Shared Parenting in Monroe County

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

Monroe County, Ohio · Woodsfield

Shared parenting makes both parents the residential parent and legal custodian under a written, court-approved Shared Parenting Plan, with both sharing decision-making for the child. It is not a guaranteed 50/50 time split — it's about shared decision-making. In Monroe County, shared parenting is decided inside a divorce or dissolution (General Division) for married parents, or inside a Juvenile case for never-married parents, using the Ohio Supreme Court Form 20 plan.

How does shared parenting work in Monroe County, Ohio?

Either or both parents propose a written Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) that names both parents residential parent and legal custodian and addresses every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor — schooling, decision-making, parenting time, support, and dispute resolution. File it in your divorce or dissolution (General Division, Clerk (740) 472-0761) or your Juvenile case (Room 39, (740) 472-5790). The judge approves the plan only if it is in the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(F)); if no plan is approved, the court orders sole custody with the county's Standard Visitation 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: Monroe County Court of Common Pleas — General Division

101 North Main Street, Room 33, Woodsfield, OH 43793
Phone: (740) 472-0841
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed legal holidays)
Website: www.monroecountyohio.com/government/clerk_of_courts/common_pleas_court/index.php

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Monroe County Combined Probate/Juvenile Division
101 North Main Street, Room 39, Woodsfield, OH 43793
Phone: (740) 472-5790
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed legal holidays)

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

Both parents want to share decision-making for the child.
You can put a workable plan in writing covering schooling, parenting time, and decisions.
You understand shared parenting is about decision-making, not a guaranteed equal time split.
You want both parents designated residential parent and legal custodian.

Filing Fees

Shared parenting inside a divorce/dissolution: part of the $200 deposit · never-married in the Juvenile Division: $100 · parenting session $10–$15 (Local Rule XV) · confirm current amounts with the Clerk (740) 472-0761 or Juvenile Division (740) 472-5790

Forms & Filing Packets

Shared parenting in a divorce or dissolution — Part of the divorce/dissolution $200 deposit

Married or divorcing parents file the Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) with their divorce or dissolution packet, along with the child-support worksheet. Both must complete the parenting session (Local Rule XV).

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.
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.
Monroe County Standard Visitation Schedule (Local Rule XXVIII) — The county's default parenting-time order. It becomes the schedule unless the parents agree to a different plan the Court approves, and it requires notifying the other parent and trying to renegotiate before a move.

Shared parenting for never-married parents — $100 new Juvenile case

Never-married parents establish parentage first, then file the parentage/custody complaint (Form 23) with a Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) and the worksheet in the Juvenile Division.

Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 23 / JF 2) — Filed in the Juvenile Division to ask the court to name a residential parent and legal custodian and set parenting time when the parents were never married. In Monroe County you must first request a CSEA administrative parentage determination (Juvenile Local Rule 1) before a court parentage action.
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.
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.

How to File Shared Parenting in Monroe County

Draft the Shared Parenting Plan. Prepare a Form 20 Shared Parenting Plan addressing every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor — schooling, decision-making, parenting time, support, and dispute resolution.
File in the right division. Married or divorcing parents file with their divorce or dissolution in the General Division; never-married parents establish parentage and file with the Form 23 complaint in the Juvenile Division.
Complete the parenting session. Any party seeking parenting time completes the two-hour 'Helping Children Cope With Divorce' session through OSU Extension before the hearing (Local Rule XV).
Attend the approval hearing. The judge reviews the plan against the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(F)) and either approves the shared-parenting plan or orders sole custody with the Standard Visitation Schedule.

Monroe County Practice Notes

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.
The plan must address every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. A proposed Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) must cover physical living arrangements, decision-making, the residential parent for school-placement purposes, parenting time using the county's Standard Visitation Schedule, child and medical support, and how the parents will resolve disputes. The judge approves it only if it serves the child's best interest.
Parenting session is required (Local Rule XV). Any party seeking custody or parenting time in a case with children under 18 — and both spouses in a dissolution with children — must complete the two-hour 'Helping Children Cope With Divorce' session through OSU Extension before the case is set for hearing (Local Rule XV). The fee is $10 under the rule / $15 per the Court's class page; confirm when you register at (740) 472-0810.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between sole custody and shared parenting in Monroe County?: Sole custody names one parent the residential parent and legal custodian who makes the major decisions; shared parenting makes both parents legal custodian and residential parent under a court-approved Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20). Ohio does not use 'joint custody' or 'primary custody,' and shared parenting is about decision-making, not a guaranteed 50/50 time split. A proposed plan must address every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor.
What is the standard parenting-time schedule in Monroe County?: Monroe County's default parenting-time order is its Standard Visitation Schedule (Local Rule XXVIII). It becomes the order unless the parents agree to a different plan the Court approves, and it requires notifying the other parent and trying to renegotiate the schedule before a move. Read the schedule PDF for the specific times before you assume a particular weekend, holiday, or summer arrangement.
Is a parenting class required for family-law cases in Monroe County?: Yes. Under Local Rule XV, any party seeking custody or parenting time in a case with children under 18 — and both spouses in a dissolution with children — must complete the two-hour 'Helping Children Cope With Divorce' session through OSU Extension before the case is set for hearing. The fee is $10 under the rule / $15 per the Court's class page; confirm when you register at (740) 472-0810.
When does Monroe County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?: In a contested custody case the Court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) — a neutral who investigates and recommends what is in the child's best interest (Common Pleas Local Rule XVII, tracking Sup.R. 48). Monroe County has no fixed GAL fee schedule; GAL fees and expenses are set by the Court in the appointment order and allocated between the parties.

Free Local Resources in Monroe County

Monroe County Clerk of Courts (General Division). Current filing fees, deposit amounts, and filing instructions for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment. Clerk Beth Ann Rose, Room 26; call (740) 472-0761 before filing. The county uses the Ohio Supreme Court standardized forms and accepts e-filing through the Henschen portal (https://efile.henschen.com/).
Monroe County Combined Probate/Juvenile Division. Handles never-married-parent custody, parentage, parenting time, and child support, plus non-parent custody and adoptions, under Hon. James W. Peters in Room 39. Juvenile line (740) 472-5790; Probate line (740) 472-1654.
Monroe County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA / DJFS). Housed in the Monroe County Department of Job and Family Services at 100 Home Avenue, Woodsfield. Prepares the support worksheet for free, opens IV-D cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. Phone (740) 472-1602.
Parenting Session — OSU Extension. The two-hour 'Helping Children Cope With Divorce' session required under Local Rule XV. Register through OSU Extension at (740) 472-0810; the fee is $10 under the rule / $15 per the Court's class page — confirm when you register.
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 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.
Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
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