Franklin County Shared Parenting Attorneys

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated May 26, 2026

Franklin County, Ohio · Columbus

Shared parenting (R.C. 3109.04(G)) designates BOTH parents as residential parent and legal custodian. It requires a written plan that covers a long list of statutory factors. Franklin DR and the Juvenile Branch both regularly approve shared parenting plans — but the plan has to actually meet the statute, not just say "shared parenting."

Hire Gavvl for your Franklin County shared parenting case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Franklin County local forms, the court strategy, and the hearings — and you know the price before we start.

Start with a $25 consultation and talk through your options with an Ohio family-law attorney before you commit to anything. Get started online or see payment plans & financing.

How do I get shared parenting in Franklin County, Ohio?

Either parent (or both jointly) files a written Shared Parenting Plan that addresses every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor: physical living arrangements, holiday and vacation schedule, child support, decision-making authority, transportation, school and health-care decisions, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution. File in Franklin County DR at 373 South High Street if you are married/divorcing, or at the Juvenile Branch at 399 South Front Street if you were never married. The Magistrate reviews the plan against the R.C. 3109.04(F)(2) best-interest factors before approving it.

Franklin County shared parenting, handled by Gavvl Law

Shared parenting under R.C. 3109.04(G) names BOTH parents residential parent and legal custodian, but only if your written plan actually covers every statutory factor — living arrangements, the holiday and vacation schedule, decision-making, transportation, school and health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution. Franklin DR and the Juvenile Branch approve plans that meet the statute, not ones that just say shared parenting. Gavvl Law drafts a plan the Magistrate will sign, on a flat fee approved up front with payment plans and full representation if the other parent won't agree.

A plan that hits every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. A week-on, week-off calendar is not a shared parenting plan. We build the full written plan the statute demands — holidays, vacations, school placement, medical and dental decisions, transportation between households, tax exemptions, and a dispute-resolution mechanism — so the Magistrate has nothing missing to send back.
Built for the best-interest review. Even when both parents agree, the Magistrate must independently find the plan serves the child under R.C. 3109.04(F)(2) — cooperation, willingness to support the other parent's relationship, geographic proximity, and the child's wishes when of sufficient age. We draft toward those factors so approval isn't left to chance at the hearing.
Filed in the right court with support done right. Married or divorcing, the plan goes to DR at 373 South High Street; never-married, it goes to the Juvenile Branch at 399 South Front Street. Either way we run the Ohio Child Support Worksheet first, because shared parenting doesn't erase support and the court needs that number before it can deviate for your schedule.

Whether your case sits in Franklin DR or the Juvenile Branch, we match the filing to the underlying matter — a plan folded into your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment, or one filed alongside a parentage or custody complaint. Because we prepare the parenting affidavit, health-insurance affidavit, worksheet, and IV-D application together, the plan moves through the Magistrate on the first pass instead of stalling for missing paperwork.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the complaint to establish custody and parenting time, or prepare your shared parenting plan for filing. You appear at any hearing.

Establish custody & parenting time: $1,250
Shared parenting plan (drafting): $1,650

Prefer full representation? An Ohio attorney can carry the entire case on a $3,500 retainer.

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.

Start your shared parenting case or see payment plans & financing.

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: Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations

373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 525-4410
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Website: Court website
e-Filing: Online e-filing portal

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Juvenile Branch
399 South Front Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 525-4411
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

You and the other parent communicate well enough to share major decisions.
You can put a real, workable schedule in writing — holidays, vacations, school transitions, transportation, decision-making.
Both households can meet the child's day-to-day needs.
There is no domestic violence or other safety concern that makes joint decision-making unsafe.

Filing Fees

Filing fee tracks the underlying case (divorce ~$300-$350; Juvenile ~$100-$150)

Forms & Filing Packets

Shared parenting packet — Domestic Relations

Filed inside your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in DR.

Shared Parenting Plan — Written plan that meets R.C. 3109.04(F)(2) factors: physical living arrangements, holiday and vacation schedule, decision-making, transportation, health and education, and dispute resolution.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom. Confirms Ohio's jurisdiction over custody.
Health Insurance Affidavit — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Franklin County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.

Shared parenting packet — Juvenile (never-married)

Filed at 399 South Front Street, typically alongside a parentage or custody complaint.

Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities — Asks the Franklin Juvenile Branch to designate a residential parent and legal custodian and set a parenting time schedule when parents were never married.
Shared Parenting Plan — Written plan that meets R.C. 3109.04(F)(2) factors: physical living arrangements, holiday and vacation schedule, decision-making, transportation, health and education, and dispute resolution.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom. Confirms Ohio's jurisdiction over custody.
Health Insurance Affidavit — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Franklin County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.

How to File Shared Parenting in Franklin County

Draft a plan that hits every statutory factor. A bare-bones "50/50 week-on / week-off" is not enough. Cover holidays, vacations, school placement, medical decisions, transportation, and a dispute-resolution mechanism in writing.
Decide DR vs Juvenile based on marital history. Married/divorcing → DR at 373 South High Street. Never-married → Juvenile Branch at 399 South Front Street.
Run the Ohio Child Support Worksheet. Even with equal parenting time, run the worksheet. The court can deviate based on the shared schedule, but needs the worksheet number first.
File the plan plus the parenting and support paperwork. Shared Parenting Plan + Parenting Proceeding Affidavit + Health Insurance Affidavit + Child Support Worksheet + IV-D Application.
Attend the hearing. Magistrate reviews the plan against the R.C. 3109.04(F)(2) factors. May suggest edits before approving. Final plan is incorporated into the Decree or Juvenile order.

Franklin County Practice Notes

Statutory plan factors (R.C. 3109.04(G)). Your plan must cover: physical living arrangements, child support, holiday and vacation schedule, school placement and decisions, medical and dental decisions, religious upbringing (if relevant), tax exemption allocation, transportation, communication between households, and a dispute-resolution mechanism.
Best-interest review. Even if both parents agree, the Magistrate must independently find the plan is in the child's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F)(2): both parents' ability to cooperate, willingness to encourage the relationship with the other parent, history of abuse, geographic proximity, and the child's wishes when of sufficient age.
Child support still applies. Shared parenting doesn't eliminate child support. The worksheet runs the same way; the court can deviate based on extended parenting time or shared expenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the residency requirements to file in Franklin County?: For divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you or your spouse must have been an Ohio resident for at least 6 months immediately before filing, and a Franklin County resident for at least 90 days. For dissolution, only the 6-month Ohio residency applies — there is no separate Franklin County residency requirement. For juvenile-branch cases (paternity, never-married custody, child support), Ohio must be the children's 'home state' under the UCCJEA, which generally means the children have lived in Ohio for the last 6 months.
How much does it cost to file in Franklin County DR?: Approximate deposits: divorce or legal separation $300 without children / $350 with children; dissolution $250 without children / $300 with children; annulment $300/$350. Juvenile Branch filings for custody or support under ORC 2151.233 (paternity, never-married custody, child support, and modifications) are $175. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at 373 South High Street (DR) or 399 South Front Street (Juvenile) before filing.
How long does the case usually take?: Dissolution: 30-90 days from filing to the final hearing. Uncontested divorce or legal separation: 4-6 months. Contested divorce: 6-18 months depending on temporary-orders activity and the Magistrate's calendar. Paternity: 60-120 days if uncontested, longer if genetic testing or contested allocation is involved. Civil Protection Orders: ex parte order the same day; full hearing within 7-10 days; final order can last up to 5 years.
Is the parenting class really required?: Yes — under R.C. 3109.053 and Franklin DR local rule, both parents in any divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment involving minor children must complete "TAPP – Putting the Children First" and file the Certificate of Completion before the final hearing. Confirm the current fee and format with the court. The Juvenile Branch has a comparable requirement for never-married custody cases.
How do I know whether to file in DR or the Juvenile Branch?: If you are married to the other parent (or the parties were married when the children were born), custody, parenting time, and child support travel with the divorce / dissolution / legal separation / annulment in DR at 373 South High Street. If you were never married, paternity and custody go to the Juvenile Branch at 399 South Front Street. Grandparent / non-parent custody is always Juvenile. Civil Protection Orders against a current/former intimate partner or family member go to DR.
Will my case be heard by a Judge or a Magistrate?: Most pretrial conferences, temporary-orders motions, and even contested final hearings in Franklin DR are heard by a Magistrate. The Magistrate issues a Magistrate's Decision; either party then has 14 days to file Objections, which are decided by the assigned Judge. Civil Protection Order full hearings are heard directly by the assigned Judge.
When can I modify a parenting or support order?: For custody / residential-parent designation under R.C. 3109.04(E), you must show a change of circumstances of the child or residential parent since the prior decree, and that modification is in the child's best interest, and that the harm of changing is outweighed by the benefits. For child support, you can request a CSEA administrative review every 36 months, or earlier on a 10%+ deviation. For parenting time, the bar is lower — best-interest only.

Free Local Resources in Franklin County

Franklin County DR Self-Help Resource Center. 373 South High Street. Forms, computer terminals, limited procedural help. Cannot give legal advice. Mon–Fri during court hours.
Legal Aid Society of Columbus. (614) 241-2001. Income-qualified family law representation and advice clinics across central Ohio.
Columbus Bar Lawyer Referral Service. (614) 221-0754. Paid 30-minute consultation referrals to vetted Franklin County family-law attorneys.
Franklin County CSEA (Child Support Enforcement Agency). (614) 525-3275. Opens IV-D cases and collects/distributes child support through wage withholding.
Franklin County Juvenile Branch Help Center. 399 South Front Street. Procedural help for self-represented filers on never-married custody, paternity, and support cases.

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.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on shared parenting and related Ohio family law topics.

Shared Parenting in Ohio: How Joint Custody Really Works — Shared parenting is Ohio's version of joint custody — both parents stay legal custodians and share major decisions. Here's what a plan must cover and how courts decide.
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.
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.

Keep exploring Franklin County family law

Ohio Shared Parenting guide — Statewide overview of shared parenting in Ohio.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
Franklin County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Franklin County guide.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
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Call (380) 205-3899 or email support@gavvl.com.