Shared Parenting in Miami County

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

Miami County, Ohio · Troy

Ohio courts can name one parent the residential parent and legal custodian, or order shared parenting on a filed plan. In Miami County, a shared-parenting request requires a written Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) that addresses every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor, and the court approves it only if it is in the child's best interest.

How do I get a shared parenting plan approved in Miami County, Ohio?

File a written Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) with your divorce, dissolution, or custody case. The plan must address physical living arrangements, the holiday and vacation schedule, decision-making authority, transportation, school and health-care decisions, child support, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution. The court reviews the plan under the R.C. 3109.04 best-interest standard and approves it only if it serves the child. The county's Standard Parenting Time Orders (Local R. 8.021 for parents under 90 miles apart, 8.022 for over 90 miles) are a common starting point for the schedule.

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)

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

Both parents want to be designated residential parents and legal custodians.
You can agree on a detailed parenting schedule and decision-making framework.
You can submit a written plan addressing every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor.
Shared parenting is realistic given the distance between the parents' homes and the children's schedule.

Filing Fees

No separate fee — shared parenting is decided inside the divorce, dissolution, or custody case · Standard Parenting Time Orders apply by distance (Local R. 8.021 under 90 miles / 8.022 over 90 miles) · best-interest review under R.C. 3109.04.

Forms & Filing Packets

Shared parenting — parents under 90 miles apart — No separate filing fee — covered by the underlying divorce, dissolution, or custody case deposit; confirm with the Clerk

File the Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) and use the Local R. 8.021 standard schedule as the parenting-time framework.

Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) — Filed when both parents will be designated residential parents and legal custodians under R.C. 3109.04(G).
Standard Parenting Time Order — parents under 90 miles apart (Local R. 8.021) — The county's default parenting-time schedule when both parents live within 90 miles of each other.
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.

Shared parenting — parents over 90 miles apart — No separate filing fee — covered by the underlying divorce, dissolution, or custody case deposit; confirm with the Clerk

File the Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) and use the Local R. 8.022 long-distance standard schedule.

Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) — Filed when both parents will be designated residential parents and legal custodians under R.C. 3109.04(G).
Standard Parenting Time Order — parents over 90 miles apart (Local R. 8.022) — The county's long-distance parenting-time schedule when the parents live more than 90 miles apart.
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 Miami County

Decide on shared parenting. Confirm both parents want to be residential parents and legal custodians, which is what shared parenting means in Ohio.
Draft the Form 20 plan. Prepare a Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) that addresses every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor — schedule, decision-making, transportation, support, and dispute resolution.
Pick the parenting-time schedule. Use the county's Standard Parenting Time Order — Local R. 8.021 for parents under 90 miles apart, or 8.022 for parents over 90 miles apart.
File and let the court review it. File the plan with your divorce, dissolution, or custody case; the court approves it only if it is in the child's best interest under R.C. 3109.04.

Miami 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.
Best-interest standard governs. R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) lists 10+ 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, mental and physical health of all involved, the parent more likely to facilitate court-approved parenting time, child support compliance, criminal history, residence outside Ohio, and any history of abuse.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does shared parenting work in Miami County?: The court can name one parent the residential parent and legal custodian (sole custody) or order shared parenting on a filed plan. Shared parenting requires a written Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) addressing physical living arrangements, the holiday and vacation schedule, decision-making, transportation, school and health-care decisions, support, and dispute resolution. The court approves a plan only if it is in the child's best interest under R.C. 3109.04.
How does a Miami County court decide custody?: R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) lists 10+ 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, mental and physical health of all involved, the parent more likely to facilitate court-approved parenting time, child support compliance, criminal history, residence outside Ohio, and any history of abuse.
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.
When does Miami County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?: In a contested custody case, the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) — a court-appointed attorney who investigates and recommends what is in the children's best interest, often in a written report filed before the merit hearing. The GAL represents the child's best interest, not the child's stated wishes. GAL fees are typically allocated between the parents at the court's discretion.

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 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.

Keep exploring

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