Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody in Pike County

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

Pike County, Ohio · Waverly

Grandparents and other relatives often step in when parents cannot safely care for a child. In Pike County, a non-parent can ask the Juvenile Court for legal custody, or — short of full custody — use a Grandparent Power of Attorney or a Caretaker Authorization Affidavit to handle school and medical needs.

How can a grandparent or relative get custody in Pike County, Ohio?

File a complaint for legal custody in the Pike County Juvenile Court, 230 Waverly Plaza, Suite 600; (740) 947-5914 (deposit $128). Because parents have a constitutional preference, a non-parent must show the parents are unsuitable or that custody to the non-parent is in the child's best interest. Short of full custody, a parent can sign a Power of Attorney (R.C. 3109.52) giving a grandparent authority over the child's care, or a relative can use a Caretaker Authorization Affidavit (R.C. 3109.65) to make school and medical decisions when a parent is unavailable.

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: Pike County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

100 East Second Street, Waverly, OH 45690
Phone: (740) 947-2212
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the Clerk of Courts at (740) 947-2212 to confirm current hours)
Website: commonpleascourt.pikecounty.oh.gov/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Pike County Juvenile Court (Common Pleas, Juvenile Division)
230 Waverly Plaza, Suite 600, Waverly, OH 45690
Phone: (740) 947-5914
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed 12:00–1:00 p.m. for lunch and on legal holidays)

Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody is the right path if…

A grandparent or relative is caring for, or needs to care for, a child.
The parents are unable or unsuitable to provide safe care.
You need legal authority for school, medical, or daily decisions.
You are ready to show why non-parent custody serves the child.

Filing Fees

A Juvenile Court custody complaint carries a $128 deposit; a Grandparent Power of Attorney or Caretaker Authorization Affidavit handles temporary authority short of custody. Confirm current amounts and filing requirements with the Pike County Juvenile Court at (740) 947-5914.

Forms & Filing Packets

Seek legal custody in the Juvenile Court — Juvenile complaint deposit $128 — confirm with the court at (740) 947-5914

File a complaint for legal custody with the UCCJEA affidavit in the Juvenile Court. Be ready to show parental unsuitability or that custody to you is in the child's best interest.

Complaint for Parentage, Allocation of Parental Rights & Parenting Time — The Juvenile Court complaint that establishes parentage and asks the court to name a residential parent and legal custodian and set parenting time 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, confirming Ohio's jurisdiction over custody.
Summons — Notifies the other parent of the case and the first hearing date.
Financial Disclosure / Indigency Forms — Apply to waive the Juvenile Court deposit (Ohio Civ. R. 3(E)) if you cannot afford it.

Use a Power of Attorney or Caretaker Affidavit — A notarized Power of Attorney or Caretaker Affidavit, not a custody complaint — confirm any filing cost with the Juvenile Court fee schedule at (740) 947-5914

When a parent agrees, use the Grandparent Power of Attorney (R.C. 3109.52) or, for a relative caregiver, the Caretaker Authorization Affidavit (Form GP3.0) to handle school and medical decisions.

Power of Attorney for Grandparent (R.C. 3109.52) — Lets a parent grant a grandparent temporary authority over a child's care, school, and medical decisions.
Caretaker Authorization Affidavit (Form GP3.0) — Lets a relative caring for a child make school and medical decisions when a parent is unavailable.
Pike County Juvenile Court forms library — The Juvenile Court's complete form library (custody, parenting time, child support, contempt, and grandparent forms). Confirm you have the current version before filing.

How to File Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody in Pike County

Decide how much authority you need. Choose full legal custody (a court order) or temporary authority (a POA or caretaker affidavit).
Use the Juvenile Court. Grandparent and non-parent custody is always filed in the Pike County Juvenile Court.
File the right paperwork. File a custody complaint with the UCCJEA affidavit, or use the Grandparent POA or Caretaker Authorization Affidavit when a parent agrees.
Show it serves the child. Be prepared to prove parental unsuitability or that non-parent custody is in the child's best interest.

Pike County Practice Notes

Parents have a constitutional preference. A non-parent does not start on equal footing. To win custody, a grandparent or relative must show the parents are unsuitable or that placement with the non-parent is in the child's best interest.
POA and caretaker affidavits are temporary tools. A Grandparent Power of Attorney (R.C. 3109.52) and a Caretaker Authorization Affidavit (R.C. 3109.65) let a caregiver handle school and medical decisions without full custody, but they can be revoked and do not transfer legal custody.
Juvenile Court filing deposit. The Pike County Juvenile Court charges a $128.00 deposit to file a custody/parentage complaint, a motion to reopen, or a child-support complaint. Confirm the current amount and accepted payment methods with the Juvenile Court at (740) 947-5914; an indigency (fee-waiver) form is available if you cannot afford the deposit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a grandparent or relative get custody in Pike County?: Yes. A grandparent or other non-parent can ask the Pike County Juvenile Court for legal custody, but a parent has a constitutional preference, so the non-parent must show the parents are unsuitable or that custody to them is in the child's best interest. Short of full custody, a parent can grant a grandparent a Power of Attorney (R.C. 3109.52) or a relative a Caretaker Authorization Affidavit for school and medical decisions. The complaint deposit is $128; confirm with the court at (740) 947-5914.
How much does it cost to file in the Pike County Juvenile Court?: The Pike County Juvenile Court charges a $128.00 deposit to file a custody/parentage complaint, a motion to reopen, or a child-support complaint. Confirm the current amount and payment methods with the Juvenile Court at (740) 947-5914; an indigency (fee-waiver) form is available if you cannot afford the deposit.
Where do I find Pike County Juvenile Court forms?: The Pike County Juvenile Court publishes its own forms — including the parentage/custody complaint, parenting-time, child-support, contempt, and grandparent forms — at pikecountypjcourt.com (juvForms.php). Always confirm you have the current version before filing, and call the court at (740) 947-5914 with questions about which forms your case needs.
Which Pike County court handles my family-law case?: If you are or were married to the other parent, file your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, or protection order in the Pike County Court of Common Pleas, General Division (Hon. Rob Junk), 100 East Second Street, Waverly; (740) 947-2212. Pike County has no separate Domestic Relations Division. If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and child support are handled by the combined Pike County Juvenile & Probate Court (Hon. Paul Price), 230 Waverly Plaza, Suite 600; (740) 947-5914.

Free Local Resources in Pike County

Pike County Clerk of Courts (General Division / Domestic Relations). Pike County Courthouse, 100 East Second Street, Waverly, OH 45690; (740) 947-2212. Accepts all divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and DV civil protection order filings — the General Division hears every domestic relations matter (there is no separate Domestic Relations court). The General Division's filing-fee deposits are not published online; call (740) 947-2212 to confirm the current deposit, accepted payment methods, and any local cover-sheet requirement before filing.
Pike County Juvenile & Probate Court. Pike County Government Center, 230 Waverly Plaza, Suite 600, Waverly, OH 45690. Juvenile (unmarried-parent custody, parentage, support, parenting time): (740) 947-5914, http://www.pikecountypjcourt.com/juvMain.php — the custody/support filing deposit is $128.00 (http://www.pikecountypjcourt.com/juvCosts.php). Probate (stepparent and kinship adoption): (740) 947-2560, http://www.pikecountypjcourt.com/prbMain.php. The Honorable Paul Price serves as Judge and Clerk of both divisions.
Parenting education (confirm before relying on it). Ohio law (R.C. 3109.053) lets the court order a parenting class when a case involves minor children. Pike County's program, provider, cost, and deadline are not published online — ask the General Division Clerk at (740) 947-2212 (divorce/dissolution) or Juvenile Court at (740) 947-5914 (unmarried parents) which provider is approved and the current cost before you register for any course.
Pike County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Pike County child-support services are administered through Pike County Job & Family Services. The Juvenile Court does not run child-support enforcement — confirm the current CSEA phone and address with the agency before relying on a number. File a IV-D Application when establishing or modifying support.
Child abuse / neglect reporting. Statewide hotline 1-855-O-H-CHILD (1-855-642-4453), which routes to the county Children Services agency. Confirm the direct Pike County Children Services intake line locally.

Related to your grandparent custody case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Adoption — Grow your family through step-parent, agency, or kinship adoption.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on grandparent custody and related Ohio family law topics.

Grandparents' Rights in Ohio: Visitation and Custody — Ohio grandparents can sometimes seek court-ordered companionship time or even custody — but only in specific circumstances and always under the best-interest standard. Here's how it works.
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.
Kinship Adoption in Ohio: Adopting a Relative's Child — When a child can't safely stay with their parents, relatives often step in. Kinship adoption gives that arrangement legal permanence. Here's how it works in Ohio — and how it differs from custody.

Keep exploring

Ohio Grandparent / Non-Parent Custody guide — Statewide overview of grandparent / non-parent custody in Ohio.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
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