Establishing Paternity in Crawford County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green, Esq. · Managing Partner, Gavvl Law · Last updated June 9, 2026
Crawford County, Ohio · Bucyrus
When parents were never married, legal fatherhood has to be established before a court can order custody, parenting time, or child support. In Crawford County, parentage cases are filed in the Juvenile Court using the Ohio Supreme Court standardized forms — and the same complaint that establishes parentage can also allocate custody and parenting time and set support.
How do I establish paternity in Crawford County, Ohio?
File a Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Form 23 / Juv. Form 2) in the Crawford County Juvenile Court at 112 East Mansfield Street, Bucyrus. The same case can establish legal parentage and allocate custody and parenting time, and set child support, so you typically file the UCCJEA affidavit (Affidavit 3) and a child support worksheet alongside it. Crawford County uses the Ohio Supreme Court standardized juvenile forms. Call the court at (419) 562-5771 to confirm filing requirements.
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: Crawford County Court of Common Pleas
112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 200, Bucyrus, OH 44820, Bucyrus, OH 44820Phone: (419) 562-5771
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Website: crawfordcocpcourt.org/
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Crawford County Juvenile and Probate Court
112 East Mansfield Street, Bucyrus, OH 44820, Bucyrus, OH 44820
Phone: (419) 562-5771
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Paternity is the right path if…
- You and the other parent were never married and need legal parentage established.
- You want custody, parenting time, or child support, which require parentage first.
- You need a court order rather than just a voluntary acknowledgment.
- Ohio is the child's home state for purposes of the UCCJEA affidavit.
Filing Fees
Filed in the Crawford County Juvenile Court · Same Form 23 establishes parentage and can set custody, parenting time, and support · Confirm fees with the court at (419) 562-5771
Forms & Filing Packets
Establish parentage in Juvenile Court
File the Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time in the Crawford County Juvenile Court. The same complaint can allocate custody and parenting time.
- Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Form 23 / Juv. Form 2) — Filed in the Crawford County Juvenile Court by never-married parents to establish parentage and allocate custody, parenting time, and child support.
- Custody Affidavit / UCCJEA (Affidavit 3) — Lists where each child has lived and with whom. Required whenever minor children are involved.
Add child support to the parentage case
When you also want support set, run the worksheet and attach Crawford County's local provisions forms.
- Child Support Worksheet (Ohio 2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court is asked to set support.
- Medical Support Provisions (Crawford County Form 26.1) — Crawford County local Word form that sets out the medical-support terms for a child-support order.
- Child Support Provisions (Crawford County Form 26.2) — Crawford County local Word form that sets out the child-support terms for the order.
How to File Paternity in Crawford County
- File the parentage complaint. File the Complaint for Parentage, Custody & Parenting Time (Form 23 / Juv. Form 2) in the Crawford County Juvenile Court at 112 East Mansfield Street, Bucyrus.
- Add the UCCJEA affidavit. File the Custody Affidavit / UCCJEA (Affidavit 3) to confirm Ohio's jurisdiction over the child.
- Decide whether to set custody and support now. The same complaint can allocate custody and parenting time. If you also want support, run the Ohio Child Support Worksheet and attach the local Form 26.1 and Form 26.2 provisions.
- File with the court and serve the other parent. Call (419) 562-5771 to confirm the deposit and copies, then file and arrange service on the other parent.
Crawford County Practice Notes
- Parentage comes first. Custody, parenting time, and child support for never-married parents all depend on legal parentage being established. The Form 23 complaint handles parentage and those issues in one case.
- Same courthouse, juvenile branch. Crawford County's Juvenile and Probate Courts sit in the same courthouse as Domestic Relations, at 112 East Mansfield Street, Bucyrus. Call (419) 562-5771 for juvenile filings.
- Standardized forms only. The Juvenile Court uses the Ohio Supreme Court standardized juvenile forms — there are no separate local parentage packets beyond the state forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I file custody in Common Pleas or Juvenile Court in Crawford County?
- If you are married to (or divorcing) the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation at the Crawford County Court of Common Pleas. If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are handled by the Crawford County Juvenile Court — in the same courthouse at 112 East Mansfield Street.
- Where do I file a family law case in Crawford County?
- All family law matters — domestic relations, juvenile, and probate — are handled in the same courthouse: the Crawford County Court of Common Pleas at 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 200, Bucyrus, OH 44820. The phone number is (419) 562-5771 and the court is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Does Crawford County have its own divorce and dissolution forms?
- No. Crawford County uses the Ohio Supreme Court standardized domestic relations forms for all filings, and no local form packets are provided beyond the state forms. The only Crawford County local forms are the Affidavit and Counter-Affidavit for Temporary Orders and the Medical Support (Form 26.1) and Child Support (Form 26.2) provisions.
- What is Crawford County's standard parenting time schedule?
- Crawford County has a detailed standard parenting time schedule built into Local Rule 25, with two versions. Under 90 miles one way: alternate weekends (Friday 6:00 p.m. to Sunday 6:00 p.m.), one Wednesday evening per week (5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.), and four weeks of summer in two-week increments with 60 days advance notice. Over 90 miles one way: monthly weekend visits (if travel is under 3.5 hours), half of summer vacation, and alternating school breaks, with the non-residential parent providing all transportation for weekend visits. Both versions include detailed holiday schedules that alternate by odd and even years.
- Is mediation available in Crawford County?
- Yes. Both Crawford County magistrates — Timothy A. Roston and Russell J. Long — serve dual roles as court mediators, and a case may be referred to mediation at any point.
Free Local Resources in Crawford County
- Ohio Legal Help. ohiolegalhelp.org — free legal information and interactive court forms for Ohio family law cases.
- Legal Aid of Western Ohio. Serves Crawford County. Call 1-888-534-1432 for income-qualified legal help.
- Crawford County Law Library. Located in the Courthouse at 112 East Mansfield Street, Bucyrus.
- Crawford County DR Case Manager. Brook Scheffler, ext. 1145. Post-decree motions must be brought to the case manager before filing to be assigned a hearing date. Call (419) 562-5771.
- Crawford County Common Pleas Court. crawfordcocpcourt.org — local court rules, Guardian ad Litem information, and the aspirational parenting guidelines.
Other Family-Law Topics in Crawford County
- Crawford County Divorce — Full filing guide with forms, fees, and the affidavit-based temporary orders system.
- Crawford County Dissolution — Cooperative path — both spouses agree first. $200 filing fee.
- Ohio Child Support Calculator — Run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet yourself.
- Ohio family-law resources — 88-county directory of courts and legal aid.
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.
- Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus 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 (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.
