Establishing Paternity in Guernsey County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green, Esq. · Managing Partner, Gavvl Law · Last updated June 9, 2026

Guernsey County, Ohio · Cambridge

Establishing parentage is the legal step that lets a court order custody, parenting time, and child support for children of unmarried parents. In Guernsey County, the Clerk of Courts provides a combined "Complaint for Parentage, Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities, and Parenting Time" packet — so you can establish paternity and address custody in the same filing.

How do I establish paternity in Guernsey County, Ohio?

Download the Guernsey County Clerk of Courts' "Complaint for Parentage, Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities, and Parenting Time" packet, which is built around Ohio Supreme Court Form 23. Complete the complaint plus Local Form M-2 (Personal Identifiers), Local Form D-1 (Financial Affidavit), Local Form D-3 (Parenting Proceeding Affidavit), and Local Form D-5 (Title IV-D Application) if you're seeking support. File with the Clerk and serve the other parent. Depending on how the complaint is captioned, the Juvenile Court at (740) 432-9266 may also have jurisdiction — confirm the routing with the Clerk. Once parentage is established, the court can allocate custody and order child support.

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: Guernsey County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

801 East Wheeling Avenue, Cambridge, OH 43725, Cambridge, OH 43725
Phone: (740) 432-9230
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the Clerk of Courts to confirm current hours)
Website: guernseycounty.gov/clerk-of-courts/
e-Filing: https://clerkofcourts.guernseycounty.org/eservices/efile.page.15

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Guernsey County Juvenile Court
801 East Wheeling Avenue, Suite 101-D (Second Floor), Cambridge, OH 43725, Cambridge, OH 43725
Phone: (740) 432-9266
Hours: Monday–Friday (call (740) 432-9266 to confirm current hours)

Paternity is the right path if…

The parents were never married to each other.
You need parentage legally established before custody, parenting time, or support can be ordered.
You want custody and parenting time decided in the same case as parentage.
You're the mother, the alleged father, or a IV-D agency seeking to establish the legal father.

Filing Fees

Parentage filing fee is not published online — call the Clerk to confirm · fee waiver available (Local Form D-18)

Forms & Filing Packets

Parentage / custody packet

The Clerk's combined packet establishes parentage and lets the court allocate custody and parenting time.

Complaint for Parentage, Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities, and Parenting Time Packet (Guernsey County Clerk of Courts) — The Clerk's packet for never-married parents establishing parentage and asking for custody and parenting time.
Complaint for Parentage, Custody, and Parenting Time (Ohio Supreme Court Form 23) — The complaint never-married parents use to establish parentage and ask the court to allocate custody and parenting time.
Personal Identifiers Form (Local Form M-2) — Keeps Social Security and account numbers out of the public file (Sup. R. 45). Required with every new case.
Financial Affidavit & Health Insurance (Local Form D-1) — Each party's sworn statement of income, expenses, assets, debts, and health-insurance coverage.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Local Form D-3, R.C. 3127.23) — The UCCJEA affidavit disclosing where the children have lived for the past five years. Required in any case involving minor children.

Child-support add-on

Add these when you also want the court to establish child support once parentage is confirmed.

Application & Release for Title IV-D Services (Local Form D-5 / JFS 07076) — Enrolls the case with Guernsey County CSEA for income withholding and payment processing.
Ohio Child Support Guideline Worksheet — The statewide income-shares worksheet that calculates the guideline support amount.
Child Support and Medical Support Order (Local Form D-20) — The local order setting the child-support and medical-support terms.

How to File Paternity in Guernsey County

Download the parentage packet. Get the "Complaint for Parentage, Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities, and Parenting Time" packet from the Guernsey County Clerk of Courts.
Complete the complaint and local forms. Fill out the complaint (Form 23) plus M-2 (Personal Identifiers), D-1 (Financial Affidavit), and D-3 (Parenting Proceeding Affidavit).
Add the support forms if needed. If you want support established, add D-5 (Title IV-D Application) and the Ohio Child Support Worksheet.
File and serve the other parent. File with the Clerk (call to confirm the filing fee), confirm whether the Juvenile Court will docket the case, and serve the other parent.
Attend the hearing. Once parentage is established, the court allocates custody and parenting time under the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors and can set child support.

Guernsey County Practice Notes

One packet does double duty. Guernsey County's parentage packet combines establishing the legal father with allocating custody and parenting time, so unmarried parents can resolve both in one case.
Confirm which division docks the case. The parentage packet is provided through the Clerk of Courts, but the Juvenile Court at (740) 432-9266 may also have jurisdiction depending on how the complaint is captioned. Confirm the routing before filing.
Parentage unlocks support. Until parentage is established, a court cannot order child support against the alleged father. File the Title IV-D forms (D-4 and D-5) to open the CSEA case when you're seeking support.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I establish paternity in Guernsey County?: Unmarried parents establish parentage and ask for custody using the Clerk's "Complaint for Parentage, Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities, and Parenting Time" packet (built around Ohio Supreme Court Form 23). The other parent is served, and the case can also touch the Juvenile Court at (740) 432-9266 depending on how the complaint is captioned — confirm the routing with the Clerk. Establishing parentage is the legal step that lets the court order custody, parenting time, and child support.
Do I file in the General Division or the Juvenile Court in Guernsey County?: Both divisions sit in the same building — the Common Pleas Courthouse at 801 East Wheeling Avenue, Cambridge — but they are separate courts with different staff and procedures. Divorce, dissolution, and legal separation are filed with the Clerk of Courts in the General Division. The Guernsey County Juvenile Court (Suite 101-D, Second Floor, (740) 432-9266) handles juvenile matters. Notably, the parentage/custody complaint packet for never-married parents is made available through the Clerk of Courts — confirm with the Clerk which division will docket your filing.
What is the IV-D / CSEA application and why do I need it?: Guernsey County CSEA is operated through the county Department of Job and Family Services. In any case involving child support you file the Title IV-D forms — Local Form D-4 (Notice of Filing) and Local Form D-5 (Application & Release for Title IV-D Services, JFS 07076). This enrolls your case with CSEA for income withholding, payment processing, and enforcement.
How much does it cost to file for divorce or dissolution in Guernsey County?: The Guernsey County Clerk of Courts charges a flat $250.00 filing fee for ALL divorce and dissolution complaints — there is no difference between cases with children and cases without. The fee is due at the time of filing. Protection orders (DV CPO and civil stalking/SOOPO) have no filing fee by Ohio statute. Some other fees (legal separation, parentage, post-decree motions, and the separate Juvenile Court fee schedule) are not published online — call the Clerk before filing. If you can't afford the $250, file Form D-18 (Application for Waiver of Filing Fee).
What if I can't afford the filing fee in Guernsey County?: File Local Form D-18 (Application for Waiver of Filing Fee & Financial Disclosure) along with your case. It requires a financial disclosure that the court reviews. If granted, the court defers the cost — note that a deferral is not always a permanent waiver; the court may order payment from a property settlement or at the end of the case.

Free Local Resources in Guernsey County

Guernsey County Clerk of Courts. Provides the pre-assembled divorce, dissolution, and parentage packets, the local D-series forms, the e-filing portal, and online cost payment. The Clerk cannot give legal advice but can hand you forms and accept filings. Confirm the $250 fee and copy requirements before filing.
Southeastern Ohio Legal Services (SEOLS). The free legal-aid provider for the Guernsey County area (nearest office in New Philadelphia). Call (330) 339-3998 or 1-800-686-3670 for help with divorce, custody, protection orders, and child support if you qualify.
Guernsey County CSEA (through County Job & Family Services). Opens IV-D child-support cases, runs income withholding, distributes payments, and handles administrative reviews of existing orders (JFS 01849). File Local Forms D-4 and D-5 when establishing or modifying support.
Ohio Legal Help. Statewide self-help portal at ohiolegalhelp.org with free guided interviews that complete the Ohio Supreme Court family-law forms used in Guernsey County.

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.
Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron 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.