Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody in Portage County

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

Portage County, Ohio · Ravenna

When a child can't safely stay with a parent, a grandparent or other relative can ask the court for legal custody, and some relatives can ask for court-ordered companionship. In Portage County these requests are tied to the allocation of parental rights, so they are filed in the Domestic Relations Court. A custody order keeps the parents as legal parents but gives the non-parent custody and decision-making — different from adoption, which permanently ends parental rights.

How does a grandparent get custody in Portage County, Ohio?

File a complaint for custody as a non-parent in the Portage County Domestic Relations Court, because non-parent custody is tied to the allocation of parental rights. Because the law prefers parents, you must show the parents are unsuitable — that giving them custody would harm the child — before the court awards custody to a non-parent, and any order must serve the child's best interest. Grandparents and certain relatives can also seek court-ordered companionship under R.C. 3109.11 or 3109.12. Custody is not adoption: the parents remain the legal parents and keep a support obligation. If the child is already in a dependency case, that matter is in the Juvenile Court with PCJFS — confirm the right docket with the Clerk at (330) 297-3475.

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: Portage County Domestic Relations Court

203 W. Main Street, Ravenna, OH 44266
Phone: (330) 297-3475
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: www.portagecounty-oh.gov/portage-county-domestic-relations-court

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

You are a grandparent or other non-parent seeking custody or companionship.
The child's parents are unable or unfit to provide safe, stable care.
You want custody and decision-making — not a permanent termination of parental rights (that's adoption).
You can show that awarding you custody serves the child's best interest.

Filing Fees

Non-parent custody and grandparent companionship are filed in the Domestic Relations Court (deposit set by the Court — confirm with the Clerk) · a GAL may be appointed in contested cases · if the child is already in a dependency case, that matter is in the Juvenile Court with PCJFS. Portage County does not publish a fixed Domestic Relations deposit, so confirm the current amount with the Clerk of Courts – Domestic Relations at (330) 297-3475 before filing.

Forms & Filing Packets

Non-parent custody complaint (Domestic Relations Court) — Deposit set by the Court — confirm with the Clerk at (330) 297-3475

File a complaint for legal custody as a non-parent in the Portage County Domestic Relations Court. The court applies the parental-unsuitability standard and the child's best interest before awarding custody to a non-parent.

Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 23) — Asks the court to name a residential parent and legal custodian and set parenting time for never-married parents. In Portage County this is filed in the Domestic Relations Court — not the Juvenile Court.
Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — Required in any case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
Checklist for Parentage / Custody Actions (Portage County Domestic Relations Court) — The Domestic Relations Court's checklist for unmarried parents starting a parentage, custody, parenting-time, or support case. In Portage County these are filed in the DR Court, not the Juvenile Court.

Grandparent / relative companionship — Deposit set by the Court — confirm with the Clerk

Grandparents and certain relatives can ask for court-ordered companionship under R.C. 3109.11 (deceased parent) or R.C. 3109.12 (unmarried mother), if it serves the child's best interest.

Domestic Relations Forms (Portage County Domestic Relations Court) — The Domestic Relations Court's forms page — divorce, dissolution, parentage/custody, parenting-time, support, and temporary-order forms, plus the 'Children Are Forever' class information.

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

File in the Domestic Relations Court. Because non-parent custody is tied to allocation of parental rights, file the custody complaint in the Portage County Domestic Relations Court.
Be ready on unsuitability. Gather evidence that the parents are unsuitable and that custody with you serves the child's best interest.
Cooperate with any GAL. In a contested case the court may appoint a Guardian ad Litem to investigate and recommend an outcome.
Confirm the docket if dependency. If the child is already in a dependency case, that matter is in the Juvenile Court with PCJFS — confirm the right docket with the Clerk.

Portage County Practice Notes

Parental-unsuitability standard. Where a parent objects, a non-parent must overcome the law's preference for parents — the parent must be shown unsuitable (that awarding custody to the parent would be detrimental to the child) before custody goes to a non-parent. The order must still serve the child's best interest.
Custody is not adoption. In a custody case the parents stay the legal parents and keep a support obligation; the non-parent gets custody and decision-making. Adoption permanently ends the birth parents' rights and is a separate Probate matter in the combined Juvenile/Probate Court.

Frequently Asked Questions

What standard applies to non-parent custody in Portage County?: The Portage County Domestic Relations Court decides on the child's best interest, and where a parent objects, the law's preference for parents must be overcome — the parent must be shown unsuitable (that awarding custody to the parent would be detrimental to the child). Non-parent custody is tied to the allocation of parental rights, which is why it is filed in the Domestic Relations Court. Confirm the current deposit with the Clerk at (330) 297-3475.
Can grandparents get visitation in Portage County?: Sometimes. Grandparents and certain relatives can ask for court-ordered companionship under R.C. 3109.11 (when a parent is deceased) or R.C. 3109.12 (when the mother was unmarried), and the court grants it only if it serves the child's best interest. These requests are filed in the Domestic Relations Court.
When does Portage County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?: In a contested custody case, the Domestic Relations Court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem — a court-appointed attorney who investigates and recommends what is in the child's best interest before the hearing. The GAL represents the child's best interest, not the child's wishes, and GAL fees are typically allocated between the parents. Confirm any GAL deposit with the Clerk at (330) 297-3475.
Where do I file for custody in Portage County?: All custody cases are filed in the Portage County Domestic Relations Court. Married or divorcing parents handle custody inside the divorce, legal separation, or dissolution. Never-married parents file a Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities in the same Domestic Relations Court after parentage is established — not the Juvenile Court. Grandparent and non-parent custody is also filed there.

Free Local Resources in Portage County

Portage County Domestic Relations Court (Judge Paula Giulitto). 203 W. Main Street, Ravenna, OH 44266; Clerk of Courts – Domestic Relations (330) 297-3475, open 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, protection orders, and all unmarried-parent parentage, custody, parenting-time, and support cases. Hosts the Domestic Relations Forms page, the divorce and parentage checklists, and the free 'Children Are Forever' parenting class. Offers e-filing; fax/email filing is $1 per transmission plus $1 per page.
Portage County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA / PCJFS). Portage County Job & Family Services, (330) 297-3750. Opens IV-D cases, sets and collects support by wage withholding, can establish paternity and order genetic testing, and runs the Child & Adult Protective Services abuse hotline at 330-296-CARE (330-296-2273).
Portage County Juvenile/Probate Court. Part of the combined Juvenile/Probate Court in Ravenna. Handles abuse/neglect/dependency and delinquency (Juvenile) and adoptions (Probate). Note: in Portage County, routine parentage and custody for unmarried parents are heard in the Domestic Relations Court, not here.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov — run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet yourself before filing so you know the likely support amount.

Related to your non-parent 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 non-parent 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.
Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
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