Adoption in Crawford County Probate Court

Crawford County Probate Court

112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820. Phone (419) 562-5876, fax (419) 563-1914. One judge presides over the Probate Division. Open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.. Court website. Probate Division Local Rules (Rule 7 deposits).

Who this is for

• You are a stepparent adopting your spouse's child and need the court to make it legal and permanent.
• You are a grandparent, adult sibling, legal custodian, or guardian seeking a kinship (relative) adoption of a child in your home.
• You are adopting a minor through a licensed agency or a private placement and need to file in Crawford County.
• You want to adopt an adult — for example to formalize a long-standing parent-child relationship.
• You need to confirm whose consent is required, or ask the court to find consent is not required under R.C. 3107.06–.07.
• You are an unwed (putative) father who registered with the Ohio Putative Father Registry and want to understand your consent rights.

What it costs — two ways to hire us

Limited scope, flat fee — Flat fee $4,000

You hire us for a defined piece of the work — drafting and filing your adoption paperwork, a single hearing, a specific motion — at a fixed, published price. The court's filing fee is paid to the Clerk of Courts separately. The number you see is the number you pay at checkout. What each flat fee covers.

Full representation — $3,500 retainer to start

An attorney manages the whole case — strategy, filings, hearings, negotiation. The retainer is known before you sign and is a deposit against work, not the total cost; the total depends on how contested your case becomes. You watch every dollar of it in real time. How full representation is billed.

Is there financing? Yes.

Split any flat fee with Gavvl Direct — our in-house plan at 19% APR, $500 minimum — on a 60%-down schedule of 18 weekly, 8 bi-weekly, or 4 monthly payments, or full financing where work begins once 60% is paid. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay. See every financing option.

Real people, — with direct lines

• Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
• Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
• Niva Elgin — Senior Case Manager · Licensed New Mexico Attorney

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — or Niva Elgin, our senior case manager and a licensed New Mexico attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Crawford County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Senior Case Manager. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

• 95+ five-star Google reviews
• 60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
• Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
• Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained, — and every step after

1. Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, or Niva Elgin about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
2. Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
3. Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
4. Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder

Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

• Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
• Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
• Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
• Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
• Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
• 24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Frequently asked questions

Which forms do I need for an adoption in Crawford County?

Adoption of a minor (18.x forms)

These are the core Ohio standardized forms for adopting a child, including a stepparent or kinship adoption. Crawford County uses the Supreme Court of Ohio probate set: https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/forms/all-forms/probate/5

• Form 18.0 Petition for Adoption of Minor — The petition that opens a minor adoption case.
• Form 18.1 Judgment Entry Setting Hearing and Ordering Notice — Sets the hearing date and orders notice to the parties.
• Form 18.2 Notice of Hearing on Petition for Adoption
• Form 18.3 Consent to Adoption — Consent from a parent or party whose agreement the law requires; a child age 12 or older must also consent.
• Form 18.4 Judgment Entry Finding Consent Not Required — Used when the court finds a consent is not required (e.g., under R.C. 3107.07).
• Form 18.5 Interlocutory Order of Adoption
• Form 18.6 Final Decree of Adoption (After Interlocutory Order)
• Form 18.7 Final Decree of Adoption (Without Interlocutory Order)
• Form 18.8 Adoption Certificate for Parents
• Form 18.9 Petitioner's Account

Adoption of an adult (19.0–19.1)

Adult adoptions use a shorter set of forms and are decided with a single final order.

• Form 19.0 Petition for Adoption of Adult
• Form 19.1 Final Order of Adoption of Adult

Recognizing a foreign adoption (19.2–19.3)

Use these to have Ohio recognize an adoption completed in another country and to obtain an Ohio birth record.

• Form 19.2 Petition to Recognize Foreign Adoption
• Form 19.3 Order for Ohio Birth Record for Foreign Born Child

Child support agency notice

Filed when an adoption changes who is responsible for a child's support.

• Form 19.4 Notice to the Child Support Enforcement Agency

The Crawford County Probate Court's Local Rules (Rule 7 — Deposits for Court Costs) set separate deposits for an adoption and an adoption placement. Publication costs and any attorney fees are separate. Confirm the current amount in the court's Local Rules or by calling (419) 562-5876 before you file.

How does an adoption move through the Crawford County Probate Court, step by step?

1. Decide which kind of adoption you are filing A minor adoption — stepparent, kinship, agency, or private placement — starts with Form 18.0; an adult adoption uses Form 19.0; and a foreign adoption is recognized with Form 19.2. The forms, fees, and steps differ, so identify your path first.
2. Gather the birth record and required consents File the child's birth record with the petition and the consent of each parent or party whose agreement the law requires (Form 18.3). A minor age 12 or older must also consent. Consent may be excused only in limited circumstances under R.C. 3107.06–.07 (Form 18.4).
3. File the petition and pay the deposit File your original petition (Form 18.0, 19.0, or 19.2) at the Crawford County Probate Court, 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820, and pay the filing fee from the court's Local Rules (the adoption and adoption-placement deposits differ).
4. Complete any required home study A home study by a qualified assessor is required in most Crawford County adoptions. The court will tell you what your case needs and may appoint an assessor; ask the Probate Clerk how this works for your type of adoption.
5. Attend the hearing The court sets a hearing and orders notice (Forms 18.1–18.2). The adopting parent(s) and the child must appear. At the hearing the judge reviews the petition, the consents, and the home study and decides whether the adoption is in the child's best interest.
6. Receive the decree and a new birth record The judge enters an interlocutory order and then a final decree (Forms 18.5–18.7) — or a single final order for an adult adoption (Form 19.1) — issues the adoption certificate (Form 18.8), the original birth certificate is sealed, and a new birth record is issued.

What should I know about the Crawford County Probate Court before I file?

• File at the Crawford County Probate Court, 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820. The Probate Division is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; you can reach the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876 (fax (419) 563-1914).
• Crawford County uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms — there is no separate county adoption packet posted online, so each form below links to its official Ohio PDF. Always download the current version before you file.
• The Probate Division has exclusive jurisdiction over adoptions (R.C. Chapter 3107) — it is separate from the Domestic Relations side of the Common Pleas Court that handles divorces. Bring adoption and name-change questions to the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876.
• Filing deposits are published in the court's Probate Division Local Rules (Rule 7 — Deposits for Court Costs), which set separate deposits for an adoption, an adoption placement, and a name change (adult or minor). Confirm the current figure with the Probate Clerk before you file.

Where do I file an adoption in Crawford County?

Adoptions are filed in the Crawford County Probate Court at 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820. The office is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and you can reach the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876.

How much does an adoption cost in Crawford County?

The court's Local Rules (Rule 7) set separate filing deposits for an adoption and for an adoption placement. Publication costs and any attorney fees are separate. Confirm the current amount in the court's Local Rules or by calling (419) 562-5876.

Which forms do I need to adopt in Crawford County?

A minor adoption starts with Form 18.0 (Petition for Adoption of Minor) plus the consent forms (Form 18.3) and the entry setting the hearing (Form 18.1). An adult adoption uses Form 19.0, and a foreign adoption is recognized with Form 19.2. Crawford County uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms; there is no separate county adoption packet posted online, so ask the Probate Clerk if anything local is required.

Do I need the other birth parent's consent?

Usually yes. The court generally needs the consent of the child's other legal parent (Form 18.3). Consent may be excused only in limited circumstances under R.C. 3107.06–.07 — for example, a parent's failure without justifiable cause to support or contact the child for at least one year. If you allege that, the parent is served notice and must file a written objection and appear, or the adoption may proceed.

Will I need a home study?

In most cases, yes. A home study by a qualified assessor is required in most Crawford County adoptions. The court will tell you what your case needs and may appoint an assessor. Ask the Probate Clerk how the home study works for your type of adoption.

Can I adopt an adult in Crawford County?

Yes. Adult adoptions are filed with Form 19.0 (Petition for Adoption of Adult), and the court enters a single Final Order of Adoption of Adult (Form 19.1). Adult adoptions are commonly used to formalize a long-standing parent-child relationship.

Do I need a lawyer to adopt in Crawford County?

By statute, only an attorney or a licensed agency may arrange an adoption, though a stepparent or adult adoption can often proceed without an agency. Confirm with the Probate Clerk whether counsel is expected in your case; many families work with an Ohio family-law attorney so the decree holds up.