Establishing Paternity in Medina County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green, Esq. · Managing Partner, Gavvl Law · Last updated June 8, 2026

Medina County, Ohio · Medina

Paternity (parentage) in Medina County is established in the Domestic Relations Court at 225 East Washington Street — not Juvenile Court — under R.C. 2301.03(U). A legal finding of fatherhood unlocks custody, parenting time, and child support, and is required before the court can allocate parental rights for never-married parents.

How do I establish paternity in Medina County, Ohio?

File a Complaint to Establish Parentage in the Medina County Domestic Relations Court at 225 East Washington Street, Medina, OH 44256 — Medina routes all parentage to Domestic Relations under R.C. 2301.03(U) — or sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity through CSEA. The parentage filing fee is $200. If parentage is disputed, the court or CSEA orders genetic testing. Until an order issues, the mother is the sole legal custodian under R.C. 3109.042(A). Open a CSEA case so support can be set once fatherhood is confirmed, and confirm Ohio is the children's home state under the UCCJEA.

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: Medina County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

225 East Washington Street, Medina, OH 44256, Medina, OH 44256
Phone: (330) 725-9740
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Website: medinadr.org/

Paternity is the right path if…

The parents were not married when the child was born and no father is legally established.
You need a legal father named before custody, parenting time, or support can be ordered.
Paternity is disputed and you need genetic testing.
You want to set up child support through CSEA after parentage is confirmed.

Filing Fees

$200 parentage filing in the Domestic Relations Court · CSEA IV-D case free · Genetic testing ordered when disputed

Forms & Filing Packets

Establish parentage in the Domestic Relations Court

Complaint to Establish Parentage (Medina DR) — Filed in the Medina County Domestic Relations Court under R.C. 2301.03(U) to establish legal fatherhood. Pull the current local form from the court's Forms page.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom. Confirms Ohio's jurisdiction over custody.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Medina County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.

Disputed paternity — genetic testing

When parentage is contested, the court or CSEA orders the parties and child to a designated lab. Tests run 99%+ accurate; if the alleged father is excluded, the case is dismissed and the Ohio Department of Health updates the birth record.

Motion for Genetic Testing (Medina DR) — Use the court's General Motion form to request genetic testing in a contested parentage action. Pull the current form from the Medina DR Forms page.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.

How to File Paternity in Medina County

File a parentage complaint or sign an Acknowledgment. File a Complaint to Establish Parentage in the Medina County Domestic Relations Court, or sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity through CSEA if both parents agree.
Request genetic testing if disputed. Ask the court or CSEA to order DNA testing. The lab compares samples from the parties and child at 99%+ accuracy.
Open a CSEA case. Submit an IV-D Application so support can be set and enforced once fatherhood is confirmed.
Move on to custody and support. Once parentage is established, the Domestic Relations Court can allocate parental rights and set a support order under R.C. 3119.021.

Medina County Practice Notes

Genetic testing. Either party can request genetic testing. The court (or CSEA) will order the parties and child to a designated lab. Tests run 99%+ accurate. If the alleged father is excluded, the case is dismissed and the Ohio Department of Health updates the birth record.
Acknowledgment of Paternity timeline. A signed Acknowledgment of Paternity can be rescinded within 60 days of the last signature through CSEA. After 60 days you must challenge it in court within 1 year on grounds of fraud, duress, or material mistake (R.C. 3111.27).
Mother is sole custodian until an order. Under R.C. 3109.042(A), when a child is born to never-married parents the mother is the sole legal custodian and residential parent until the court allocates parental rights. The biological father has no enforceable custody or parenting-time rights until an order is entered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do custody and paternity cases go to Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Medina County?: Medina County is unusual. Under R.C. 2301.03(U), all child-custody and parentage cases are filed in the Medina County Domestic Relations Court at 225 East Washington Street, Medina — even for never-married parents. Many Ohio counties send never-married custody and paternity to Juvenile Court, but Medina keeps them in Domestic Relations. The court decides custody under the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors.
What does Medina County CSEA do?: The Medina County Child Support Enforcement Agency (330-722-9398, mcjfs.us/child-support) opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, collects support by wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and enforces orders through license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt referrals. Payment questions go to Ohio Child Support Payments at 1-800-860-2555.
Can I rescind an Acknowledgment of Paternity in Ohio?: A signed Acknowledgment of Paternity can be rescinded within 60 days of the last signature by contacting your local Child Support Enforcement Agency and completing a Request for Paternity Determination. After 60 days you must challenge the acknowledgment in court within 1 year on grounds of fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact (R.C. 3111.27). Genetic testing is typically ordered, and the Ohio Department of Health updates the birth record if the alleged father is excluded.
What is a IV-D application and why do I need one?: A IV-D Application opens a child-support case with your county's Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Once opened, CSEA collects support through automatic wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and can enforce the order through license suspension, federal tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals. Filing a IV-D Application is standard whenever a child-support order is issued.
Where do I file for custody in Medina County?: All custody in Medina County is decided by the Domestic Relations Court at 225 East Washington Street, Medina. If you and the other parent were married, custody and parenting time are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation. If you were never married, you file a parentage and custody action in the same Domestic Relations Court under R.C. 2301.03(U) — Medina does not route these to Juvenile Court. Either way the court applies the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors.

Free Local Resources in Medina County

Medina County Domestic Relations Court. Local forms, local rules, email-filing instructions, and case information for divorce, dissolution, custody, support, and protection orders at medinadr.org. The Forms page is medinadr.org/forms.html. Court staff cannot give legal advice or help complete forms.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. The state's official 2024 Income Shares worksheet at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov. Run it, print, and sign it before any hearing that sets or changes support.
FOCUS — Family Court Resources parenting program. The court-provided parenting class for parents of minor children, prepaid through the filing deposit and coordinated by Family Court Resources (234-802-0944). Approved online alternatives are Children in Between and Two Families Now.
Community Legal Aid Services. Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Medina County and northeast Ohio. Intake line 1-800-998-9454.

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.

Keep exploring

Ohio Paternity guide — Statewide overview of paternity in Ohio.
Cleveland family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cleveland metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.

Call (216) 868-8005 or email support@gavvl.com.