Shared Parenting in Brown County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026
Brown County, Ohio · Georgetown
In Ohio, shared parenting names both parents legal custodian and residential parent under a written plan that meets R.C. 3109.04. In Brown County, married parents propose a plan inside their Domestic Relations divorce, dissolution, or legal separation; never-married parents propose one in the Juvenile Division. When parents can't agree on a schedule, the Domestic Relations standard order in Local Rule 31.6 — alternate weekends, a holiday rotation with a Brown County Fair block, and extended summer time — is the reference point.
How does shared parenting work in Brown County, Ohio?
Either or both parents may propose a Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio Uniform Domestic Relations Form 20) that covers the living schedule, holidays, decision-making, transportation, health, education, and dispute resolution. The court approves the plan only if it serves the child's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F). Married parents file inside a divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the Domestic Relations Division; never-married parents file in the Juvenile Division ($120 new complaint). If parents can't agree on a schedule, the Local Rule 31.6 standard order is the starting point — alternate weekends Friday 7 p.m. to Sunday 7 p.m., a holiday rotation, and up to four weeks of summer time. Ohio does not use the terms "joint" or "primary" custody.
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: Brown County Court of Common Pleas — General & Domestic Relations Division
101 South Main Street, Georgetown, OH 45121, Georgetown, OH 45121Phone: (937) 378-3233
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Thursdays until 6:00 PM (closed legal holidays)
Website: browncountyohiocommonpleascourt.us/
e-Filing: https://www.clerkofcourtsbrowncountyohio.org/homeCP.php
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Brown County Probate & Juvenile Court (Juvenile Division)
510 East State Street, Georgetown, OH 45121, Georgetown, OH 45121
Phone: (937) 378-6726
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Shared Parenting is the right path if…
- Both parents want to be named legal custodian and residential parent under one plan.
- You can cooperate enough to share major decisions about school, health, and activities.
- You need a written schedule covering weekdays, weekends, holidays, and summer.
- You want the plan built around the child's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F).
Filing Fees
Shared parenting rides the underlying case deposit — $250 in a DR divorce/dissolution/legal separation, $120 in a Juvenile case — confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (937) 378-3100
Forms & Filing Packets
Shared parenting plan inside a Domestic Relations case
File the Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio Form 20) with the UCCJEA Parenting Proceeding Affidavit inside your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation, and complete the Helping Children Cope class (Local Rule 31.5).
- 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.
- Helping Children Cope with Family Separation — Registration Form — Brown County's mandatory parenting program for any divorce, dissolution, or legal separation with minor children (Local Rule 31.5). The $60 class is held online by Zoom; register at 513-324-3999 through Lifespan Solutions.
Shared parenting plan in Juvenile Court — $120 Juvenile new complaint
Never-married parents file the Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio Form 20) with the Juvenile Filing Packet and the UCCJEA affidavit.
- 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.
- Juvenile Filing Packet for Complaint (Brown County) — The Brown County Juvenile Division packet to open a parentage, custody, or non-parent custody case at 510 E. State St., Georgetown. Pair it with the Directions for All Filings.
- 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.
Add the child-support worksheet
Even with shared parenting, the court runs the Ohio worksheet and can order support and medical coverage based on the parents' incomes and time.
- 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.
How to File Shared Parenting in Brown County
- Decide if shared parenting fits. Confirm both parents want to share legal custody and can cooperate on major decisions for the child.
- Draft the Form 20 plan. Complete the Shared Parenting Plan covering the schedule, holidays, decision-making, transportation, health, education, and dispute resolution.
- File in the right court. Married parents file inside the divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in Domestic Relations; never-married parents file in the Juvenile Division.
- Run the support worksheet. Complete the Ohio child-support worksheet and Health Insurance Affidavit so the court can address support and medical coverage.
Brown County Practice Notes
- Best interest controls the plan. 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 Local Rule 31.6 standard schedule is the fallback. If parents cannot agree on parenting time, the Domestic Relations standard order in Local Rule 31.6 is the starting point: alternate weekends (Friday 7 p.m.–Sunday 7 p.m.), a detailed holiday rotation including a Brown County Fair block, and up to four weeks of summer time (no more than two at a time, notice by May 15). The Juvenile Division applies its own Standard Parenting Time Guidelines (Local Rule 23.1).
- EEP mediation can help reach a plan. In Juvenile cases the court can order the 3-hour Early Evaluation Program (Local Rule 33) — a court-appointed neutral helps parents resolve custody and visitation; the fee is $300 (the schedule lists $400 — confirm), normally split between the parties.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is shared parenting in Brown County and how do I ask for it?
- Shared parenting means both parents are named legal custodian and residential parent under a written plan that meets R.C. 3109.04 — covering the living schedule, holidays, decision-making, transportation, health, education, and dispute resolution. Either or both parents may propose a plan (Ohio Uniform Domestic Relations Form 20); the court approves it only if it serves the child's best interest. Married parents file inside a divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in Domestic Relations; never-married parents file in the Juvenile Division. Ohio does not use the terms "joint" or "primary" custody.
- What is the standard parenting-time schedule in Brown County?
- In Domestic Relations cases, Common Pleas Local Rule 31.6 sets the standard schedule unless modified for good cause: alternate weekends (Friday 7 p.m. to Sunday 7 p.m.), a detailed holiday rotation that includes a Brown County Fair block, and up to four weeks of summer parenting time (no more than two weeks at a time, with notice by May 15). The Juvenile Division applies its own Standard Parenting Time Guidelines (Local Rule 23.1) and often references the Local Rule 31.6 schedule as a starting point.
- Do I file in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Brown County?
- If you are or were married to the other parent, custody, parenting time, and support are decided in your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the General & Domestic Relations Division of the Court of Common Pleas, 101 S. Main St., Georgetown ((937) 378-3233). If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are handled in the combined Probate & Juvenile Court at 510 E. State St., Georgetown ((937) 378-6726). Non-parent (grandparent/relative) custody is always filed in the Juvenile Division.
- Is a parenting class required, and which one does Brown County use?
- Yes. Under Common Pleas Local Rule 31.5, all parties to a divorce, dissolution, or legal separation with minor children must complete "Helping Children Cope with Family Separation," Brown County's version of the R.C. 3109.053 program, run with Lifespan Solutions. It is a $60, adults-only class held online by Zoom (6:30–9:00 p.m.) one Thursday a month; register at 513-324-3999. In a divorce or legal separation the moving party completes it before the case is scheduled; in a dissolution, both spouses complete it before the final hearing.
Free Local Resources in Brown County
- Brown County Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas / Domestic Relations). Court House Square, 101 S. Main St., Georgetown — Civil and Domestic filings on the 1st floor. Main (937) 378-3100; verified record line (937) 378-4740; fax/electronic-transmission filing (937) 378-1753. Payment by cash, money order, personal check, or certified check — no credit cards.
- Brown County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Director Deborah Forsythe. 510 E. State St., Georgetown, OH 45121. Phone (937) 378-6414; fax (937) 378-2552; hours Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–4:00 PM. Establishes, modifies, and enforces support and can establish paternity administratively (free genetic testing if ordered).
- Helping Children Cope with Family Separation (parenting program). Mandatory $60 online (Zoom) class for any divorce, dissolution, or legal separation with minor children (Local Rule 31.5), run with Lifespan Solutions. Register and pay by card at 513-324-3999, or mail a $60 money order to Lifespan Solutions, 7672 Montgomery Road #153, Cincinnati, OH 45236 at least two weeks before the class.
- Brown County Law Library / Georgetown Public Library. Public legal research at the Georgetown Public Library, 200 West Grant Ave., Georgetown (court staff cannot give legal advice). Ohio statewide child-abuse hotline (855) 642-4453 routes to the Brown County Public Children Services Agency.
Other Family-Law Topics in Brown County
- Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
- Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Brown County custody attorney for help with your case.
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.
- Cincinnati family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cincinnati metro.
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