Adoption in Muskingum County Probate Court

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 16, 2026

You file a Petition for Adoption in the Muskingum County Probate Court at 401 Main Street, Zanesville, OH 43701, (740) 455-7113. A minor adoption begins with Form 18.0 (Petition for Adoption of Minor); an adult adoption uses Form 19.0; and a foreign adoption is recognized with Form 19.2. You then address consent — obtain the other legal parent's consent (Form 18.3) or plead the legal basis to excuse it under R.C. 3107.07 — complete any required assessment or home study, and attend the final hearing. If the court finds the adoption is in the child's best interest, it issues the final decree of adoption and a new birth record is prepared.

Muskingum County Probate Court

401 Main Street, Zanesville, OH 43701. Phone (740) 455-7113. Fax (740) 455-7173. Email probate@muskingumcounty.org. One judge presides over the Probate and Juvenile divisions. Open Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM. Court website. Ohio Supreme Court probate forms.

Who this is for

  • You are a stepparent adopting your spouse's child and need the court to make it legal and permanent.
  • You are a relative or kinship caregiver who wants to adopt a child already living in your home.
  • You need to address the other legal parent's consent — or show the court why that consent should be excused.
  • You want to understand the difference between adoption (Probate Court) and legal custody to a non-parent.
  • You need to know exactly where and how to file an adoption in Zanesville, and what it will carries a deposit.

What it costs — two ways to hire us

Limited scope, flat fee — Flat fee $4,000

You hire us for a defined piece of the work — drafting and filing your adoption paperwork, a single hearing, a specific motion — at a fixed, published price. The court's filing fee is paid to the Clerk of Courts separately. The number you see is the number you pay at checkout. What each flat fee covers.

Full representation — $3,500 retainer to start

An attorney manages the whole case — strategy, filings, hearings, negotiation. The retainer is known before you sign and is a deposit against work, not the total cost; the total depends on how contested your case becomes. You watch every dollar of it in real time. How full representation is billed.

Is there financing? Yes.

Split any flat fee with Gavvl Direct — our in-house plan at 19% APR, $500 minimum — on a 60%-down schedule of 18 weekly, 8 bi-weekly, or 4 monthly payments, or full financing where work begins once 60% is paid. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay. See every financing option.

Real people, — with direct lines

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — or Niva Elgin, our senior case manager and a licensed New Mexico attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Muskingum County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Senior Case Manager. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

  • 95+ five-star Google reviews
  • 60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
  • Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
  • Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained, — and every step after

  1. Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, or Niva Elgin about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
  2. Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
  3. Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
  4. Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder

Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

  • Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
  • Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
  • Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
  • Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
  • Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
  • 24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Frequently asked questions

Which forms do I need for an adoption in Muskingum County?

Adoption of a minor (18.x forms)

Muskingum County does not keep its own adoption-forms library — it uses the Ohio Supreme Court's standardized probate (adoption) forms. Download the current PDFs from the Supreme Court of Ohio probate forms page: https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/forms/all-forms/probate/5

Adoption of an adult (19.x forms)

Adult adoptions use a shorter set of forms and are decided with a single final order.

Recognizing a foreign adoption (19.2–19.3)

Use these to have Ohio recognize an adoption completed in another country and to obtain an Ohio birth record.

Notice to the Child Support Enforcement Agency

When an adoption ends a parent's support obligation, the CSEA is notified.

The Muskingum County Probate Court does not publish its adoption fee schedule online — probate fees are set by the court. Confirm the current adoption deposit by calling the Probate Court at (740) 455-7113, emailing probate@muskingumcounty.org, or visiting 401 Main Street, Zanesville, OH 43701. If you cannot afford the filing fee, ask the office about an indigency affidavit or fee waiver.

How does an adoption move through the Muskingum County Probate Court, step by step?
  1. Confirm the Probate Court is the right court Adoption permanently makes you the child's legal parent and ends a former parent's rights — it is filed in the Probate Court. That is very different from legal custody to a relative, which in Muskingum County is a Domestic Relations Court case and does not end anyone's parental rights.
  2. Choose the right petition A minor (stepparent or kinship) adoption starts with Form 18.0; an adult adoption uses Form 19.0; and a foreign adoption is recognized with Form 19.2. Identify your path first, because the forms and steps differ.
  3. Address consent Obtain the other legal parent's consent (Form 18.3) or plead the legal basis to excuse it — for example, where a parent has failed without justifiable cause to communicate with or support the child for at least one year (R.C. 3107.07).
  4. Complete any required assessment or home study A stepparent adoption may be partly exempt by statute, but the court may still require a background check or report. Confirm what your case needs before the hearing.
  5. File the petition and pay the deposit File your petition and supporting forms in the Muskingum County Probate Court, 401 Main Street, Zanesville, OH 43701, and pay the filing fee. Because the court does not publish a fee online, confirm the current amount by calling (740) 455-7113 or emailing probate@muskingumcounty.org first.
  6. Attend the final hearing and receive the decree At the hearing the court reviews the petition, the consents, and any report and decides whether the adoption is in the child's best interest. If it is, the judge issues the final decree of adoption (Form 18.6 or 18.7) and a new birth record is prepared.
What should I know about the Muskingum County Probate Court before I file?
  • In Muskingum County, one judge presides over both the Probate and Juvenile Courts, but each keeps its own office: file adoptions with the Probate Court at 401 Main Street, Zanesville, OH 43701, while abuse, neglect, and dependency cases are heard by the Juvenile Court at 1860 East Pike, Zanesville.
  • Custody for unmarried parents is not a Probate or Juvenile matter in Muskingum County — parentage, custody, parenting time, and support for unmarried parents are handled by the separate Domestic Relations Court at 22 N. 5th Street, Zanesville. Adoption (Probate Court) is the only path that permanently makes you the child's legal parent.
  • Muskingum County does not maintain its own adoption-forms library or publish an adoption fee online. Use the Ohio Supreme Court's standardized probate (adoption) forms and confirm the current filing fee with the Probate Court at (740) 455-7113 or probate@muskingumcounty.org before you file.
Where do I file an adoption in Muskingum County?
Adoptions are filed in the Muskingum County Probate Court at 401 Main Street, Zanesville, OH 43701. You can reach the Probate Court at (740) 455-7113, by fax at (740) 455-7173, or by email at probate@muskingumcounty.org.
Which forms do I need to adopt in Muskingum County?
Muskingum County uses the Ohio Supreme Court's standardized probate (adoption) forms. A minor adoption starts with Form 18.0 (Petition for Adoption of Minor) plus a Consent to Adoption (Form 18.3); an adult adoption uses Form 19.0; and a foreign adoption is recognized with Form 19.2. Download the current PDFs from the Supreme Court of Ohio probate forms page.
How does a stepparent adoption work in Muskingum County?
A stepparent adoption is filed as a minor adoption (Form 18.0). The court generally needs the consent of the child's other legal parent (Form 18.3) unless the law excuses it, addresses any home study or background check, holds a hearing, and then enters a final decree making the stepparent a legal parent.
Do I need the other parent's consent?
Usually yes. The other legal parent generally must consent (Form 18.3) unless the court finds consent is excused — for example, where a parent has failed without justifiable cause to communicate with or support the child for at least one year (R.C. 3107.07).
Is adoption the same as custody?
No. Adoption (Probate Court) is permanent and makes you the child's legal parent, ending a former parent's rights. Legal custody to a non-parent does not end anyone's parental rights — and in Muskingum County non-parent custody for unmarried parents is handled by the separate Domestic Relations Court, not the Probate or Juvenile Court.
Do I need a home study?
A stepparent adoption may be partly exempt from the assessment requirement by statute, but the court may still require a background check or report. Requirements vary by case, so confirm what applies to yours with the Probate Court.
How much does an adoption cost in Muskingum County?
Probate fees are set by the court, and the Muskingum County Probate Court does not publish its adoption fee online. Confirm the current deposit by calling (740) 455-7113 or emailing probate@muskingumcounty.org. Ask about a fee waiver if you cannot afford the filing fee.
Do I need a lawyer to adopt in Muskingum County?
You are not required to hire a lawyer, and the standardized forms let you file on your own. Because contested consents and excused-consent findings (R.C. 3107.07) can be complex, many families choose to work with an Ohio family-law attorney to make sure the decree holds up.

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