Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody in Champaign County

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

Champaign County, Ohio · Urbana

A grandparent, relative, or other non-parent who is raising a child can ask the Juvenile side of the Champaign County Family Court for legal custody (R.C. 2151.23; R.C. 3109.04). Legal custody to a non-parent gives day-to-day care and major decision-making while parents usually keep residual rights such as parenting time. There is no separate non-parent form — the court confirmed a non-parent uses the general custody complaint (Ohio Uniform Form 23).

How can a grandparent or relative get custody in Champaign County, Ohio?

File a custody action on the Juvenile side of the Family Court in Urbana using the general custody complaint (Ohio Uniform Form 23) — there is no separate non-parent form. Initial filings must include an Affidavit of Custody and set out any existing support orders and arrearages, with an "In the Matter of" caption. Because parents have constitutionally protected rights, the court generally must find a parent unsuitable (or that the parents agree or forfeited custody) before awarding legal custody to a non-parent, and then decide on the child's best interest. A Complaint for Custody carries a $250 fee. If a relative wants only time with the child rather than custody, that is a companionship request under R.C. 3109.11/3109.12.

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: Champaign County Family Court (Domestic Relations–Juvenile–Probate Division)

200 North Main Street, 3rd Floor, Urbana, OH 43078, Urbana, OH 43078
Phone: (937) 484-1027
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (closed holidays)
Website: www.ccfamct.us
e-Filing: https://eservices.champaigncountyfamilycourt.com

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Champaign County Family Court (Juvenile side)
200 North Main Street, 3rd Floor, Urbana, OH 43078, Urbana, OH 43078
Phone: (937) 484-1027
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (closed holidays)

Grandparent / Non-Parent Custody is the right path if…

You are a grandparent, relative, or other non-parent actively caring for the child.
Remaining in a parent's custody is not in the child's best interest.
You can show the parents are unsuitable, or that they agree or have forfeited custody.
You need either legal custody or, for a relative, companionship time with the child.

Filing Fees

$250 Complaint for Custody · $250 Motion for Visitation (companionship) · one filing fee for all children of the same parents filed together · GAL fees as the court orders — confirm with the Clerk at (937) 484-1027

Forms & Filing Packets

Complaint for legal custody to a non-parent — $250 Complaint for Custody

File the general custody complaint (Ohio Uniform Form 23) on the Juvenile side with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit and an Affidavit of Custody. The court weighs parental suitability and the child's best interest.

Family Court Cover Sheet — Required cover sheet for every initial Champaign County Family Court filing. Must be printed single-sided.
Confidential Disclosure of Personal Identifiers — Required in every case so personal identifiers stay out of the public record (the filer must redact under Sup. R. 45). Printed single-sided.
Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 23) — Asks the Juvenile Branch to name a residential parent and legal custodian and set a parenting-time schedule when the parents were never married.
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.
Request for Service — Tells the Clerk how to serve the other party (certified mail, personal service, or — with a last known address — posting and mail at the three local bulletin boards).

Grandparent / relative companionship — $250 Motion for Visitation

A grandparent or relative can ask for companionship (visitation) under R.C. 3109.11 or 3109.12; the court weighs the best-interest factors, including the wishes of the child's parents. A Motion for Visitation carries a $250 fee — confirm the correct companionship packet with the Clerk.

Family Court Cover Sheet — Required cover sheet for every initial Champaign County Family Court filing. Must be printed single-sided.
Confidential Disclosure of Personal Identifiers — Required in every case so personal identifiers stay out of the public record (the filer must redact under Sup. R. 45). Printed single-sided.
Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Ohio Uniform Form 26) — The Juvenile-side motion to change a parenting-time/companionship schedule without changing the residential parent.
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.

How to File Grandparent / Non-Parent Custody in Champaign County

Decide what you need. Determine whether you need full legal custody through the Juvenile side or only companionship (time) with the child.
Prepare the filing. For custody, complete Ohio Uniform Form 23 with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit and an Affidavit of Custody; for companionship, confirm the correct R.C. 3109.11/3109.12 packet with the Clerk.
File on the Juvenile side. File at the Champaign County Family Court, 200 North Main Street, 3rd Floor, Urbana, and pay the $250 fee (one fee covers all children of the same parents filed together).
Attend the hearing. The court may appoint a GAL and holds a hearing on parental suitability and the child's best interest before awarding custody or companionship.

Champaign County Practice Notes

No dedicated non-parent form — use Form 23. The court confirmed there is no separate non-parent or relative custody form in Champaign County; a non-parent uses the general custody complaint (Ohio Uniform Form 23). Initial custody filings must include an Affidavit of Custody and set out existing support orders and arrearages, using the "In the Matter of" caption. The court generally directs guardianship of the person of a minor to be filed as a Juvenile custody action rather than a Probate minor guardianship.
Custody is not adoption. Legal custody to a non-parent does not permanently end the parents' legal relationship — parents typically keep residual rights including parenting time. A permanent change of the parent-child relationship is adoption, handled on the Probate side. A GAL may be appointed to investigate the child's best interest in contested cases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a grandparent or relative get custody in Champaign County?: Yes. A grandparent, relative, or other non-parent can file for legal custody on the Juvenile side of the Family Court (R.C. 2151.23; R.C. 3109.04). There is no separate non-parent form — the court confirmed a non-parent uses the general custody complaint (Ohio Uniform Form 23). Because parents have protected rights, the court generally must find a parent unsuitable (or that the parents agree/forfeited custody) before awarding custody to a non-parent, then decide on the child's best interest.
Do I file custody in the DR or the Juvenile side in Champaign County?: If you are or were married to the other parent, custody, parenting time, and support are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation on the Domestic Relations side, using Champaign County's local DR forms. If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are handled on the Juvenile side using Ohio Supreme Court Uniform forms (Form 23). Grandparent and other non-parent custody is always filed on the Juvenile side.
What does it cost to file on the Juvenile side in Champaign County?: Most Juvenile complaints and motions are $250 — Complaint for Custody, Complaint for Support, Complaint for Paternity, Motion for Shared Parenting, Motion for Visitation, Motion in Contempt, and a non-CSEA Motion to Terminate Support. If the children all have the same mother and father and are filed at the same time, there is only one filing fee for all of them. A fee waiver is available through the Ohio Supreme Court poverty affidavit.
When does Champaign County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?: In contested custody and parenting matters the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) to represent the child's best interest. A Champaign County GAL must complete the Ohio Supreme Court pre-service training and 3 hours of continuing GAL education each year. GAL fees are paid by the parties as the court orders; confirm the rate and allocation in your case with the Clerk's Office at (937) 484-1027.

Free Local Resources in Champaign County

Champaign County Family Court Clerk's Office. 200 North Main Street, 3rd Floor, Urbana, OH 43078. Phone (937) 484-1027 / (937) 484-1028; fax (937) 484-1026; email clerks@ccfamct.us. Hours Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Clerks can check that the right blanks are filled in but cannot give legal advice. Online records (eServices): https://eservices.champaigncountyfamilycourt.com.
Champaign County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Champaign County Department of Job & Family Services / CSEA, 1512 S. US Hwy 68, Ste. N100, Urbana, OH 43078. Phone (937) 484-1500; website https://www.champaigndjfs.org. Establishes, collects, and enforces support and can establish paternity administratively.
Champaign County Law Library. Located on the basement level of the Champaign County Court of Common Pleas, open Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Self-represented parties can research the law there.
Children Services (abuse / neglect). Report concerns during business hours at (937) 484-1500 (ask for Children Services Intake); after hours/holidays call the Champaign County Dispatch Center at (937) 653-3409. Call 911 if a child is in immediate danger.

Related to your non-parent custody case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Adoption — Grow your family through step-parent, agency, or kinship adoption.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on non-parent custody and related Ohio family law topics.

Grandparents' Rights in Ohio: Visitation and Custody — Ohio grandparents can sometimes seek court-ordered companionship time or even custody — but only in specific circumstances and always under the best-interest standard. Here's how it works.
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.
Kinship Adoption in Ohio: Adopting a Relative's Child — When a child can't safely stay with their parents, relatives often step in. Kinship adoption gives that arrangement legal permanence. Here's how it works in Ohio — and how it differs from custody.

Keep exploring

Ohio Grandparent / Non-Parent Custody guide — Statewide overview of grandparent / non-parent custody in Ohio.
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