Establishing Paternity in Champaign County

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

Champaign County, Ohio · Urbana

For parents who were not married, legal fatherhood (parentage) is established in Champaign County through a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity, administratively through the Champaign County CSEA (which can order genetic testing), or by a parentage action on the Juvenile side of the Family Court (R.C. Chapter 3111). Establishing parentage opens the door to custody, parenting time, and child support — and is generally established before or alongside those issues.

How do I establish paternity in Champaign County, Ohio?

There are three paths. Parents can sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity; the Champaign County CSEA can establish parentage administratively and order genetic testing; or you can file a parentage action on the Juvenile side of the Family Court using Ohio Uniform Form 23 (Complaint for Parentage, Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities, and Parenting Time), where the court can order genetic testing. A Complaint for Paternity carries a $250 filing fee. Once parentage is established, the court can allocate custody and parenting time and set support on the Ohio guidelines.

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)

Paternity is the right path if…

You and the other parent were never married to each other.
You need legal fatherhood established before custody, parenting time, or support can be ordered.
You want genetic testing to confirm or rule out paternity.
You want to open a CSEA case so support can be collected and enforced.

Filing Fees

$250 Complaint for Paternity on the Juvenile side · one filing fee for all children of the same parents filed together · genetic testing as ordered — confirm with the Clerk at (937) 484-1027

Forms & Filing Packets

Parentage action on the Juvenile side — $250 Complaint for Paternity (one fee covers all children of the same parents filed together)

File Ohio Uniform Form 23 with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3) and an Application for Child Support Services; the court may order genetic testing and then allocate custody and set support.

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.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Application for Child Support Services (Champaign County) — Opens a IV-D case with the Champaign County CSEA so support can be collected and enforced. Filed in any case where the court sets child support.

Add custody and support once parentage is established

Run the Ohio child-support worksheet and file the Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4) so the court can set support and medical coverage.

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.
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 Paternity in Champaign County

Choose your route. Decide between signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity, asking the Champaign County CSEA to establish parentage administratively, or filing a parentage action on the Juvenile side.
File the Form 23 parentage complaint. If filing in court, complete Ohio Uniform Form 23 with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit and an Application for Child Support Services, plus the Cover Sheet and Confidential Disclosure, and pay the $250 fee.
Complete genetic testing if ordered. The court or CSEA may order genetic testing to confirm or rule out paternity.
Set custody, parenting time, and support. Once parentage is established, run the Ohio worksheet and file the Health Insurance Affidavit so the court can allocate custody and order support.

Champaign County Practice Notes

Three routes to parentage. An Acknowledgment of Paternity (signed by both parents), CSEA administrative establishment (which can order genetic testing), or a judicial parentage action on the Juvenile side under R.C. Chapter 3111. The court can order genetic testing where parentage is disputed.
Local pleading rules for initial custody filings. Initial Juvenile custody filings must include an Affidavit of Custody, set out any existing support orders (with a copy attached), and state any arrearage with a copy of the obligor's CSEA account. Captions use "In the Matter of" the child's name.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I establish paternity in Champaign County?: There are three routes (R.C. Chapter 3111): a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity; an administrative determination (including genetic testing) through the Champaign County CSEA; or a judicial parentage action on the Juvenile side of the Family Court, where the court can order genetic testing. A Complaint for Paternity carries a $250 filing fee. Establishing parentage opens the door to custody, parenting time, and support for unmarried parents.
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.
How is child support calculated in Champaign County?: Champaign County uses Ohio's statewide guidelines — there is no county formula. Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator with both parents' gross incomes, parenting-time, health-insurance, and child-care figures, then print and sign the worksheet. The Champaign County CSEA (1512 S. US Hwy 68, Ste. N100, Urbana; (937) 484-1500) collects and enforces the order, typically by automatic wage withholding.

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 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.
Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
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