Establishing Paternity in Clark County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green, Esq. · Managing Partner, Gavvl Law · Last updated May 27, 2026
Clark County, Ohio · Springfield
If the parents were not married when the child was born, Ohio law requires a separate step to legally establish a father before a court can order custody, parenting time, or child support. In Clark County, parentage cases are filed in the Juvenile Section using the Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Form 23).
How do I establish paternity in Clark County, Ohio?
File a Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Supreme Court Form 23) in the Clark County Juvenile Section. The same complaint legally establishes the father and lets the court allocate custody and parenting time and set child support in one case. File it with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3), the Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4), the Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Affidavit 1), and the Ohio Child Support Worksheet. Juvenile filing amounts are set by the Juvenile Section, and there is a $25 non-refundable fee for court-appointed counsel if you qualify.
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: Clark County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations (Adult Section)
101 North Limestone Street, Springfield, OH 45502, Springfield, OH 45502Phone: (937) 521-1753
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Website: www.clarkcountyohio.gov/
Paternity is the right path if…
- You and the other parent were not married when the child was born.
- You need a court order for custody, parenting time, or child support — which requires established parentage first.
- You want parentage, custody, parenting time, and support handled in a single Juvenile Section case.
- You cannot afford an attorney and may apply for court-appointed counsel in Juvenile court.
Filing Fees
Juvenile filing: contact the Clark County Juvenile Section for the current deposit · Ohio Child Support Calculator: free · Court-appointed counsel: $25 non-refundable application fee.
Forms & Filing Packets
Parentage complaint (Juvenile Section)
Filed in the Clark County Juvenile Section. The Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Form 23) establishes the father and opens custody, parenting-time, and support claims in one case.
- Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Supreme Court Form 23) — Opens a custody, parenting-time, and support case for never-married parents in the Clark County Juvenile Section. Establishes parentage and allocates parental rights in one filing.
- Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3 — UCCJEA, R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom. Confirms Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
- Affidavit of Income, Expenses & Financial Disclosure (Affidavit 1) — Must be notarized. Required at filing in every Clark DR case. Both parties file their own.
Add: custody and child-support orders
Use the same Form 23 complaint to allocate parental rights and set support once parentage is established.
- Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
- Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, sign. Required any time the court is being asked to set support.
How to File Paternity in Clark County
- File the parentage complaint in the Juvenile Section. File the Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Form 23) in the Clark County Juvenile Section. It establishes the father and opens custody and support claims in one case.
- File the parenting affidavit. Include the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3), which lists where the child has lived and confirms Ohio's jurisdiction.
- Add custody, parenting time, and support. Use the same case to ask the court to allocate parental rights and set child support. File the Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4) and the Ohio Child Support Worksheet.
- Apply for court-appointed counsel if you qualify. If you cannot afford an attorney, apply at the Juvenile Court Clerk's office. There is a $25 non-refundable application fee, which the court may waive or tax as costs.
- Attend the hearing. The court establishes the father and enters the custody, parenting-time, and support orders requested in the complaint.
Clark County Practice Notes
- One complaint covers parentage, custody, and support. Clark County's Form 23 is titled "Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time." Filing it lets the Juvenile Section establish the father and, in the same case, allocate custody and parenting time and set child support.
- Where to file. Paternity for never-married parents is handled in the Clark County Juvenile Section (clarkohiojuvcourt.us), not in the Domestic Relations Adult Section. The Adult Section handles parentage issues only when they arise inside a divorce or dissolution.
- Support follows once parentage is established. Once the court establishes the father, it can set child support on the Ohio Child Support Worksheet under the 2024 Income Shares Model and allocate health-insurance coverage for the child.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do unmarried parents establish paternity and custody in Clark County?
- File a Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Supreme Court Form 23) in the Clark County Juvenile Section. The same complaint can legally establish the father, allocate custody and parenting time, and set child support. File it with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3), the Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4), the Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Affidavit 1), and the Ohio Child Support Worksheet.
- When do I file in the Juvenile Section instead of DR?
- If you were never married to the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are filed in the Clark County Juvenile Section (clarkohiojuvcourt.us), not in DR. If you were married, those issues travel with the divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in DR at 101 N. Limestone Street.
- How does a Clark County court decide custody and parenting time?
- Ohio courts allocate parental rights using the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors — each parent's wishes, the child's wishes when of sufficient age, the child's relationships and adjustment to home and school, the physical and mental health of everyone involved, which parent is more likely to honor parenting time, and any history of abuse. In Clark County these issues are decided in the Adult Section for married parents and the Juvenile Section for never-married parents.
- How much does it cost to file in Clark County DR?
- Dissolution is a $350 deposit (not a flat fee — the balance is refunded after costs). For divorce, legal separation, annulment, and post-decree motions, deposits are set by the Clerk — call (937) 521-1753 for the current amount before filing. CPO petitions are free. Juvenile court charges a $25 non-refundable application fee for court-appointed counsel.
Free Local Resources in Clark County
- Clark County DR Clerk. 101 N. Limestone Street, Springfield, OH 45502. Phone (937) 521-1753 for filing-fee deposits, copy requirements, and procedural questions.
- Ohio Supreme Court Standardized Forms. Clark County uses these forms for every DR case type — divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and post-decree modifications. Available at supremecourt.ohio.gov.
- Clark County Public Library (Main Branch, S. Fountain Ave.). LawPak Ohio Dissolution forms at the Reference Desk and access to the Cengage Legal Forms Database (library card required).
- Clark County Mediation Referral. Court-connected mediation for custody, parenting time, and post-decree disputes. Referral form linked from clarkcountyohio.gov DR forms page.
- Legal Aid of Western Ohio. Free civil legal assistance for income-qualifying Clark County residents. Call (877) 894-4599.
- Clark County Bar Association. Lawyer referral service. clarkcobar.com.
- United Way 2-1-1 (Clark, Champaign & Madison Counties). Free 24/7 referral line for local shelter, advocacy, and social services.
Other Family-Law Topics in Clark County
- Clark County Dissolution — Cooperative path — $350 deposit, 30-90 days to final hearing.
- Clark County Divorce — Full filing guide with Ohio SC standardized forms and the 42-day waiting period.
- Clark County Legal Separation — Same forms as divorce — marriage stays legally intact at the end.
- Clark County Annulment — Limited grounds under R.C. 3105.31 — treats the marriage as if it never happened.
- Clark County Post-Decree Modifications — Change child support, custody, or parenting time after the decree.
- Clark County Post-Decree Contempt — Enforce an order the other party is violating.
- Clark County Custody — Allocation of parental rights — Adult Section or Juvenile Section, with the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest test.
- Clark County Child Support — Set, modify, or enforce support under the Ohio 2024 Income Shares Model.
- Clark County Paternity — Establish a father, custody, and support for never-married parents with Form 23.
- Clark County Shared Parenting — Both parents as residential parent under a notarized Form 20 plan.
- Clark County Civil Protection Orders — Same-day ex parte protection — no filing fee, filed at the Title Office.
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.
- Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton 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.
Call (513) 643-1969 or email support@gavvl.com.
