Establishing Paternity in Butler County

How do I establish paternity in Butler County, Ohio?

File a Complaint to Establish Parentage at the Butler County Juvenile Justice Center, 280 N. Fair Ave., Hamilton, for $165 plus service. Include the IV-D application (Appendix H), the Face Sheet, and relief codes in the caption. The court can order genetic testing through a certified lab; the parentage case conference is set no earlier than 31 days after filing. Once paternity is established, the same case can allocate custody and set child support. A signed Acknowledgment of Paternity can be rescinded within 60 days.

Where to File: Butler County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Butler County Juvenile Justice Center
280 N. Fair Ave., Hamilton, OH 45011, Hamilton, OH 45011
Phone: (513) 887-3317
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (Clerk 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.)

Paternity is the right path if…

• The parents were not married when the child was born.
• You need to legally establish (or challenge) who the father is.
• You want custody, parenting time, or child support that depends on legal fatherhood.
• You need genetic testing to confirm parentage.

Filing Fees

Parentage/support complaint: $165 + service · Genetic testing ordered through a certified lab · Parentage conference no earlier than 31 days after filing

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Paternity in Butler County

1. Decide how to establish paternity. Use a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity, an administrative CSEA finding, or file a parentage complaint at the Juvenile Justice Center for a court order.
2. File the parentage complaint. File at 280 N. Fair Ave. for $165 plus service, with the IV-D application, Face Sheet, and relief codes. One child per filing.
3. Complete genetic testing if disputed. The court can order the parties and child to a certified lab. Results are returned to Case Management/the court.
4. Add custody and support. Once parentage is established, the same case can designate a residential parent and set child support using the Ohio worksheet.

Butler County Practice Notes

• Genetic testing. Either party can request genetic testing. The court (or CSEA) will order the parties and child to a designated lab. Tests run 99%+ accurate. If the alleged father is excluded, the case is dismissed and the Ohio Department of Health updates the birth record.
• Acknowledgment of Paternity has a 60-day window. A signed Acknowledgment of Paternity can be rescinded within 60 days through CSEA; after that, you must challenge it in court within one year on grounds of fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact (R.C. 3111.27).
• One child per filing with the Face Sheet. Butler County Juvenile Court requires a separate filing for each child, plus the Juvenile Court Face Sheet (Appendix I), relief codes (Appendix J), and a IV-D application for parentage and support cases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I file in Domestic Relations or the Juvenile Justice Center?

If you are married to the other parent (or were married when the children were born), custody, parenting time, and child support travel with your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment at the Domestic Relations Court, 315 High Street, Hamilton. If you were never married, paternity and custody go to the Butler County Juvenile Justice Center at 280 N. Fair Ave., a separate building. Grandparent and non-parent custody is always Juvenile.

How much does it cost to file in Butler County?

Domestic Relations filing deposits are set by the Butler County Clerk of Courts and posted at clerkofcourts.bcohio.gov; you pay them after the Case Management Office approves your packet. Juvenile Justice Center filings are $165 plus $50 clerk service for a custody, support, allocation, or visitation complaint ($165 plus service for paternity; $45 for a relocation notice). If you cannot pay, file Form DR824 to proceed in forma pauperis at DR, or an indigency affidavit at Juvenile.

Can I rescind an Acknowledgment of Paternity in Ohio?

A signed Acknowledgment of Paternity can be rescinded within 60 days of the last signature by contacting your local Child Support Enforcement Agency and completing a Request for Paternity Determination. After 60 days you must challenge the acknowledgment in court within 1 year on grounds of fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact (R.C. 3111.27). Genetic testing is typically ordered, and the Ohio Department of Health updates the birth record if the alleged father is excluded.

What does Butler County CSEA do?

The Butler County Child Support Enforcement Agency at the Gov't Services Center, 315 High Street, 7th Floor, Hamilton (health-insurance line (513) 887-3362) opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio child-support calculation, collects support by wage withholding, distributes it, and enforces orders. Pay in person by Visa, MasterCard, ATM, or cash (no personal checks), by mail through Ohio Child Support Payment Central in Columbus, or online via ExpertPay.

What does it mean for Ohio to be my child's 'home state' under the UCCJEA?

Under the UCCJEA (R.C. 3127), Ohio is the children's home state when they have lived in Ohio with a parent for at least 6 consecutive months immediately before the filing. If the children recently moved, the prior state may still have jurisdiction. Ohio courts can also decline jurisdiction as an inconvenient forum under R.C. 3127.21 even when home-state requirements are met.

Free Local Resources in Butler County

• Butler County DR Court Forms & E-Submission. All Domestic Relations forms, instructions, and completed packets are posted at drcourt.bcohio.gov/forms. Non-DV documents are submitted through the E-Submission portal at drcsubmit.bcohio.gov; DV/CPO documents use the Document Submission portal.
• Butler County Juvenile Justice Center Forms. Custody, visitation, support, contempt, and emergency-custody complaints and motions (PDF and DOC) are at juvenilejusticecenter.bcohio.gov/forms___downloads. CSEA e-filing is at bcjjcefile.bcohio.gov/EFile.
• Butler County Bar Association. Attorney referral and general legal information at (513) 896-6671 / butlercountybar.org. Court staff cannot give legal advice.
• Women Helping Women (24-hour DV hotline). Confidential domestic-violence support and victim advocacy at (513) 381-5610. The Butler County Sheriff's Victim Assistance Program is at (513) 887-3430.

Other Family-Law Topics in Butler County

• Butler County Divorce — Contested and uncontested divorce filing at the Domestic Relations Court.
• Butler County Dissolution — The both-parties-agree path — faster and cheaper than divorce.
• Butler County Custody — Married parents file at DR; never-married parents at the Juvenile Justice Center.
• Butler County Civil Protection Orders — Walk-in DV/CPO filing with same-day ex parte review.

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.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Paternity guide — Statewide overview of paternity in Ohio.
• Cincinnati family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cincinnati metro.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
• Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.