for testing inside a divorce.

Order for Genetic Testing (Local Form 7.00) — DR-side order directing DNA testing where parentage is in question (Word form). The Juvenile Division's own genetic-testing order (Form 9.00) is used in never-married parentage cases.

How to File Paternity in Ashland County

Get the parentage packet. Use the Ohio Supreme Court parentage/custody packet linked from acjuvenileprobate.org; pro se filers must use the standard forms.
Add the required affidavits and IV-D form. Include Affidavit 1 (income/expenses), Affidavit 3 (parenting proceeding), Affidavit 4 (health insurance), and a IV-D application.
File with the Juvenile Clerk and pay (or waive). File at 142 West Second Street and pay the $175 two-party deposit, or file a fee-waiver request. Confirm amounts at (419) 282-4205.
Move for DNA testing if parentage is disputed. The court orders testing immediately without a hearing; the movant prepays. After results, a paternity hearing is set and custody/support follow.

Ashland County Practice Notes

DNA testing is fast and order-driven. On any party's motion, the Juvenile Division orders genetic testing immediately and without a hearing; results go to the court with copies to the parties, then a paternity hearing is set. The movant prepays (CSEA prepays if it initiated), taxed as costs at the end (Juvenile LR 27(B)).
Statutory time standards apply. Parentage and support cases run on R.C. 3125.58 standards — 75% completed within 6 months of filing, 90% within 12 months — and the court may issue temporary support orders and prioritize these cases (Juvenile LR 27(A)).
Pro se filers must use the standard forms. Self-represented parties must use UDRF Forms 17/18 and the Uniform Juvenile Forms as applicable; attorneys may substitute pleadings containing the same substance (Juvenile LR 27(D)(3)). Every filing needs a IV-D application or a CSEA SETS statement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do unmarried parents establish paternity in Ashland County?: In the Juvenile Division of the Ashland County Court of Common Pleas (R.C. Ch. 3111) — Judge Karen DeSanto Kellogg, 142 West Second Street, Juvenile Clerk (419) 282-4205 — not in the divorce court. Pro se filers must use the Ohio Supreme Court standard parentage/custody packet.
How fast can I get DNA paternity testing in Ashland County?: Immediately. On any party's motion the Juvenile Division orders genetic testing without a hearing; results go to the court and the parties, then a paternity hearing is set. The movant prepays the test (CSEA pays if it opened the case), taxed as costs at the end (Juvenile LR 27(B)).
What does a paternity case cost in Ashland County?: A two-party parentage/custody/parenting-time case is a $175 deposit (+$25 per additional party) in the Juvenile Division; support-only matters are $125. A fee waiver is available. Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Clerk at (419) 282-4205.
How quickly do parentage cases move in Ashland County?: Parentage and support cases run on R.C. 3125.58 time standards — 75% completed within 6 months of filing and 90% within 12 months — and the court may issue temporary support orders and prioritize these cases to stay on pace (Juvenile LR 27(A)).

Free Local Resources in Ashland County

Ashland County Clerk of Courts. Provides current filing fees, local forms, and filing instructions for custody, divorce, and dissolution cases. Call (419) 282-4242 or visit https://ashlandcommonpleas.com before filing to confirm deposits and packet requirements.
Ashland County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Ashland County's IV-D agency opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. File a IV-D Application when establishing or modifying support.

Related to your paternity case

Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
Grandparents' Rights — Seek visitation or custody when it serves the child's best interest.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on paternity and related Ohio family law topics.

Fathers' Rights in Ohio: Custody, Paternity, and Parenting Time — Ohio law does not favor mothers over fathers — but unmarried fathers must establish paternity before they have any rights. Here's how fathers protect their relationship with their children.
Ohio Child Custody Laws: What Every Parent Should Know — Ohio custody law turns on one principle: the best interest of the child. This guide explains sole custody, shared parenting, the statutory factors, and how courts decide.
Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.

Keep exploring

Ohio Paternity guide — Statewide overview of paternity in Ohio.
Medina family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Medina metro.
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