Shared Parenting in Delaware County

How do I get a shared parenting plan approved in Delaware County, Ohio?

Submit a proposed Shared Parenting Plan (Uniform DR Form 20) to the Delaware County DR Division at 117 N. Union Street, Level 400, Delaware, OH 43015 — either inside your divorce or dissolution or with a parentage case. The plan must address physical living arrangements, the holiday and vacation schedule, decision-making, transportation, school and health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution. Both parents complete the For the Children parenting seminar, and the court reviews the plan against the R.C. 3109.04(G) factors before adopting it. A standard parenting-time schedule triggers a 10% child-support reduction.

Where to File: Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Delaware County Juvenile Court
145 N. Union Street, Delaware, OH 43015, Delaware, OH 43015
Phone: (740) 833-2600
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

• Both parents want to be residential parents and legal custodians.
• You can cooperate on schooling, health care, and major decisions.
• You can write a detailed plan covering schedule, holidays, and dispute resolution.
• Ohio is the children's home state under the UCCJEA.

Filing Fees

Included in the divorce/dissolution deposit, or $200 with a parentage filing · 10% support reduction with a standard parenting-time schedule

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Shared Parenting in Delaware County

1. Confirm both parents want shared parenting. Shared parenting only works when both parents will share residential and decision-making responsibility.
2. Draft a plan covering every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. Address living arrangements, holidays, decision-making, transportation, school and health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution — plans that skip a factor get sent back.
3. File the plan with your case. Attach Form 20 to your divorce, dissolution, or Form 23 parentage filing in the DR Division.
4. Complete the parenting seminar and finalize. Both parents complete For the Children, then the court reviews the plan against the best-interest factors before adopting it.

Delaware County Practice Notes

• Shared parenting plan must address every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. A written Shared Parenting Plan must address physical living arrangements, holiday and vacation schedule, child support, decision-making authority, transportation, school and health-care decisions, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution. Plans that skip a factor are routinely sent back for revision.
• Best-interest standard governs. R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) lists 10+ factors: each parent's wishes, the child's wishes (when of sufficient age), the child's interaction with parents/siblings, adjustment to home/school/community, mental and physical health of all involved, the parent more likely to facilitate court-approved parenting time, child support compliance, criminal history, residence outside Ohio, and any history of abuse.
• Standard schedule reduces support 10%. Under Local Rule 17.01(E) and R.C. 3119.051, adopting Delaware County's standard parenting-time schedule triggers an automatic 10% reduction in the guideline child-support amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do never-married parents file custody in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Delaware County?

In Delaware County, parentage and the allocation of parental rights for never-married parents are handled by the Domestic Relations Division (Local Rule 16; file the Complaint for Parentage/Allocation/Parenting Time, Uniform DR Form 23) — not the Juvenile Court. Married or divorcing parents resolve custody inside their divorce or dissolution in the same DR Division at 117 N. Union Street. Non-parent and grandparent custody petitions go to the Delaware County Juvenile Court at 145 N. Union Street.

Is the parenting seminar required in Delaware County?

Yes. Under Local Rule 2.02(E) / 7.02(C), both parents in any divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment involving minor children must complete the 'For the Children' parenting seminar before a final decree is issued. The seminar is run through the OSU Extension Office at (740) 833-2030. It may be waived only for good cause, and failure to attend can result in dismissal or suspension of court-ordered parenting time.

How long does a Delaware County case usually take?

Dissolution: 30–90 days — Local Rule 7.03 sets the final hearing between 30 and 90 days after filing. Uncontested (default) divorce: roughly 4–6 months, with the uncontested final hearing held at least 42 days after service is completed (Local Rule 8.01). Contested divorce: 6–18 months depending on discovery, custody disputes, and trial scheduling.

When is a Guardian ad Litem appointed in Delaware County?

In a contested custody or parentage case, the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem (Local Rule 32) — an attorney from the court-approved list who investigates and recommends a parenting arrangement in the child's best interest. The GAL is a party with full record access, files a written report no fewer than 7 days before the final hearing, and is available for cross-examination. GAL fees are set in the order of appointment and allocated between the parties by ability to pay.

Free Local Resources in Delaware County

• Delaware County DR Court Forms Page. Every Domestic Relations form, the case-type ZIP packets (divorce, dissolution, parentage, modification, CPO), and the filing checklists are posted free at domestic.co.delaware.oh.us/forms.
• Delaware County DR Virtual Resource Center. The DR Division's self-help hub links the general-information pages, FAQs, common-terms glossary, the For the Children parenting seminar, and the Co-Parenting Program at domestic.co.delaware.oh.us/virtual-resource-center.
• Delaware County eAccess / E-Services Portal. Self-represented and represented parties can e-file and check dockets at court.co.delaware.oh.us/eservices. Payment is processed through LexisNexis — confirm the amount before authorizing.

Other Family-Law Topics in Delaware County

• Delaware County Divorce — Contested and default divorce filing guide for the DR Division.
• Delaware County Dissolution — Both-parties-agree route — faster and cheaper than divorce.
• Delaware County Custody — Married parents file inside divorce; never-married parents file parentage in the DR Division.

Related to your shared parenting case

• Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
• Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
• Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Shared Parenting guide — Statewide overview of shared parenting 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.