Where do I file an adoption in Henry County — the Family Court or Probate?

Adoptions are filed in the Henry County Probate Court — the Probate Division of the Henry County Common Pleas Court, on the 2nd floor (Suite 203) at 660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545, before Judge Amy C. Rosebrook. That is a different court from the Henry County Family Court, which handles divorce and custody. The Probate Division is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, and you can reach it at (419) 592-7771.

Does the child have to consent to the adoption?

A child who is 12 or older must generally consent to their own adoption (Form 18.3). The court can address how consent is handled at the hearing, so confirm the requirements for your case with the Probate Court.

Will I need a home study or assessment?

The court orders an assessment or home study as it requires. The review helps the court decide whether the adoption is in the child's best interest before it enters a final decree.

Can I adopt an adult in Henry 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 deposit with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771.

Are adoption records confidential in Henry County?

Yes. Adoption files are confidential and sealed by statute, and the Clerk does not release adoption records. Requests to release identifying information go through the statutory process, with the Court and the Ohio Department of Health controlling release of original birth records.

Do I need a lawyer to adopt in Henry County?

You are not required to hire a lawyer, and the court uses the Ohio standardized forms so you can file on your own. Because contested consents, agency placements, and foreign-adoption recognition can be complex, many families work with an Ohio family-law attorney to make sure the decree holds up.

Adoption in Henry County Probate Court

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 17, 2026

You file a petition for adoption in the Henry County Probate Court at the 660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545. A minor adoption begins with Form 18.0 (Petition for Adoption of Minor); an adult adoption uses Form 19.0; and a foreign adoption is recognized with Form 19.2. You file the child's information and the required consents (Form 18.3) — a child 12 or older must generally consent to their own adoption — or allege that a parent's consent is not required under R.C. 3107.07 (for example, where a parent failed without justifiable cause to communicate with or support the child for at least one year). The court orders an assessment or home study as it requires, parties entitled to notice are served, and after a hearing on consent and best interest the judge enters a final decree (Forms 18.5–18.7), or a single final order for an adult adoption (Form 19.1), and a new birth certificate is issued. Henry County has not published its adoption deposit online, so confirm the current amount with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771.

Henry County Probate Court

660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545. Phone (419) 592-7771. Open Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM before Judge Amy C. Rosebrook. Court website. Supreme Court of Ohio probate forms.

Who this is for

You are a stepparent adopting your spouse's child.
You are a relative or kinship caregiver who wants to adopt a child already living in your home.
You are adopting a minor through a licensed agency or a private (independent) placement and need to file in Henry County.
You want to adopt an adult, for example to formalize a long-standing parent-child relationship.
You finalized an adoption abroad and need Ohio to recognize it and issue an Ohio birth record.
You need to confirm whose consent is required, or ask the court to find that a parent's consent is not required under R.C. 3107.07.

Ohio standardized probate forms

Adoption of a minor (18.x forms)

These are the core Ohio standardized forms for adopting a child. Henry County's Probate Division uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standard probate forms; obtain them from the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 or the Supreme Court forms library.

Form 18.0 Petition for Adoption of Minor — The petition that opens a minor adoption case.
Form 18.1 Judgment Entry Setting Hearing and Ordering Notice — Sets the hearing date and orders notice to the parties.
Form 18.2 Notice of Hearing on Petition for Adoption
Form 18.3 Consent to Adoption — Consent from a parent or party whose agreement the law requires; a child age 12 or older must generally also consent.
Form 18.4 Judgment Entry Finding Consent Not Required — Used when the court finds a consent is not required (e.g., under R.C. 3107.07).
Form 18.5 Interlocutory Order of Adoption
Form 18.6 Final Decree of Adoption (After Interlocutory Order)
Form 18.7 Final Decree of Adoption (Without Interlocutory Order)
Form 18.8 Adoption Certificate for Parents
Form 18.9 Petitioner's Account

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 issue an Ohio birth record.

Child support agency notice

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

Form 19.4 Notice to the Child Support Enforcement Agency

Henry County has not published a separate Probate adoption deposit schedule online. Confirm the current deposit with the Henry County Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 before you file. A certified copy of a record such as a marriage license is $5.00, and probate copies are $1.00 per page; published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate.

Step by step

Decide which kind of adoption you are filing A minor adoption (stepparent, kinship, agency, or private placement) starts with Form 18.0; an adult adoption uses Form 19.0; and a foreign adoption is recognized with Form 19.2. The forms and steps differ, so identify your path first.
Gather the child's information and required consents File the child's information with the petition and the consent of each birth parent or party whose agreement the law requires (Form 18.3). A child age 12 or older must generally also consent. If a parent's consent is excused under R.C. 3107.07 — for example, when a parent failed without justifiable cause to communicate with or support the child for at least a year — the court can find consent is not required (Form 18.4).
File the petition in the Probate Division File your petition at the Henry County Probate Court in the 660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545. Henry County has not published its adoption deposit online, so confirm the current amount with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 when you file.
Complete an assessment or home study The court orders an assessment or home study as it requires. This review helps the court decide whether the adoption is in the child's best interest.
Attend the notice and hearing Parties entitled to notice are served (Forms 18.1–18.2), and the court holds a hearing on consent and best interest, where the judge reviews the petition, the consents, and the assessment.
Receive the decree and a new birth certificate The judge enters a final decree (Forms 18.5–18.7) — or a single final order for an adult adoption (Form 19.1) — issues the adoption certificate (Form 18.8), and a new birth certificate is issued. Adoption files are confidential and sealed by statute.

Good to know about Henry County

File at the Henry County Probate Court — the Probate Division of the Henry County Common Pleas Court — in the 660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545. The Probate Division is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM before Judge Amy C. Rosebrook, and you can reach it at (419) 592-7771.
The Probate Division is separate from the Henry County Family Court, which handles divorce, custody, and juvenile cases. Probate handles adoptions, name changes, and marriage licenses. The court website is https://www.henrycountyohio.gov/261/Probate-Division.
Henry County's Probate Division uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms — it does not publish a separate county form set. Obtain the forms from the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 or the Supreme Court forms library (https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/forms/all-forms/probate), and always download the current version before you file.
Henry County has not published a separate Probate adoption or name-change deposit schedule online. Confirm the current deposit with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 before you file. A certified copy of a record such as a marriage license is $5.00, and probate copies are $1.00 per page.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file an adoption in Henry County — the Family Court or Probate?: Adoptions are filed in the Henry County Probate Court — the Probate Division of the Henry County Common Pleas Court, on the 2nd floor (Suite 203) at 660 N. Perry St., 2nd Floor (Suite 203), Napoleon, OH 43545, before Judge Amy C. Rosebrook. That is a different court from the Henry County Family Court, which handles divorce and custody. The Probate Division is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, and you can reach it at (419) 592-7771.
How much does an adoption cost in Henry County?: Henry County has not published a separate Probate adoption deposit schedule online, so confirm the current deposit with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 before you file. A certified copy of a record such as a marriage license is $5.00, and probate copies are $1.00 per page; published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate.
Do I need the other birth parent's consent?: Usually yes. The birth parents generally must consent (R.C. 3107.06), but consent may not be required where a parent failed without justifiable cause to communicate with or support the child for at least one year (R.C. 3107.07) — a common basis in stepparent adoptions. That determination is fact-specific and often contested, so it is wise to get legal advice.
Does the child have to consent to the adoption?: A child who is 12 or older must generally consent to their own adoption (Form 18.3). The court can address how consent is handled at the hearing, so confirm the requirements for your case with the Probate Court.
Will I need a home study or assessment?: The court orders an assessment or home study as it requires. The review helps the court decide whether the adoption is in the child's best interest before it enters a final decree.
Can I adopt an adult in Henry 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 deposit with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771.
Are adoption records confidential in Henry County?: Yes. Adoption files are confidential and sealed by statute, and the Clerk does not release adoption records. Requests to release identifying information go through the statutory process, with the Court and the Ohio Department of Health controlling release of original birth records.
Do I need a lawyer to adopt in Henry County?: You are not required to hire a lawyer, and the court uses the Ohio standardized forms so you can file on your own. Because contested consents, agency placements, and foreign-adoption recognition can be complex, many families work with an Ohio family-law attorney to make sure the decree holds up.

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