Adoption in Pike County Probate Court

Pike County Probate Court

230 Waverly Plaza, Suite 600, Waverly, OH 45690. Phone (740) 947-2560, fax (740) 941-3086. Open Monday–Friday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM). Court website. Probate fee schedule.

Who this is for

• You are a stepparent married to the child's legal parent and want to become the child's legal parent.
• You are a grandparent or other relative raising a child and want permanent legal parentage, not just custody.
• You need the court to decide whether the other birth parent's consent is required, or to find consent is not required under R.C. 3107.07.
• You already have a Juvenile custody order and now want to adopt the child on the Probate side of the combined court.
• You are an unwed (putative) father and want to understand your registry and consent rights before an adoption proceeds.
• You are proceeding without a lawyer and need the court's Self-Representation Acknowledgement (Local Rule 75.1).

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

• Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
• Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
• Niva Elgin — Senior Case Manager · Licensed New Mexico Attorney

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 Pike 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 Pike County?

Instructions & complete packet

Pike County publishes separate instruction sets for a stepparent/foster-parent petition and for an independent/private or grandparent petition, plus a complete Petition for Adoption of a Minor packet. Start here, then download the individual forms below.

• Instructions — Petition for Adoption of a Minor (Step-Parent or Foster Parent)
• Instructions — Petition for Adoption of a Minor (Independent/Private or Grandparent)
• Complete Petition for Adoption of a Minor Packet
• Home Study Requirements — A home study is required for minor adoptions; some stepparent adoptions are exempt from parts of it — confirm the scope with the court.

Minor adoption forms (18.x)

These are the core forms for adopting a child, including a stepparent or kinship adoption, hosted by the Pike County Probate Court.

• Form 18.0 Petition for Adoption of Minor — The petition that opens a minor adoption case.
• Form 18.1 Judgment Entry Setting Hearing and Ordering Notice
• Form 18.2 Notice of Hearing on Petition for Adoption
• Form 18.3 Consent to Adoption — Consent from a parent or party whose agreement the law requires; a child age 12 or older must also consent.
• Form 18.4 Judgment Entry Finding Consent Not Required — Used when the court finds a consent is not required (e.g., under R.C. 3107.07).
• Form 18.5 Interlocutory Order of Adoption
• Form 18.6 Final Decree of Adoption (After Interlocutory Order)
• Form 18.7 Final Decree of Adoption (Without Interlocutory Order)
• Form 18.8 Adoption Certificate for Parents
• Form 18.9 Petitioner's Account

Notice, support agency & birth record

Filed alongside the petition to give notice, alert the child-support agency, and create the new birth record.

• Form 19.4 Notice to the Child Support Enforcement Agency
• Form HEA 2757 Certificate of Adoption — Sent to Vital Statistics so a new birth record can be issued.
• Consent to Adoption (standalone)
• Notice of Hearing on Adoption by Publication — Used when an absent parent must be served by publication.
• Statement of Adopted Person

Fee waiver & self-representation

Use these if you cannot afford the filing fee or are proceeding without an attorney.

• Financial Disclosure Form for Indigent Parents — Ask the court to waive or reduce costs if you cannot pay.
• Self-Representation Acknowledgement (Local Rule 75.1) — Required if you proceed without an attorney.

The Pike County Probate Court charges court costs to file a Petition for Adoption. Home-study fees apply to all minor adoptions and vary by assessor — confirm the current amount with the court. Indigent petitioners may file the Financial Disclosure form to ask the court to waive or reduce costs. Confirm the current figures on the court's fee page (http://www.pikecountypjcourt.com/prbFees.php) or by calling (740) 947-2560 before you file.

How does an adoption move through the Pike County Probate Court, step by step?

1. Pick the right packet Pike County publishes separate instruction sets for a stepparent/foster-parent petition and for an independent/private or grandparent petition, plus a complete Petition for Adoption of a Minor packet. Choose the one that matches your situation and use the county's own forms rather than generic ones.
2. File the petition and supporting documents File the Petition for Adoption of a Minor (Form 18.0) and supporting documents at the Pike County Probate Court, 230 Waverly Plaza, Suite 600, Waverly, OH 45690, with the home-study materials and any required consents. The court accepts e-filing through Henschen (https://efile.henschen.com).
3. Handle consent File each living legal parent's Consent to Adoption (Form 18.3 or the standalone consent form); a child age 12 or older must also consent. If a parent's consent is claimed not to be required — for example, failure to support or communicate under R.C. 3107.07 — the court decides that question and may enter a Judgment Entry Finding Consent Not Required (Form 18.4).
4. Complete the home study A home study is required for minor adoptions; it is completed by the county's Children Services agency or an independent assessor. Some stepparent adoptions are exempt from parts of the assessment — confirm the scope with the court.
5. Attend the hearing The court sets a hearing by judgment entry (Form 18.1) and notice (Form 18.2); an absent parent may be served by publication. Adoption hearings and records are confidential. The judge reviews the petition, the consents, and the home study and decides whether the adoption is in the child's best interest.
6. Receive the decree and a new birth record The judge enters an interlocutory order (Form 18.5) and/or a final decree (Form 18.6 or 18.7), an adoption certificate (Form 18.8), and a Certificate of Adoption (HEA 2757) is sent to Vital Statistics so a new birth record can be issued.

What should I know about the Pike County Probate Court before I file?

• File at the Pike County Probate Court, 230 Waverly Plaza, Suite 600, Waverly, OH 45690. The Probate division (part of the combined Juvenile & Probate Court) is open Monday–Friday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM); reach the Probate Clerk at (740) 947-2560 (fax (740) 941-3086) or probatecourt@pikecounty.oh.gov. Deputy Clerks Misty MacCrae and JoAnne Kearney staff the office.
• Adoptions and name changes are decided on the Probate side of the combined court. Pike County publishes its own adoption instruction packets and forms (http://www.pikecountypjcourt.com/prbFormsAdoption.php); always download the current version before you file, because court staff cannot give legal advice or tell you which form to use.
• The Probate Court accepts e-filing through Henschen (https://efile.henschen.com). Confirm whether your case must be e-filed or filed in person, and the accepted payment methods, with the Probate Clerk at (740) 947-2560 before you file.
• Probate filing fees are posted on the court's fee page (http://www.pikecountypjcourt.com/prbFees.php) and were effective April 6, 2022. Each case is unique, the deposit is an estimate, and additional charges may apply — confirm the current amount with the Probate Court before you file.

Where do I file an adoption in Pike County?

Adoptions are filed in the Pike County Probate Court at 230 Waverly Plaza, Suite 600, Waverly, OH 45690 — the combined Juvenile & Probate Court, which has exclusive jurisdiction over adoptions. The office is open Monday–Friday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM); reach the Probate Clerk at (740) 947-2560 or probatecourt@pikecounty.oh.gov.

How much does it cost to file an adoption in Pike County?

The court charges court costs to file a Petition for Adoption. Home-study fees apply to all minor adoptions and vary by assessor. A Financial Disclosure form is available for petitioners who cannot pay. Confirm the current figures on the court's fee page or by calling (740) 947-2560.

Which forms do I need to adopt in Pike County?

A minor adoption starts with Form 18.0 (Petition for Adoption of Minor) plus the consent form (Form 18.3) and the entry setting the hearing (Form 18.1). Pike County publishes its own instruction packets and the full 18.x form set on its adoption forms page (http://www.pikecountypjcourt.com/prbFormsAdoption.php). Use the county's own forms and download the current version before you file.

Do I need the other birth parent's consent?

Usually yes. The court generally needs the consent of the child's other living legal parent (Form 18.3), and a child age 12 or older must also consent. Consent may be excused only in limited circumstances under R.C. 3107.07 — for example, a parent's failure without justifiable cause to support or communicate with the child for at least one year. If you allege that, the court decides the question and may enter a Judgment Entry Finding Consent Not Required (Form 18.4).

Do I need a home study for a stepparent adoption?

A home study is required for minor adoptions, though some stepparent adoptions are exempt from parts of it. The court will tell you what your case needs and may appoint an assessor, so confirm the scope with the Probate Court before you file.

Is adoption the same as getting custody in Pike County?

No. Custody — handled on the Juvenile side of the combined court — does not change legal parentage. Adoption, handled on the Probate side, permanently makes you the child's legal parent. A relative who already has a Juvenile custody order files the adoption as a separate Probate case.

Do I need a lawyer to adopt in Pike County?

The Probate Court generally expects adoption parties to be represented by counsel and appoints counsel for indigent parties in certain adoption matters (Local Rule 8.2). If you proceed without a lawyer you must sign the Self-Representation Acknowledgement (Local Rule 75.1). Confirm the current requirement with the court, and consider an Ohio family-law attorney so the decree holds up.