Paternity & Parentage in Holmes County, Ohio

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

Holmes County, Ohio · Millersburg

When parents are not married, establishing legal parentage is the first step before a court will order custody, parenting time, or support. In Holmes County this goes through the Juvenile Court (Judge Thomas C. Lee), which provides a combined Custody, Visitation and Parentage packet.

How do I establish paternity in Holmes County, Ohio?

File the Juvenile Court's Complaint for Custody, Visitation and Parentage packet with the Holmes County Juvenile Court at 1 East Jackson St., Suite 201, Millersburg ((330) 674-5841). The Custody/Visitation/Parentage deposit is $63. Establishing parentage lets the court name a residential parent, set a parenting-time schedule under the county's Standard Parenting Order, and order child support using the Ohio worksheet. Genetic testing can be ordered if parentage is disputed. Confirm the current deposit with the Juvenile Court before filing.

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: Holmes County Court of Common Pleas, General & Domestic Relations Divisions

1 E. Jackson Street
Phone: (330) 674-5086
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM
Website: www.holmescourtofcommonpleas.org

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Holmes County Combined Probate & Juvenile Court
1 East Jackson Street, Suite 201
Phone: (330) 674-5841
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM

Paternity is the right path if…

You and the other parent were never married to each other.
You need a court to legally establish who the child's father is.
You want custody, parenting time, or child support ordered after parentage is set.
Parentage is disputed and you may need genetic testing.

Filing Fees

$63 Custody/Visitation/Parentage deposit (Juvenile Court)

Forms & Filing Packets

Establish parentage, custody and support — $63 Custody/Visitation/Parentage deposit (Juvenile Court)

The Juvenile Court packet that establishes parentage and lets the court set custody, parenting time, and support.

Complaint for Custody, Visitation and Parentage PACKET (Juvenile) — The Juvenile Court packet to establish parentage and ask for custody and a parenting-time schedule when the parents were never married.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom, confirming Ohio's jurisdiction over custody under the UCCJEA. Required in any case involving minor children.
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.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.

When you cannot locate the other parent — No separate filing fee (filed with the $63 Juvenile Court packet); newspaper publication/service costs vary — confirm the current amount with the Clerk

Unknown Address Affidavit (Juvenile) — Used when you cannot locate the other party for service and need to ask the court about alternative service.

How to File Paternity in Holmes County

Get the Juvenile packet. Download the Complaint for Custody, Visitation and Parentage packet from the Holmes County Juvenile Court.
Complete the forms. Fill in the parentage allegations, the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA), and the child-support worksheet and health-insurance affidavit.
File and pay. File with the Juvenile Court and pay the $63 deposit; if you cannot locate the other parent, include the Unknown Address Affidavit.
Attend the hearing. Appear before the Juvenile Court, complete any ordered genetic testing, and obtain the parentage, custody, parenting-time, and support orders.

Holmes County Practice Notes

Parentage comes before custody and support. A Juvenile Court will not order custody, parenting time, or support for unmarried parents until legal parentage is established. The combined packet handles all of it in one filing.
Genetic testing if disputed. If parentage is contested, the Juvenile Court can order genetic testing before deciding the case. An acknowledgment of paternity signed at the hospital can also establish parentage without testing.
Equal parenting time presumption. Holmes County's Standard Parenting Order (Local Rule 25) presumes equal (50/50) parenting time beginning at age 3. Confirm with the court whether the Juvenile Division applies this same schedule in unmarried-parent cases or uses its own.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I establish paternity in Holmes County?: File the Juvenile Court's Complaint for Custody, Visitation and Parentage packet with the Holmes County Juvenile Court ((330) 674-5841); the deposit is $63. Establishing parentage lets the court order custody, parenting time, and child support. If parentage is disputed, the court can order genetic testing.
What does it cost to file a custody or support case in the Holmes County Juvenile Court?: The Juvenile Court cost deposits are $63 for a Custody / Visitation / Parentage case and $48 for a Child Support case. Card payments are accepted ($2.00 debit fee; $2.00 or 3%, whichever is greater, for credit). Confirm the current amounts with the Juvenile Court before filing.
How does parenting time work in Holmes County?: Holmes County uses an age-tiered Standard Parenting Order (Local Rule 25) that presumes equal (50/50) parenting time beginning at age 3 unless there are clearly defined special circumstances, with graduated schedules for younger children, a teen rule (at least 10 waking hours per week with each parent), and a separate Long-Distance order. This is different from the alternating-every-other-weekend 'standard order' common elsewhere in Ohio.
Which court handles family-law cases in Holmes County, Ohio?: Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and married-parent custody/support are heard by the Domestic Relations Division of the Court of Common Pleas (Judge Sean Warner; Magistrate Tiffany D. Bird) and filed with the Clerk of Courts at 1 E. Jackson St., Millersburg. Custody, parenting time, support, and parentage for unmarried parents go to the Juvenile Court, and adoption goes to the Probate Court — both run by Judge Thomas C. Lee from 1 East Jackson St., Suite 201, Millersburg.
How is child support calculated in Holmes County?: Child support follows Ohio's 2024 Income Shares guidelines. Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print the worksheet, and sign it — the court requires it any time support is set or changed. The amount is based on both parents' incomes, parenting time, health-insurance cost, and child-care expenses.

Free Local Resources in Holmes County

Holmes County Clerk of Courts. Files all General & Domestic Relations cases and processes filings; Clerk Ronda P. Steimel, 1 E. Jackson St., Millersburg, (330) 674-1876. Filing is paper-only (in person or by mail). Pay Common Pleas costs online at payments.lexisnexis.com/oh/co/holmes/clerkofcourts; view the docket at courts.co.holmes.oh.us/eservices.
Holmes County Domestic Relations Division. Judge Sean Warner; Magistrate Tiffany D. Bird. Publishes the county's Uniform DR forms at holmescourtofcommonpleas.org/domestic-relations and /domestic-relations-templates. Court phone (330) 674-5086.
Holmes County Combined Probate & Juvenile Court. Judge Thomas C. Lee. Handles parentage, custody, parenting time, and support for never-married parents, non-parent custody, and adoption, at 1 East Jackson St., Suite 201, Millersburg. Juvenile (330) 674-5841; Probate (330) 674-5881. Fillable packets at co.holmes.oh.us/document-library/juvenile-court.
Holmes County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Housed at Holmes County Job & Family Services, 85 N. Grant St., Millersburg, (330) 674-1111. Opens IV-D support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. Website holmescountydjfs.com.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. The official 2024 Income Shares calculator at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov. Run it, print the worksheet, and sign it — the court requires it any time support is set or changed.

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.

Keep exploring

Ohio Paternity guide — Statewide overview of paternity in Ohio.
Medina family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Medina metro.
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