Adoption in Hardin County Probate Court

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 18, 2026

You file a Petition for Adoption of Minor (Form 18.0) in the Hardin County Probate Court at One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326, along with the child's birth record and the required consents (Form 18.3). The court sets a hearing and orders notice (Forms 18.1–18.2), and an assessment is generally required (stepparent and kinship cases may be streamlined). The adoption fee applies (plus if publication is needed). After the hearing, the judge enters an interlocutory order and a final decree (Forms 18.5–18.7), and a new birth record can be ordered. The Probate Court requires that you have an attorney for an adoption.

Hardin County Probate Court

One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326. Phone (419) 674-2230, fax (419) 674-2274. Open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Court website. Probate fee schedule.

Who this is for

  • You are a stepparent adopting your spouse's child and need the court to make it legal and permanent.
  • You are a grandparent or relative (kinship) adopting a child already living in your home.
  • You have been married to the child's parent for at least one year and are ready to file a stepparent adoption.
  • You need to confirm whose consent is required, or ask the court to find consent is not required under R.C. 3107.06–.07.
  • You want to adopt an adult — for example, to formalize a long-standing parent-child relationship.
  • You finalized an adoption abroad and need an Ohio court to recognize it and issue an Ohio birth record.

What it costs — two ways to hire us

Limited scope, flat fee — Flat fee $4,000

You hire us for a defined piece of the work — drafting and filing your adoption paperwork, a single hearing, a specific motion — at a fixed, published price. The court's filing fee is paid to the Clerk of Courts separately. The number you see is the number you pay at checkout. What each flat fee covers.

Full representation — $3,500 retainer to start

An attorney manages the whole case — strategy, filings, hearings, negotiation. The retainer is known before you sign and is a deposit against work, not the total cost; the total depends on how contested your case becomes. You watch every dollar of it in real time. How full representation is billed.

Is there financing? Yes.

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. See every financing option.

Real people, — with direct lines

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — or Niva Elgin, our senior case manager and a licensed New Mexico attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Hardin County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Senior Case Manager. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

  • 95+ five-star Google reviews
  • 60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
  • Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
  • Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained, — and every step after

  1. Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, or Niva Elgin about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
  2. Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
  3. Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
  4. Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder

Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

  • Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
  • Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
  • Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
  • Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
  • Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
  • 24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Frequently asked questions

Which forms do I need for an adoption in Hardin County?

Stepparent & kinship adoption of a minor (18.x forms)

These are the core Ohio standardized forms for adopting a child. The Hardin County Probate Court may also post these (and any local supplements) on its own site: https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/

Adoption of an adult (19.0–19.1)

Adult adoptions use a shorter set of forms and are decided with a single final order.

Recognizing a foreign adoption (19.2–19.3)

Use these to have Ohio recognize an adoption completed in another country and to obtain an Ohio birth record.

Child support agency notice

Filed when an adoption changes who is responsible for a child's support.

The Hardin County Probate Court's published fee schedule lists adoptions is set by the court, plus an additional for publication in any case where it is required. Confirm the current amount on the court's fee page (https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/fees.php) or by calling (419) 674-2230 before you file.

How does an adoption move through the Hardin County Probate Court, step by step?
  1. Confirm you can file a stepparent or kinship adoption Stepparent rules also apply to grandparents, and a stepparent (or grandparent) petitioner must have been married at least one year before filing. The Probate Court requires that you be represented by an attorney for an adoption.
  2. Gather the birth record and required consents File the child's birth record with the petition and the consent of each birth parent or party whose agreement the law requires (Form 18.3) — unless the court finds consent is not required under R.C. 3107.06–.07 (Form 18.4).
  3. File the petition and pay the fee File the Petition for Adoption of Minor (Form 18.0) at the Hardin County Probate Court, One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326, and pay the adoption fee (plus if publication is required).
  4. Complete an assessment if required An assessment or home study is generally required, though stepparent and kinship cases may have reduced requirements. The court will tell you what your case needs and may appoint an assessor.
  5. Attend the hearing The court sets a hearing and orders notice (Forms 18.1–18.2). At the hearing the judge reviews the petition, the consents, and any assessment, decides whether the child has lived in the home as the law requires, and whether the adoption is in the child's best interest.
  6. Receive the decree and a new birth record The judge enters an interlocutory order and then a final decree (Forms 18.5–18.7), issues the adoption certificate (Form 18.8), and a new birth record can be ordered.
What should I know about the Hardin County Probate Court before I file?
  • File at the Hardin County Probate Court, One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326. The Probate Court office is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; you can reach it at (419) 674-2230 (fax (419) 674-2274).
  • The Probate Court is a separate division from the Domestic Relations Division that handles divorces and custody — bring adoption and name-change questions to the Probate Court at (419) 674-2230.
  • Hardin County's Probate Court uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms, and may also post local supplements on its own site (https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/). Always download the current version before you file, and confirm any county-required local supplements with the Probate Court.
  • Probate filing fees are published on the court's fee schedule (https://www.hardincountyprobatecourt.com/fees.php). The amounts below come from that schedule; confirm the current figure with the Probate Court before you file.
Where do I file a stepparent adoption in Hardin County?
Adoptions are filed in the Hardin County Probate Court (Suite 200), not the Domestic Relations Division, at One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326. The office is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and you can reach it at (419) 674-2230.
How much is an adoption in Hardin County?
The court's fee schedule lists adoptions is set by the court, plus an additional for publication if it is required. Confirm the current amount on the court's fee page or by calling (419) 674-2230.
Do I need to be married a certain length of time to adopt my stepchild?
Yes. A stepparent (or grandparent) petitioner must have been married for at least one year before filing, according to the Hardin County Probate Court. Stepparent rules also apply to grandparents.
Do I need a lawyer to adopt in Hardin County?
Yes. The Hardin County Probate Court requires that you be represented by an attorney for an adoption, because the case is complex and the result is permanent. An Ohio family-law attorney can prepare the petition, handle consent issues, and make sure the decree holds up.
Can a stepparent adopt without the other birth parent's consent?
Sometimes. The court generally needs the consent of the child's other legal parent (Form 18.3) unless it finds that consent is not required — for example, under R.C. 3107.06–.07, when a parent has failed, without justifiable cause, to communicate with or support the child for at least one year (Form 18.4). The court decides.
Which forms do I need to adopt a child in Hardin County?
A minor adoption starts with Form 18.0 (Petition for Adoption of Minor) plus the consent forms (Form 18.3) and the entry setting the hearing (Form 18.1). Hardin County uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms; confirm any county-required local supplements with the Probate Court before you file.
Can I adopt an adult in Hardin County?
Yes. Adult adoptions are filed with Form 19.0 (Petition for Adoption of Adult), and the court enters a single Final Order of Adoption of Adult (Form 19.1). Confirm the current fee and any requirements with the Probate Court.

Call (844) 694-2885 or email support@gavvl.com.