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.

Do I have to tell the court if I'm moving with my child in Hancock County?

If you are the residential parent and moving more than 150 miles, you 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.

Hancock County Shared Parenting Attorneys

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

Hancock County, Ohio · Findlay

Shared parenting makes both parents legal custodian and residential parent under a written plan the court approves. In a divorce or dissolution, the plan is filed in the Domestic Relations Division; for never-married parents, it is filed in the Juvenile Court, which posts a Shared Parenting Plan and a Local Parenting Plan.

Hire Gavvl for your Hancock County shared parenting 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 (flat fees from $1,250).

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 does shared parenting work in Hancock County, Ohio?

Either parent can propose a shared parenting plan that covers the residential schedule, holidays, decision-making, and support. In a divorce or dissolution, file it in the Domestic Relations Division; for never-married parents, file it in the Juvenile Court using the county's Shared Parenting Plan, with a parenting affidavit and the Ohio child-support worksheet. The court approves the plan only if it serves the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04); if the parties don't agree on a schedule, Appendix E sets the standard parenting time.

Hire Gavvl Law to build your Hancock County shared parenting plan

Shared parenting makes both parents the legal custodian and residential parent, but only if the court approves a written plan that serves the child's best interest under R.C. 3109.04. In Hancock County that plan is filed in the Domestic Relations Division within a divorce or dissolution, or in the Juvenile Court for never-married parents, which posts its own Shared Parenting Plan and Local Parenting Plan. Gavvl Law drafts a plan built to be approved and represents you for one flat fee agreed up front, with financing available.

A plan detailed enough to be approved. A shared parenting plan has to cover the residential schedule, holidays, transportation, decision-making, and how support is figured under Ohio's guidelines. We draft each term so the plan answers the questions a Hancock County magistrate asks, instead of leaving gaps that turn into the next dispute.
Filed in the court that fits your family. Married parents file the plan inside the Domestic Relations case; never-married parents use the Juvenile Court's Shared Parenting Plan or Local Parenting Plan with a parenting affidavit and the support worksheet. We prepare the version each court expects so the plan isn't kicked back for the wrong form.
Keep control instead of defaulting to Appendix E. If parents don't agree on a schedule, Hancock County's Appendix E local parenting schedule becomes the order by default. A plan you negotiate and we draft lets you set holidays and exchanges around your real lives rather than living under the court's standard grid.

Because both parents stay legal custodian, a Hancock County shared parenting plan lives or dies on cooperation and clear language. We write dispute-resolution and decision-making terms that reduce return trips to court, and, with minor children, line up the required online parenting class (DR Rule 2.22) so nothing procedural holds up approval.

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: 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

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

Both parents want to remain legal custodian and residential parent.
You can cooperate on schedules, school, and medical decisions.
You need a written plan that covers holidays, transportation, and decision-making.
You want the court to approve a plan that fits your child's best interest.

Filing Fees

Domestic Relations: filed 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

Shared parenting in a divorce/dissolution (Domestic Relations)

File the shared parenting plan with the Domestic Relations case, with the Parenting Affidavit and the Ohio child-support worksheet; Appendix E sets the standard schedule if you don't agree to a different plan.

Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) — Required when both parents are asking to be designated residential parents under R.C. 3109.04(G). Must be notarized.
Parenting Affidavit (Hancock County DR) — UCCJEA-style parenting affidavit filed in Domestic Relations cases that involve minor children.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
Appendix E – Local Parenting Schedule (Hancock County DR) — Hancock County's standard Domestic Relations parenting-time schedule, applied when the parties do not agree to a different plan.

Shared parenting for never-married parents (Juvenile Court) — $125 new complaint / $100 new motion (Juvenile Court)

File the Juvenile Court Shared Parenting Plan (or Local Parenting Plan) with the parenting affidavit and the support worksheet; the new-complaint deposit is $125.

Shared Parenting Plan (Hancock County Juvenile Court) — Juvenile Court shared parenting plan that, once approved, makes both unmarried parents legal custodian and residential parent.
Local Parenting Plan (Hancock County Juvenile Court) — Juvenile Court parenting-time plan used when one parent is the residential parent and the other has companionship time.
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.

How to File Shared Parenting in Hancock County

Draft the plan. Cover the residential schedule, holidays, transportation, decision-making, and how support will be calculated under Ohio's guidelines.
Pick the right court. File in the Domestic Relations Division if you were married, or in the Juvenile Court if you were never married, using that court's parenting-plan form.
File the plan and worksheet. Submit the plan with the parenting affidavit and the Ohio child-support worksheet, and pay the applicable deposit.
Best-interest review. The court approves the plan only if it serves the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04); if you don't agree on a schedule, Appendix E applies.

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.
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.

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.
Do I have to tell the court if I'm moving with my child in Hancock County?: If you are the residential parent and moving more than 150 miles, you 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.

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.

Start Your Parenting Plan for Free

Before you meet with an attorney or mediator, try our free Ohio parenting plan builder — it explains sole custody vs. shared parenting in plain language and turns your answers into a printable worksheet you can bring to court, mediation, or a consultation.

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 Hancock County family law

Ohio Shared Parenting guide — Statewide overview of shared parenting 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.
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