Establishing Paternity in Pickaway County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026
Pickaway County, Ohio · Circleville
When parents were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided in the combined Pickaway County Probate & Juvenile Court (Judge Shelly R. Harsha; Magistrate Carrie L. Charles), 207 South Court Street, Circleville. Establishing paternity is the legal foundation for a father's custody and parenting-time rights and for a child-support order.
How do I establish paternity in Pickaway County, Ohio?
File the Original Complaint for Custody, Paternity or Companionship in the Pickaway County Probate & Juvenile Court, Juvenile Division, 207 South Court Street, Circleville; (740) 474-3117, with the UCCJEA Parenting Proceeding Affidavit. The new-case deposit is $135.00 (credit, debit, cash, or money order — no personal checks). The court can order genetic testing if parentage is disputed and may appoint a Guardian ad Litem. Paternity can also be established by signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity or administratively through Pickaway County Job & Family Services (CSEA).
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: Pickaway County Court of Common Pleas, General and Domestic Relations Division
207 South Court Street, Circleville, OH 43113Phone: (740) 474-6026
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: pickawaycountyohio.gov/offices/common-pleas/
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Pickaway County Probate & Juvenile Court
207 South Court Street, Circleville, OH 43113
Phone: (740) 474-3117
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Paternity is the right path if…
- The parents were not married when the child was born.
- You need to legally establish who the father is.
- An unmarried father wants enforceable custody or parenting-time rights.
- A parent needs a child-support order tied to established parentage.
Filing Fees
Signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity has no court fee · a Juvenile Division complaint deposit is $135.00 · genetic testing may be ordered. Confirm current amounts with the Juvenile Division at (740) 474-3117 or Pickaway County Job & Family Services (CSEA).
Forms & Filing Packets
File a parentage complaint (disputed or you need orders) — New-case deposit $135.00 — confirm with the court at (740) 474-3117
File the Original Complaint for Custody, Paternity or Companionship with the UCCJEA affidavit in the Juvenile Division. The court can order genetic testing and then set custody, parenting time, and support. If the other parent can't be located, use the Posting Rules packet.
- Original Complaint for Custody, Paternity or Companionship — The Juvenile Division complaint that establishes parentage and asks the court to name a residential parent and legal custodian, set parenting time, and order support 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.
- Posting Rules and Paperwork (service by posting) — How to serve a parent who cannot be located, by posting, when certified mail and personal service fail.
Agreed paternity (acknowledgment or CSEA) — No court fee to sign an acknowledgment · Juvenile deposit $135.00 if you need orders
When both parents agree, sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity or use CSEA. To then set custody and support, file the Original Complaint for Custody, Paternity or Companionship with a Waiver of Service and a child-support worksheet.
- Original Complaint for Custody, Paternity or Companionship — The Juvenile Division complaint that establishes parentage and asks the court to name a residential parent and legal custodian, set parenting time, and order support when the parents were never married.
- Waiver of Service — Lets the other parent voluntarily accept service instead of being formally served.
- 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 Paternity in Pickaway County
- Decide the route. If both parents agree, an Acknowledgment of Paternity or CSEA is simplest. If paternity is disputed or you need custody or support orders, file the Juvenile Division complaint.
- Use CSEA for testing if needed. Pickaway County Job & Family Services (CSEA) can arrange genetic testing administratively before any court case (R.C. 3111.38+).
- File the complaint. File the Original Complaint for Custody, Paternity or Companionship in the Juvenile Division with the UCCJEA affidavit and a support worksheet.
- Confirm the deposit. The Juvenile Division deposit is $135.00 — confirm the current amount and ask about a fee waiver at (740) 474-3117.
- Get the orders entered. After paternity is confirmed, the court allocates custody and parenting time and sets child support on the Ohio guidelines.
Pickaway County Practice Notes
- Paternity unlocks a father's rights. Without established paternity, an unmarried father cannot enforce custody or parenting time, and the mother has sole custody by default. Establishing paternity — by acknowledgment, through the CSEA, or by court action — is the first step to any father's parenting order.
- Juvenile Division filing deposit. The Probate & Juvenile Court charges $135.00 to file a new custody, paternity, or companionship case and $135.00 to reactivate an existing case (a modification or contempt motion). Pay by credit, debit, cash, or money order — no personal checks (only counsel may use business checks). Improperly filed paperwork is dismissed and court costs are not refunded, so the court strongly recommends counsel. Confirm current amounts at (740) 474-3117.
- Child support runs through Pickaway County Job & Family Services. Pickaway County's IV-D child-support program (CSEA) is administered through Pickaway County Job & Family Services, Child Support Division, 110 Island Road, P.O. Box 610, Circleville, OH 43113. CSEA establishes parentage administratively, runs the Ohio worksheet, collects by wage withholding, and enforces orders. The skill does not list a direct CSEA phone — confirm the current number with the agency or the ODJFS local-agency directory at jfs.ohio.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I establish paternity in Pickaway County?
- File the Original Complaint for Custody, Paternity or Companionship in the Pickaway County Probate & Juvenile Court, 207 South Court Street; (740) 474-3117. The new-case deposit is $135.00. The court can order genetic testing if parentage is disputed. Paternity can also be established by signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity or administratively through Pickaway County Job & Family Services (CSEA). Without established parentage, a father cannot enforce custody or parenting time.
- How much does it cost to file in the Pickaway County Juvenile Division?
- The Probate & Juvenile Court charges $135.00 to file a new custody, paternity, or companionship case and $135.00 to reactivate an existing case (a modification or contempt motion). Pay by credit, debit, cash, or money order — no personal checks (counsel may use business checks). Improperly filed paperwork is dismissed and court costs are not refunded. Confirm the current amount at (740) 474-3117.
- Who handles child support enforcement in Pickaway County?
- Pickaway County's IV-D child-support program (CSEA) is administered through Pickaway County Job & Family Services, Child Support Division, 110 Island Road, P.O. Box 610, Circleville. CSEA establishes parentage administratively, runs the Ohio worksheet, collects support by wage withholding, and enforces orders. Confirm the current direct phone with the agency or the ODJFS local-agency directory at jfs.ohio.gov.
- Where do I find Pickaway County Juvenile Division forms?
- The Probate & Juvenile Court publishes its own forms — including the Original Complaint for Custody, Paternity or Companionship, the modification and contempt motions, third-party and grandparent forms, and service paperwork — at pickawaypjcourt.com (formsJU.php). Always confirm you have the current version before filing, and call (740) 474-3117 with questions about which forms your case needs.
Free Local Resources in Pickaway County
- Pickaway County Clerk of Courts (General & Domestic Relations Division). Clerk Grant L. Davis, 207 South Court Street, 2nd Floor, P.O. Box 280, Circleville, OH 43113; (740) 474-5231. Files all divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and adult protection-order cases. Confirm current filing deposits and procedures at https://www.pickawaycountyclerk.com/Filing-Fee-Costs.html. The original complaint that starts a case cannot be filed by e-mail (Local Rule 4.02(B)(4)); in-person or mailed filing is strongly preferred.
- Pickaway County Probate & Juvenile Court. Judge Shelly R. Harsha; Magistrate Carrie L. Charles. 207 South Court Street, Circleville, OH 43113; Juvenile Division (740) 474-3117 (https://www.pickawaypjcourt.com/). Hears never-married parentage, custody, parenting time, and support, and publishes its own juvenile forms at https://www.pickawaypjcourt.com/formsJU.php. The filing/reactivation fee is $135.
- Pickaway County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Pickaway County Job & Family Services, Child Support Division, 110 Island Road, P.O. Box 610, Circleville, OH 43113. Opens IV-D cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. Confirm the current direct phone with the office before filing.
- Ohio Legal Help. https://www.ohiolegalhelp.org/ — free, plain-English explanations and statewide court forms for divorce, custody, child support, and protection orders.
Other Family-Law Topics in Pickaway County
- Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
- Ohio Child Support Calculator — Run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet yourself.
- Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Pickaway County family law attorney for help with your case.
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.
- Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
- Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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