Establishing Paternity in Licking County

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

Licking County, Ohio · Newark

Establishing parentage is the gateway to a father's parenting time and to a child-support order. Licking County is unusual in Ohio: ALL paternity (parentage) cases are heard in the Domestic Relations Court (75 E. Main Street, Newark) — not the Juvenile Court — where a Parentage filing is $400. Once parentage is established, custody and parenting time between never-married parents are decided in the Probate & Juvenile Court.

How do I establish paternity in Licking County, Ohio?

Paternity can be established by a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity (through the hospital, CSEA, or vital statistics) or by a court/administrative action in which genetic testing may be ordered. In Licking County, a court parentage case is filed in the Domestic Relations Court, 75 E. Main Street, Newark — unusually, paternity is NOT heard in the Juvenile Court here — and a Parentage filing is $400. Once parentage is established, an unmarried parent can then ask the Probate & Juvenile Court to set custody, parenting time, and support. Confirm where your specific action belongs by calling DR at (740) 670-5400 and Juvenile at (740) 670-5624.

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: Licking County Domestic Relations Court

75 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055
Phone: (740) 670-5400
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–Noon and 1:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Website: lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/default.htm
e-Filing: https://efileoh.tylertech.cloud/OfsEfsp/ui/landing

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Licking County Probate & Juvenile Court
1 North Park Place, Newark, OH 43055
Phone: (740) 670-5624
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the court to confirm current hours)

Paternity is the right path if…

The parents were never married and legal fatherhood has not been established.
You need parentage established so a father can seek parenting time or a support order can be set.
You want a court order (genetic testing may be ordered) rather than, or in addition to, a voluntary acknowledgment.
You understand that paternity is filed in the Domestic Relations Court in Licking County, while custody between unmarried parents is decided in Juvenile Court.

Filing Fees

A Parentage (paternity) filing in the Licking County Domestic Relations Court is $400. A voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity through the hospital, CSEA, or vital statistics has no court filing fee. A fee waiver is available if you can't afford the deposit. Confirm current amounts with the Licking County Clerk of Courts at (740) 670-5400 before filing.

Forms & Filing Packets

Establish parentage by court action (Domestic Relations Court) — $400 Parentage filing in the Domestic Relations Court — confirm with the Clerk

Filed in the Licking County Domestic Relations Court — where all paternity cases are heard. Genetic testing may be ordered. A Parentage filing is $400.

Parentage / Establishment of Paternity (Ohio SC standardized forms) — The Ohio Supreme Court standardized parentage forms. In Licking County, parentage is filed in the Domestic Relations Court (a Parentage filing is $400), not the Juvenile Court.
Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — Required in any case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
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 Paternity in Licking County

Decide acknowledgment vs. court action. If both parents agree, a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity may be enough. If there is a dispute, file a court parentage case.
File the parentage case in Domestic Relations Court. In Licking County, file the parentage action in the Domestic Relations Court, 75 E. Main Street, Newark (a $400 Parentage filing) — not the Juvenile Court.
Complete genetic testing if ordered. The court may order genetic testing to establish or rule out parentage before entering an order.
Move to custody, parenting time, and support. Once parentage is established, an unmarried parent can ask the Probate & Juvenile Court to allocate parental rights and set parenting time, and CSEA can set support.

Licking County Practice Notes

Paternity is heard in Domestic Relations Court. Unusually for Ohio, Licking County hears ALL paternity (parentage) cases in the Domestic Relations Court, where a Parentage filing is $400 — not in the Juvenile Court. Custody, parenting time, and support between never-married parents are still decided in the Probate & Juvenile Court. If you need to establish parentage, confirm with the DR Court ((740) 670-5400) and the Juvenile Court ((740) 670-5624) where your specific action belongs.
Parentage opens the door to support and parenting time. Until a court orders otherwise, an unmarried mother is the child's sole residential parent and legal custodian by operation of law (R.C. 3109.042). Establishing parentage is what lets a father seek parenting time and lets either parent ask for a support order.
Two ways to establish parentage. Parentage can be established by a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity (hospital, CSEA, or vital statistics) or by a court/administrative action in which genetic testing may be ordered. Confirm with the court whether a parentage step must precede a Juvenile support filing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I file a paternity case in Licking County?: Unusually for Ohio, Licking County hears ALL paternity (parentage) cases in the Domestic Relations Court (75 E. Main Street, Newark), where a Parentage filing is $400 — not in the Juvenile Court. Custody, parenting time, and support between never-married parents are still decided in the Probate & Juvenile Court. If you need to establish parentage, confirm with the DR Court ((740) 670-5400) and the Juvenile Court ((740) 670-5624) where your specific action belongs.
Do I file in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Licking County?: If you are married to (or were married to) the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the Domestic Relations Court (75 E. Main Street, Newark). If you were never married, custody and support are handled by the Probate & Juvenile Court (1 North Park Place, Newark). Grandparent and other non-parent custody requests are always filed in the Probate & Juvenile Court. Note that paternity itself is heard in the Domestic Relations Court in Licking County.
Who handles child support in Licking County?: The Licking County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), 65 East Main Street, Newark — (740) 670-5998 or 1-800-513-1128. CSEA opens IV-D cases, collects support by wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces the court's order. It enforces the order; it does not represent either parent.
How much does it cost to file a family-law case in Licking County?: In the Domestic Relations Court, divorce, dissolution, and parentage are each $400, a counterclaim is $250, a post-decree motion/reopen is $200, and a QDRO is $50. In the Probate & Juvenile Court, a Complaint for Custody is $250.00 and a Motion for Further Hearing is $50.00. A DVCPO petition has no filing fee. If you can't afford the deposit, file a Poverty Affidavit / Affidavit of Indigency. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (740) 670-5400.

Free Local Resources in Licking County

Licking County Clerk of Courts — Domestic Relations. 75 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 670-5400, fax (740) 670-5419. Provides current filing deposits, the Domestic Relations forms, rules & guides page (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/forms_rules.htm), and CPO packets. Clerk of Common Pleas: Olivia C. Parkinson.
Licking County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). 65 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 670-5998 or 1-800-513-1128 (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/csea/). Opens IV-D cases, sets and collects support by wage withholding, and enforces orders. CSEA enforces the court's order; it does not represent either parent.
Parenting seminar — "Helping Children Succeed After Divorce" (The Woodlands). Required for everyone with minor children who files for divorce or dissolution. About 90 minutes online or a 2-hour in-person class. Register at www.thewoodland.org or (740) 349-7066 (online tech support ext. 241).
Licking County Domestic Relations Mediation. Mediation Coordinator Christopher R. Meyer, (740) 670-5409 (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/mediation.htm). Offers assessment and referral to a court-approved mediator for divorce and post-divorce parenting disputes. A domestic-violence victim may decline mediation or bring a support person.
The Center for New Beginnings (domestic-violence help). Helps victims obtain a protection order and offers free confidential housing and services: (740) 345-4498 or (740) 349-8719, toll-free 1-800-686-2760.
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (SEOLS) — Newark. 15 West Locust Ave., Suite A, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 345-0850 or 1-888-831-9412. Free civil legal help for those who qualify.

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.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
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