Shared Parenting in Licking County

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

Licking County, Ohio · Newark

Ohio uses "shared parenting" rather than "joint custody." When both parents ask to be named residential parents and legal custodians, they must submit a written Shared Parenting Plan that addresses every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. The court approves a plan only if it serves the children's best interest, and applies the county's Rule 19.0 standard schedule when parents can't agree on parenting time.

How do I get shared parenting in Licking County, Ohio?

Submit a written Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) that addresses every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor — physical living arrangements, holiday and vacation schedule, child support, decision-making authority, transportation, school and health-care decisions, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution — along with the UCCJEA Parenting Proceeding Affidavit and a Child Support Computation Worksheet. The court approves shared parenting only if it serves the children's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F). If parents don't agree on a schedule, the court applies its Rule 19.0 standard parenting-time order. Confirm requirements with the court at (740) 670-5400.

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)

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

Both parents want to be designated residential parents and legal custodians.
You can put a complete written plan together covering living arrangements, holidays, decision-making, and support.
Shared decision-making is realistic for your family and serves the children's best interest.
You can complete the parenting seminar and submit a child-support worksheet with the plan.

Filing Fees

A Shared Parenting Plan is filed inside the underlying case, so there is no separate plan fee — it follows the divorce/dissolution deposit or the Juvenile custody-case cost ($250 Complaint for Custody). Confirm current amounts with the Licking County Clerk of Courts at (740) 670-5400 before filing.

Forms & Filing Packets

File a Shared Parenting Plan — Part of the underlying divorce/dissolution deposit, or the Juvenile custody-case cost — confirm with the Clerk

Used when both parents ask to share parental rights. The plan must address every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor, and is filed inside the divorce/dissolution (DR Court) or the Juvenile custody case.

Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) — Required when both parents are asking to be designated residential parents under R.C. 3109.04(G). Must be notarized.
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 the court sets or changes support.

How to File Shared Parenting in Licking County

Confirm both parents want to share rights. Shared parenting names both parents as residential parents and legal custodians. If only one parent will be residential, use a Parenting Plan (Form 21) instead.
Draft a plan covering every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. Address living arrangements, holidays and vacations, child support, decision-making, transportation, school and health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution.
Add the UCCJEA affidavit and support worksheet. File the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit and an Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet with the plan.
Submit the plan in your case and complete the seminar. File the Shared Parenting Plan inside the divorce/dissolution or Juvenile custody case, and complete the parenting seminar if your case requires it.
Attend the hearing — the court applies best interest. The judge or magistrate reviews the plan against the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors and either approves it or directs revisions; Rule 19.0 fills any schedule gaps.

Licking County Practice Notes

The plan must address every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. A written Shared Parenting Plan must cover physical living arrangements, the holiday and vacation schedule, child support, decision-making authority, transportation, school and health-care decisions, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution. Plans that skip a factor are routinely sent back for revision.
Rule 19.0 standard parenting time. When parents don't agree on a schedule, the Domestic Relations Court applies its Rule 19.0 standard parenting-time order (the May 1, 2009 version is the most recent reviewed in full): alternate weekends Friday 6:00 p.m. to Monday 9:00 a.m., a Wednesday 6:00 p.m. to Thursday 9:00 a.m. midweek, a holiday rotation, and one of four summer options. The version that governs a family is the one in effect when their order was entered.
Summer options and the long-distance (150-mile) schedule. Rule 19.0's May 1, 2009 standard order picks one of four summer plans when the order is entered: (1) one-week rotating (the default for temporary/ex parte orders during a pending divorce), (2) two-week rotating, (3) summer divided at the midpoint (the default when parents live more than 150 miles apart), or (4) keep the existing schedule with up to 14 vacation days in blocks of 7 or more. A parent taking vacation must give 30 days' notice and a travel itinerary. When parents live more than 150 miles apart, the non-residential parent instead gets extended holiday blocks (Thanksgiving and Christmas in even years; spring break and Christmas in odd years) plus added vacation, with summer split at the midpoint. General rules include a 15-minute pickup grace period (30 minutes if the drive is more than 30 miles one way), the non-residential parent handling transportation for weekend and midweek time, and one phone call per day between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Best-interest standard governs approval. R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) lists 10+ best-interest factors — each parent's wishes, the child's wishes when of sufficient age, the child's interaction with parents/siblings, adjustment to home/school/community, the mental and physical health of all involved, the parent more likely to facilitate court-approved parenting time, support compliance, and any history of abuse. The court approves shared parenting only when it serves the child's best interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is shared parenting in Licking County and how do I ask for it?: Ohio uses "shared parenting" instead of "joint custody." To ask for it, both parents submit a written Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) that addresses every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor — living arrangements, holidays and vacations, child support, decision-making, transportation, school and health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution. The court approves the plan only if it serves the children's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F).
What is the standard parenting-time schedule in Licking County?: When parents don't agree, the Domestic Relations Court applies its Rule 19.0 standard parenting-time order. The May 1, 2009 version (the most recent reviewed in full) provides alternate weekends Friday 6:00 p.m. to Monday 9:00 a.m., a Wednesday 6:00 p.m. to Thursday 9:00 a.m. midweek, a holiday rotation, and one of four summer options. The version that governs a family is the one in effect when their order was entered; confirm the controlling version on the Domestic Relations forms page.
Is a parenting class required in Licking County?: Yes. Everyone with minor children who files for divorce or dissolution in Licking County must complete the "Helping Children Succeed After Divorce" Seminar by The Woodlands — about 90 minutes online or a 2-hour in-person class. Register at www.thewoodland.org or (740) 349-7066. File the certificate of completion before the final hearing; both parents are typically required to attend.
When does Licking County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?: In a contested custody case, the Domestic Relations Court may appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) — a court-appointed attorney who investigates and reports on the child's best interest. GAL practice is governed by the court's Rule 29.0, and a GAL Comment Form is posted. The GAL recommends what is best for the child, not what the child wants. Confirm the GAL fee/deposit and payment terms with the court 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 shared parenting case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on shared parenting and related Ohio family law topics.

Shared Parenting in Ohio: How Joint Custody Really Works — Shared parenting is Ohio's version of joint custody — both parents stay legal custodians and share major decisions. Here's what a plan must cover and how courts decide.
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.
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.

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Ohio Shared Parenting guide — Statewide overview of shared parenting in Ohio.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
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