Adoption in Henry County Probate Court

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. 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.

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

• Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
• Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
• Niva Elgin — Senior Case Manager · Licensed New Mexico Attorney

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 Henry 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 Henry County?

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.

• Form 19.0 Petition for Adoption of Adult
• Form 19.1 Final Order of Adoption of Adult

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.

• Form 19.2 Petition to Recognize Foreign Adoption
• Form 19.3 Order for Ohio Birth Record for Foreign Born Child

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 set by the court, and probate copies is set by the court per page; published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate.

How does an adoption move through the Henry County Probate Court, step by step?

1. 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.
2. 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).
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.

What should I know about the Henry County Probate Court before I file?

• 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, 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 set by the court, and probate copies is set by the court per page.

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. 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 filing fee with the Probate Court at (419) 592-7771 before you file. A certified copy of a record such as a marriage license is set by the court, and probate copies is set by the court 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.