Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody in Logan County

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

Logan County, Ohio · Bellefontaine

When a child cannot safely or practically live with a parent, a relative or other non-parent can ask the Juvenile section of the Family Court for legal custody under R.C. 2151.23. This is different from adoption (which permanently ends parental rights) and from guardianship (a Probate matter).

How does a grandparent or non-parent get custody in Logan County, Ohio?

File a complaint for legal custody to a non-parent in the Juvenile section of the Family Court (R.C. 2151.23), serve the parents and any necessary parties, and attend a best-interest hearing; the court may appoint a Guardian ad Litem. The court can grant legal custody to the non-parent while the parents keep residual rights, including possible parenting time and a support obligation. For shorter-term caregiving without a full case, Ohio offers a Grandparent Power of Attorney or a Caretaker Authorization Affidavit. Note: under Probate Local Rule 66.1, the Probate section will not create a guardianship for school or medical purposes only — school-purpose custody is decided in Juvenile or Domestic Relations. Juvenile filing deposits: confirm with the Juvenile Department at (937) 599-7245.

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: Logan County Court of Common Pleas, Family Court Division

101 S. Main Street, Bellefontaine, OH 43311
Phone: (937) 292-4043
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Website: www.logancountyohio.gov/common-pleas-court---family-court.html

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Logan County Court of Common Pleas, Family Court Division — Juvenile
101 S. Main Street, Bellefontaine, OH 43311
Phone: (937) 599-7245
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody is the right path if…

You are a grandparent, relative, or other non-parent seeking custody of a child.
The child cannot safely or practically live with a parent right now.
You want legal custody (not adoption) — parents keep residual rights.
You can file in the Juvenile section and serve the parents and necessary parties.

Filing Fees

Juvenile new-filing deposits are not on a posted schedule — confirm the current amount with the Juvenile Department. A fee waiver is available. Court fees and deposits change — confirm the current amount with the Logan County Clerk of Courts before filing: Domestic Relations Department (937) 292-4043 or the Family Court main line (937) 599-7249 (Juvenile Department (937) 599-7245 for never-married-parent cases).

Forms & Filing Packets

Legal custody to a non-parent — Juvenile filing deposit: confirm with the Juvenile Department (waiver available)

File a complaint for legal custody in the Juvenile section under R.C. 2151.23, serve the parents, and attend a best-interest hearing. The court may appoint a GAL. Parents may retain residual rights, including possible parenting time and a support obligation.

Complaint for Legal Custody to a Non-Parent (Logan Juvenile, R.C. 2151.23) — Used by a relative or other non-parent to ask the Juvenile section for legal custody of a child. Legal custody is not adoption — it does not permanently terminate parental rights.
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.

Short-term caregiving authority — No court filing fee for the notarized POA or Caretaker Authorization Affidavit; confirm any filing requirement with the Juvenile Department

For temporary authority without a full custody case, use the Ohio Grandparent Power of Attorney or Caretaker Authorization Affidavit (R.C. 3109.51 et seq.).

Complaint for Legal Custody to a Non-Parent (Logan Juvenile, R.C. 2151.23) — Used by a relative or other non-parent to ask the Juvenile section for legal custody of a child. Legal custody is not adoption — it does not permanently terminate parental rights.

How to File Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody in Logan County

Decide what you need. Full legal custody (a Juvenile case) or short-term authority (a Power of Attorney or Caretaker Authorization Affidavit).
Prepare the complaint. Complete a complaint for legal custody to a non-parent for the Juvenile section, with the UCCJEA affidavit.
File and serve. File in the Juvenile section, pay the deposit (or request a waiver), and serve the parents and any necessary parties.
Attend the best-interest hearing. The court applies the child's best interest and may appoint a Guardian ad Litem in a contested case.

Logan County Practice Notes

Legal custody is not adoption. Granting legal custody to a non-parent does not permanently terminate parental rights — parents keep residual rights, and the order can be revisited. Adoption (a Probate matter) permanently ends parental rights and creates a new parent-child relationship.
School-purpose custody is a Juvenile/DR matter. Under Probate Local Rule 66.1, the Probate section will not create a guardianship for school or medical purposes only. Custody for school purposes is decided in the Juvenile or Domestic Relations sections.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a grandparent or non-parent get custody of a child in Logan County?: A non-parent files a complaint for legal custody in the Juvenile section under R.C. 2151.23, serves the parents, and attends a best-interest hearing; the court may appoint a GAL. The court can grant legal custody to the non-parent while the parents keep residual rights, including possible parenting time and a support obligation. Legal custody is different from adoption — it does not permanently terminate parental rights. For short-term care, Ohio offers a Grandparent Power of Attorney or a Caretaker Authorization Affidavit.
Do I file custody in Domestic Relations or Juvenile in Logan County?: It depends on whether you were married. If you are married to (or divorcing) the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the Domestic Relations section. If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and support are handled in the Juvenile section — both sections are in the same combined Family Court at 101 S. Main Street, Bellefontaine.
When does Logan County appoint a guardian ad litem, and what does it cost?: Under DR Loc. R. 8, the court appoints a Guardian ad Litem to protect a child's interest in contested custody and parenting-time matters (and where required by statute). GAL fees are 14 hours x $50 = $700; anything over $700 requires prior written court approval. A deposit is required at appointment, and fees are assessed between the parties. If both parties are indigent, the court may appoint someone to serve pro bono or with partial public funding. CASA of Logan County also provides trained volunteer advocates.
What parenting-time schedule does Logan County use?: When parents cannot agree, the court applies the Logan County Visitation Guidelines (Form DR-01, eff. 1-19-18) as the default schedule. The posted guidelines PDF is a scanned document, so confirm the current specifics (holiday rotation, distance provisions, exchanges) with the court. Parents can agree on their own plan instead, which the court usually approves if it fits the children.

Free Local Resources in Logan County

Logan County Court of Common Pleas — Family Court Division. The single combined Family Court for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, post-decree matters, and protection orders (Domestic Relations), plus never-married-parent custody/support, non-parent custody, and CPS (Juvenile), and adoption (Probate), at 101 S. Main Street, Bellefontaine. Family Court main line (937) 599-7249; Domestic Relations (937) 292-4043; Juvenile (937) 599-7245; Probate (937) 599-7252. DR/civil documents can be e-filed by email before 4:15 p.m. Court information and rules are at https://www.logancountyohio.gov/common-pleas-court---family-court.html.
Logan County Domestic Relations Forms. Logan County uses the Ohio Supreme Court standardized DR/Juvenile forms, plus a few local forms (the Visitation Guidelines, the Application for Child Support Services, and the Affidavit of Indigency). The DR forms page is at https://www.logancountyohio.gov/domestic-relations-forms.html.
Logan County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Any case involving children requires the Application for Child Support Services (Title IV-D). The CSEA sets support under Ohio's guidelines, collects by income withholding, and can review existing orders. Confirm contact details with the Family Court at (937) 599-7249.
CASA of Logan County. Provides trained volunteer Guardian ad Litem advocates for children in contested cases. Learn more at https://www.casaoflogancounty.org/.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares child-support worksheet at https://ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov/ before any case that sets or changes support.

Related to your non-parent custody case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Adoption — Grow your family through step-parent, agency, or kinship adoption.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on non-parent custody and related Ohio family law topics.

Grandparents' Rights in Ohio: Visitation and Custody — Ohio grandparents can sometimes seek court-ordered companionship time or even custody — but only in specific circumstances and always under the best-interest standard. Here's how it works.
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.
Kinship Adoption in Ohio: Adopting a Relative's Child — When a child can't safely stay with their parents, relatives often step in. Kinship adoption gives that arrangement legal permanence. Here's how it works in Ohio — and how it differs from custody.

Keep exploring

Ohio Grandparent / Non-Parent Custody guide — Statewide overview of grandparent / non-parent custody in Ohio.
Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
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