Hancock County Child Custody Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Hancock County custody case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Hancock 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.

Put a flat-fee custody attorney on your Hancock County case

Custody in Ohio means allocating parental rights and responsibilities — who the child lives with and who makes the major decisions. In Hancock County, married parents resolve custody in the Domestic Relations Division as part of a divorce or dissolution, while never-married parents file in the Juvenile Court on the Paternity & Custody docket for a $125 deposit. Gavvl Law files in the right court, argues for the arrangement that fits your child, and represents you for one flat fee agreed up front, with payment plans available.

• Married or never-married decides the courthouse. Custody for married parents runs through the Domestic Relations Division inside the divorce or dissolution, but for never-married parents it's a separate Juvenile Court case at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center. We file in the court that actually has authority over your family, so you aren't paying to start over in the right place.
• Sole or shared — chosen strategically. Ohio offers sole custody, with one residential parent and legal custodian, or shared parenting, with both parents holding those roles under a plan. We help you decide which to seek based on how you and the other parent communicate, then prepare the parenting affidavit, plan, and support worksheet to back it.
• A first custody order that holds up. A first order sets the baseline every future dispute is measured against, so it pays to get it right. We prepare the parenting affidavit and a proposed plan, gather the evidence that shows what your child actually needs, and press for terms that won't need fixing a year later.

The court decides custody on the child's best interest under R.C. 3109.04, weighing each parent's involvement, the child's adjustment to home and school, and whether the parents can cooperate. If you can't settle a schedule, the county's Appendix E parenting-time schedule takes over as the order — so we make sure it's a fallback you understand, not a surprise.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the custody complaint or motion; you appear at any hearing.

• Establish custody: $1,250
• Modify custody: $1,450

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 custody case or see payment plans & financing.

Where to File: Hancock County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Hancock County Probate/Juvenile Court (Allan H. Davis Judicial Center)
209 West Main Cross Street, Findlay, OH 45840
Phone: (419) 424-7066
Hours: Monday–Friday

Custody is the right path if…

• You need a first custody and parenting-time order.
• You and the other parent can't agree on a residential schedule or decision-making.
• You were never married to the other parent and need a Juvenile Court order.
• You want a court-ordered plan that fits your child's best interest.

Filing Fees

Domestic Relations: custody is resolved within the divorce/dissolution deposit (or a continuing-jurisdiction motion, $245 custody/visitation on the Clerk schedule / $275 on the Domestic Relations Costs page). Juvenile Court: $125 new complaint / $100 new motion · confirm current amounts with the court

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Custody in Hancock County

1. Pick the right court. File custody in the Domestic Relations Division if you were married, or in the Juvenile Court if you were never married.
2. Prepare the packet. Complete a parenting affidavit and a proposed parenting plan (sole or shared), and the Ohio child-support worksheet.
3. File and serve. File with the right court, pay the applicable deposit (or request a waiver), and serve the other parent.
4. Best-interest decision. The court decides custody based on the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04); Appendix E sets the standard schedule if you don't agree.

Hancock County Practice Notes

• Never-married parents file in Juvenile Court. If the parents were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are decided by the Juvenile Court (R.C. 2151.23) at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center, 209 West Main Cross Street, Findlay, (419) 424-7066 — the county calls these 'Paternity & Custody' cases. The Juvenile deposit is $125 for a new complaint and $100 for a new motion, not the Domestic Relations fee schedule.
• A separate Domestic Relations Division hears divorce. Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment are heard by the Domestic Relations Division of the Hancock County Court of Common Pleas at the Hancock County Courthouse, 300 South Main Street, Findlay. Most matters are heard by a magistrate. File through the Clerk of Courts (3rd floor), (419) 424-7037; the DR offices can be reached at (419) 424-7818.
• An approved online parenting class is required. Any Hancock County case involving minor children requires an approved online parenting class (DR Rule 2.22). A divorce will not be completed until the Plaintiff attends; a dissolution requires both parties; a parenting motion requires the filing party. Approved providers include A-OK ($30), Children in Between ($45.95 + $3), and Online Parenting Programs ($30). File the certificate with the Clerk; questions (419) 424-7818.
• Relocation more than 150 miles needs 30 days' notice. A residential parent who intends to move more than 150 miles must file and serve a Notice of Intent to Relocate at least 30 days ahead (DR Rule 2.19); if no one objects within 30 days, the long-distance parenting schedule becomes the order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between sole custody and shared parenting in Hancock County?

With sole custody, one parent is the residential parent and legal custodian and the other gets parenting time. With shared parenting, both parents are legal custodian and residential parent under a filed shared parenting plan. Hancock County posts a Shared Parenting Plan and a Local Parenting Plan, and Appendix E sets the standard parenting-time schedule when the parties do not agree to a different plan.

If we were never married, where do I file for custody in Hancock County?

In the Juvenile Court (R.C. 2151.23), part of the combined Probate/Juvenile Court at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center, 209 West Main Cross Street, Findlay, (419) 424-7066. The county lists these on its 'Paternity & Custody' page. New complaints are a $125 deposit; new motions are $100.

How much does it cost to start a custody or paternity case in Hancock County?

In the Juvenile Court, a new complaint (parentage, custody, or support) is a $125 deposit and a new motion (modification or contempt) is $100; service by publication adds $100. A deposit waiver is available if you cannot pay. Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Court at (419) 424-7066.

Which court handles family-law cases in Hancock County?

Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment are heard by the Domestic Relations Division of the Hancock County Court of Common Pleas at the Hancock County Courthouse, 300 South Main Street, Findlay — a separate division from the General Division. If the parents were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are decided by the combined Probate/Juvenile Court at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center, 209 West Main Cross Street (the county calls these 'Paternity & Custody' cases). Domestic Relations cases are filed through the Clerk of Courts, (419) 424-7037.

Free Local Resources in Hancock County

• Hancock County Clerk of Courts (Domestic Relations). Current filing fees, deposit amounts, and case filing for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and post-decree matters. Clerk of Courts, 3rd floor, 300 South Main Street, Findlay; (419) 424-7037. Hancock County publishes two overlapping DR fee lists, so confirm the controlling amount before filing. Forms are at https://www.co.hancock.oh.us/210/Forms; there is no public family-law e-filing.
• Hancock County Probate/Juvenile Court. Handles never-married-parent parentage, custody, parenting time, and support, plus non-parent custody, at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center, 209 West Main Cross Street, Findlay. Juvenile (419) 424-7066; Probate (419) 424-7079. New complaints are a $125 deposit; new motions $100. Paternity & Custody forms: https://www.co.hancock.oh.us/187/Paternity-Custody.
• Hancock County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Establishes parentage administratively, opens IV-D cases, sets support under Ohio's guidelines, collects by income withholding, and reviews existing orders. Contact (419) 424-1365.
• Free Pro Se Divorce Clinic. A free clinic runs monthly (1:00–4:00 p.m., First-Floor Conference Rooms of the Courthouse) for people without an attorney who qualify for Legal Aid — by appointment through the Legal Aid Line, 888-534-1432. LAWO and the Findlay-Hancock County Bar Association also hold a monthly Domestic Relations clinic.
• Parenting Education (DR Rule 2.22). Cases with minor children require an approved online parenting class. Providers include A-OK ($30), Children in Between ($45.95 + $3), and Online Parenting Programs ($30). Program page: https://www.co.hancock.oh.us/212/Parenting-Education. File the certificate with the Clerk; questions (419) 424-7818.
• Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares child-support worksheet at https://ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov/ before any case that sets or changes support.
• Open Arms Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services. Advocates can help with safety planning and protection-order petitions (no petitioner filing fee). Contact 419-420-9261 or 419-422-4766.

Other Family-Law Topics in Hancock County

• Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
• Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Hancock County family-law attorney for help with your case.

Related to your custody 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 custody and related Ohio family law topics.

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.

Continue your Hancock County research

• Ohio Custody guide — Statewide overview of custody in Ohio.
• Toledo family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Toledo metro.
• Hancock County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Hancock County guide.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
• Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.