Shared Parenting in Auglaize County

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

Auglaize County, Ohio · Wapakoneta

Shared parenting lets both parents be designated residential parents and legal custodians under a written plan that meets R.C. 3109.04(G). In Auglaize County the plan is filed with the divorce at the Domestic Relations Division, or in the Juvenile Division for never-married parents. The court approves a plan only if shared parenting serves the children's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F). The standard parenting-time schedule in Local Rule 28 applies unless the parents agree otherwise.

How do I get shared parenting in Auglaize County, Ohio?

File a Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio Form 20) with your divorce at the Auglaize County Domestic Relations Division, or in the Auglaize County Juvenile Division if you were never married. The plan must address living arrangements, holiday and vacation schedules, decision-making, transportation, health, education, and dispute resolution, and must be notarized. The court approves it only if shared parenting is in the children's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F). Both parents must complete the A-OK parenting class before the final hearing.

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: Auglaize County Court of Common Pleas

201 S Willipie St, Wapakoneta, OH 45895, Wapakoneta, OH 45895
Phone: (419) 739-6775
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the Clerk to confirm current hours)
Website: www2.auglaizecounty.org/courts/domestic-relations-court

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

Both parents want to be designated residential parents and legal custodians.
You can cooperate on major decisions about health, education, and the children's welfare.
You have (or can build) a workable schedule for living arrangements, holidays, and vacations.
Shared parenting is realistically in the children's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F).

If cooperation isn't realistic, one parent can ask to be named sole residential parent instead. Compare custody.

Filing Fees

Part of the divorce deposit (married) or the Juvenile catch-all deposit (never-married, $250; clerk may set more) · plan must be notarized · Local Rule 28 parenting time applies unless parents agree otherwise · confirm amounts with the Domestic Relations Court (419) 739-6775 or Juvenile Division (419) 739-6776

Forms & Filing Packets

Shared parenting inside a divorce — Part of the divorce deposit

File the Shared Parenting Plan with your DR case, with the children's affidavits and support worksheet.

Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) — Required when both parents are asking to be designated residential parents under R.C. 3109.04(G). Must be notarized.
Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — Required in any case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
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.

Shared parenting for never-married parents — $250 catch-all deposit (clerk may set more)

File in the Auglaize County Juvenile Division with the parentage/custody complaint, UCCJEA affidavit, and support worksheet.

Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) — Required when both parents are asking to be designated residential parents under R.C. 3109.04(G). Must be notarized.
Complaint to Establish Paternity (with custody & parenting time) — Filed in the Auglaize County Juvenile Division to legally establish the father and ask the court to set custody and parenting time. Auglaize uses the Ohio Supreme Court standardized juvenile forms.
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.
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.

How to File Shared Parenting in Auglaize County

Decide where to file. Married or divorcing parents file the plan with the divorce at the Domestic Relations Division; never-married parents file in the Auglaize County Juvenile Division.
Draft a complete plan. Use Ohio Form 20 and address living arrangements, holidays and vacations, decision-making, transportation, health, education, and dispute resolution.
Add the supporting forms. Include the UCCJEA Parenting Proceeding Affidavit, the Health Insurance Affidavit, and the child-support worksheet.
Notarize and file. Sign the plan before a notary and file it with your case; the Local Rule 28 schedule applies unless the parents agree otherwise.
Complete the A-OK class. Both parents finish the A-OK online class ($30) and file the certificate before the final hearing.

Auglaize County Practice Notes

Best-interest standard governs. R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) lists 10+ factors: each parent's wishes, the child's wishes (when of sufficient age), the child's interaction with parents/siblings, adjustment to home/school/community, mental and physical health of all involved, the parent more likely to facilitate court-approved parenting time, child support compliance, criminal history, residence outside Ohio, and any history of abuse.
The plan must be complete and notarized. A shared parenting plan under R.C. 3109.04(G) must address physical living arrangements, the holiday and vacation schedule, decision-making, transportation, health and education, and dispute resolution — and must be signed before a notary. The court can reject a plan that doesn't serve the children's best interest.
A-OK parenting class is required with minor children. Both parents in a case with minor children must complete the A-OK (Assisting Our Kids) class unless excused. It is a 4-hour online course that costs $30 and is required once every two years. File the certificate before the final hearing.
Contested custody can add investigation costs. In a contested custody case, the court can order a custody investigation — the deposit is $150 if it stays in the county or $200 if it reaches out of county. The court can also appoint a Guardian ad Litem (a $1,000 deposit) and order a home study (a $500 deposit). Confirm current amounts with the court at (419) 739-6775.

Frequently Asked Questions

What parenting class is required in Auglaize County, and what does it cost?: Auglaize County uses the A-OK (Assisting Our Kids) class. Both parents in a case with minor children must complete it unless excused — it is a 4-hour online course that costs $30 and is required once every two years. File the certificate before the final hearing.
What does it cost to file for custody in the Auglaize County Juvenile Division?: Auglaize Juvenile filings (Suite 119, (419) 739-6776) are not itemized, so the deposit follows the court's catch-all of $250, and the clerk may set more — confirm the exact amount when you file. Juvenile filings cannot be paid online. The standard parenting-time schedule in Local Rule 28 applies unless the parents agree otherwise.
Do I file custody in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Auglaize County?: If you are married to (or were married to) the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside your divorce or dissolution at the Auglaize County Court of Common Pleas. If you were never married, paternity and custody are handled by the Auglaize County Juvenile Court. Grandparent and other non-parent custody requests are always filed in Juvenile Court.
When does Auglaize County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?: In a contested custody case, the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) — a court-appointed attorney who investigates and files a written report recommending what is in the children's best interest before the merit hearing. GAL fees are typically split between the parents at the court's discretion. The court may also order a custody evaluation in higher-conflict cases.

Free Local Resources in Auglaize County

Auglaize County Clerk of Courts. Provides current filing fees, local forms, and filing instructions for custody, divorce, and dissolution cases. Call the Domestic Relations Court at (419) 739-6775 or visit https://www2.auglaizecounty.org/courts/domestic-relations-court before filing to confirm deposits and packet requirements.
Auglaize County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Auglaize 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 shared parenting case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.

Related guides

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

Shared Parenting in Ohio: How Joint Custody Really Works — Shared parenting is Ohio's version of joint custody — both parents stay legal custodians and share major decisions. Here's what a plan must cover and how courts decide.
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.
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.

Keep exploring

Ohio Shared Parenting guide — Statewide overview of shared parenting in Ohio.
Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
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