Establishing Paternity in Miami County

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

Miami County, Ohio · Troy

When parents are not married, establishing parentage (paternity) is the first step to securing custody, parenting time, and child support. In Miami County, parentage is established by acknowledgment, genetic testing, or a parentage action in the Juvenile Court (Judge Scott Altenburger) under R.C. Chapter 3111.

How do I establish paternity in Miami County, Ohio?

You can establish parentage by a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity, by genetic testing, or by filing a parentage action under R.C. Chapter 3111 in the Miami County Juvenile Court, 2040 N. County Road 25-A, Troy; (937) 440-5970. A paternity petition costs $135.00 per child. The Probate Court can also process a Declaration of Paternity ($60). Once parentage is established, the Juvenile Court can allocate custody and parenting time and set child support on the Ohio worksheet.

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: Miami County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

215 W. Main Street, Troy, OH 45373
Phone: (937) 440-3930
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current hours with the Clerk of Courts, (937) 440-6046)
Website: www.miamicountyohio.gov/common-pleas/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Miami County Juvenile Court
2040 North County Road 25-A, Troy, OH 45373
Phone: (937) 440-5970
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Local Juv. R. 18.01)

Paternity is the right path if…

The parents were not married when the child was born.
You need a legal finding of parentage before custody, parenting time, or support can be ordered.
You want the Juvenile Court to set custody and support once parentage is established.
Ohio is the child's home state (the child has lived in Ohio for the last 6 months).

Filing Fees

Juvenile Court paternity/parentage: $135.00 per child · Probate Declaration of Paternity: $60.00 · no fee to CSEA or Children's Services (Local Juv. R. 4.06) · indigency application available.

Forms & Filing Packets

Parentage action in Juvenile Court — $135.00 per child; no fee to CSEA

File a parentage action (R.C. Chapter 3111) in the Juvenile Court. Once parentage is established, ask the court to allocate parental rights and set support on the worksheet.

Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 23) — Asks the Juvenile Branch to name a residential parent and legal custodian and set 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.
Miami County Forms Center (juvenile local forms, Grandparent POA, Caretaker Affidavit) — Where the Miami County juvenile local forms (Juv. Form 16, Parenting Proceeding Affidavit, Notice of Intent to Relocate, Model Parenting Time schedules) and the grandparent-only Power of Attorney and Caretaker Authorization Affidavit are posted.
Miami County Juvenile Court — Clerk's Office — The Juvenile Court (2040 N. County Rd 25-A, Troy; (937) 440-5970, option 2) decides parentage, custody, support, and parenting time for unmarried parents and non-parent legal custody. Post-complaint documents under 26 pages with no deposit may be emailed to juvenilefile@miamicountyohio.gov.

How to File Paternity in Miami County

Choose how to establish parentage. Use an Acknowledgment of Paternity, genetic testing, or a parentage action under R.C. Chapter 3111 in the Juvenile Court. The Probate Court can process a Declaration of Paternity ($60).
File in Juvenile Court. File the parentage/custody complaint with the Juvenile Court, 2040 N. County Road 25-A, Troy; (937) 440-5970 ($135 per child).
Add custody and support. Ask the court to allocate parental rights and set parenting time and child support on the Ohio worksheet once parentage is established.
Complete the parenting seminar. Parents of minor children in a paternity case must complete "Helping Children Succeed After Divorce" (Local R. 8.06).

Miami County Practice Notes

Three ways to establish parentage. Parentage can be established by a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity, by genetic testing, or by a parentage action under R.C. Chapter 3111. The Probate Court can also process a Declaration of Paternity ($60). Establishing parentage is required before the Juvenile Court can order custody or support.
Parenting seminar applies to paternity cases. Parents with children under 18 in an original paternity action must complete "Helping Children Succeed After Divorce" (Local R. 8.06) — the requirement is not limited to divorces and dissolutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is paternity established in Miami County?: Parentage can be established by a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity, by genetic testing, or by a parentage action under R.C. Chapter 3111 in the Juvenile Court. The Probate Court can also process a Declaration of Paternity ($60). Once parentage is established, the Juvenile Court can allocate custody and parenting time and set child support. Filing a paternity petition in Juvenile Court costs $135.00 per child.
We were never married — which Miami County court decides custody?: The Juvenile Court (Judge Scott Altenburger), 2040 N. County Road 25-A, Troy; (937) 440-5970, decides custody, parenting time, support, and parentage for unmarried parents under R.C. 2151.23. Married or divorcing parents have those issues decided inside the divorce or dissolution in the General Division. Grandparent and other non-parent custody requests are always filed in Juvenile Court.
How much does it cost to file for custody or paternity in Miami County Juvenile Court?: The Juvenile Court charges $135.00 per child for a paternity, allocation of parental rights (custody), or visitation petition, due at filing, plus $2.00 per subpoena issued. No filing fee is charged to the Miami County CSEA or Children's Services Board (Local Juv. R. 4.06). Court costs are assessed at final disposition, and an indigency application may be filed to seek a waiver (Local Juv. R. 4.02–4.03).
What does the Miami County CSEA do, and what is a IV-D application?: The Miami County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), part of Job & Family Services, opens IV-D child-support cases, calculates support, collects it by automatic wage withholding through Ohio Child Support Payment Central, and enforces orders (license suspension, tax intercept, contempt referrals). A IV-D Application opens that case and is filed whenever the court sets a support order. No filing fee is charged to CSEA (Local Juv. R. 4.06).
Is a parenting class required in Miami County?: Yes, when minor children are involved. Parents in an original divorce, dissolution, or paternity case must complete the county seminar "Helping Children Succeed After Divorce" (Local R. 8.06). Sessions are held Wednesday mornings and last about 2.5 hours. Complete the seminar before the dissolution decree is filed, or within 45 days of service in a divorce. To reschedule, contact the office of the Magistrate assigned to your case. Failure to complete it can delay your decree or result in denial of court-ordered parenting time.

Free Local Resources in Miami County

Miami County Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas / Domestic Relations). 215 W. Main Street, Troy, OH 45373; (937) 440-6046. Files all Domestic Relations documents and collects deposits through the e-file system (mandatory as of June 1, 2026). Confirm the current divorce/dissolution/legal-separation deposit here, or file an Affidavit of Indigency to seek a waiver.
Miami County Domestic Relations Forms. https://www.miamicountyohio.gov/domestic-relations-forms/ — the county's DR forms, organized by case type, plus Appendix A (the required-filings checklist). Do not print forms double-sided.
Parenting seminar — "Helping Children Succeed After Divorce". https://www.miamicountyohio.gov/parenting-seminar/ — required for parents of children under 18 in a divorce, dissolution, or paternity case (Local R. 8.06). Sessions are Wednesday mornings (~2.5 hours); complete before the dissolution decree is filed or within 45 days of service. Reschedule through the assigned Magistrate's office.
Miami County Juvenile Court. 2040 North County Road 25-A, Troy, OH 45373; (937) 440-5970 (Clerk, option 2); juvenilefile@miamicountyohio.gov. Judge Scott Altenburger. Decides parentage, custody, support, and parenting time for unmarried parents and non-parent legal custody. Paternity/custody/visitation: $135.00 per child (no fee to CSEA or Children's Services).
Miami County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). https://www.miamicountyohio.gov/child-support-enforcement-agency-csea/ — opens IV-D cases, calculates support, collects by wage withholding through Ohio Child Support Payment Central, and enforces orders. No filing fee is charged to CSEA (Local Juv. R. 4.06).
Miami County Probate Court. 215 W. Main Street, Troy, OH 45373; (937) 440-6050. Judge Scott Altenburger. Handles adoptions, name changes, marriage licenses, and minor guardianships. Accepts the Supreme Court of Ohio Probate standardized forms plus local forms.

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