Establishing Paternity in Hancock County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026

Hancock County, Ohio · Findlay

When parents are not married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are decided in the Juvenile Court at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center, 209 West Main Cross Street, Findlay — the county's 'Paternity & Custody' docket. Establishing paternity is the legal foundation for a father's rights and for a child-support order.

How do I establish paternity in Hancock County, Ohio?

Sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity, request genetic testing through the Hancock County CSEA, (419) 424-1365, or file a parentage complaint in the Juvenile Court using the county's Paternity & Custody forms with a parenting affidavit and the Ohio child-support worksheet, then serve the other parent. The court can order genetic testing where parentage is disputed and can allocate custody, parenting time, and support in the same case. The new-complaint deposit is $125.

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: Hancock County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

300 South Main Street, Findlay, OH 45840
Phone: (419) 424-7818
Hours: Monday–Friday
Website: Court website

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

Paternity is the right path if…

The parents were not married when the child was born.
You need to legally establish who the father is.
An unmarried father wants enforceable custody or parenting-time rights.
A parent needs a child-support order tied to established parentage.

Filing Fees

Juvenile Court parentage deposit $125 (new complaint); service by publication adds $100 · administrative parentage and genetic testing via the CSEA, (419) 424-1365 · fee waiver for indigent filers · confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Court at (419) 424-7066

Forms & Filing Packets

Parentage complaint with custody and support — $125 new-complaint deposit (Juvenile Court)

File the Juvenile Court parentage complaint with the parenting affidavit and the Ohio child-support worksheet, then serve the other parent; the court allocates parental rights and sets support in the same case.

Paternity & Custody Page (Hancock County Juvenile Court) — The Juvenile Court's Paternity & Custody page, where unmarried parents file for parentage, custody, parenting time, and support at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center, 209 West Main Cross Street, Findlay.
Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 23) — Asks the Juvenile Branch to name a residential parent and legal custodian and set a parenting-time schedule when the parents were never married.
Parenting Affidavit (Hancock County Juvenile Court) — UCCJEA parenting affidavit filed with a Juvenile Court parentage or custody case.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you ask the court to set or change support.

Genetic testing / CSEA route

Where parentage is disputed, ask the court to order genetic testing; parentage can also be established administratively through the Hancock County CSEA before or instead of a court case.

IV-D Application (Hancock County) — Application to open a Title IV-D child-support case through the Hancock County CSEA, (419) 424-1365, for establishment, collection, or review.
Parenting Affidavit (Hancock County Juvenile Court) — UCCJEA parenting affidavit filed with a Juvenile Court parentage or custody case.

How to File Paternity in Hancock County

Choose the court or CSEA route. File a parentage complaint in the Juvenile Court, or establish parentage administratively through the Hancock County CSEA, (419) 424-1365.
Prepare the complaint packet. Complete the Juvenile Court parentage complaint, the parenting affidavit, and an Ohio child-support worksheet.
File and serve. File at the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center, 209 West Main Cross Street, Findlay, (419) 424-7066, pay the $125 deposit, and serve the other parent.
Resolve parentage and orders. The court can order genetic testing where parentage is disputed, then allocate custody and parenting time and set support.

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.
Juvenile filing deposits. In the Juvenile Court, a new complaint (parentage, custody, or support) is a $125 deposit, a new motion (modification or contempt) is $100, and service by publication adds $100. A poverty motion/affidavit can ask the Court to waive the up-front deposit. Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Court at (419) 424-7066.
Hancock County CSEA handles support administratively. The Hancock County Child Support Enforcement Agency, (419) 424-1365, can establish parentage administratively, open a IV-D case, set support under Ohio's guidelines, and review existing orders. Support is paid through Ohio Child Support Payment Central.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I establish paternity in Hancock County?: Sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity, request genetic testing through the CSEA, (419) 424-1365, or file a parentage complaint in the Juvenile Court using the county's Paternity & Custody forms. Once parentage is established, the Juvenile Court can set custody, parenting time, and support in the same case. The new-complaint deposit is $125.
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.
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.

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.

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.

Related guides

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

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.
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.
Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.

More Hancock County family-law resources

Ohio Paternity guide — Statewide overview of paternity in Ohio.
Toledo family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Toledo metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder 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.