Shared Parenting in Putnam County

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

Putnam County, Ohio · Ottawa

In shared parenting both parents stay residential parents and legal custodians and share decision-making under a written plan the court approves. In Putnam County the court approves a Shared Parenting Plan only if it serves the child's best interest, and Putnam's Rule 28 standard schedule can fill any gaps. Married parents set up shared parenting in the Domestic Relations Division; never-married parents do it in the Juvenile/Probate Court.

How does shared parenting work in Putnam County, Ohio?

Both parents propose a written Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) covering the schedule, holidays, decision-making, and how support is handled (R.C. 3109.04). The court approves it only if it serves the child's best interest; Putnam's Rule 28 standard schedule applies to anything the plan leaves open. Both parents must complete the A-OK parenting class within 60 days of filing (Local Rule 41). Married parents file the plan inside a divorce or dissolution (Domestic Relations Division); never-married parents file in the Juvenile/Probate Court at (419) 523-3012.

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: Putnam County Court of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division

245 E. Main Street, Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3110
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Website: putnamcountyohio.gov/courts/common-pleas-court/

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Putnam County Juvenile & Probate Court
245 E. Main Street, Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3012
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

Both parents want to remain residential parents and share decision-making.
You can cooperate on a schedule, holidays, and major decisions.
You want a written plan the court approves, with Rule 28 as a backstop.
You're prepared to complete the A-OK parenting class within 60 days.

Filing Fees

Shared parenting inside a divorce/dissolution is part of the $300 deposit · never-married shared parenting fees are set by the Juvenile/Probate Court — confirm at (419) 523-3012 · GAL deposit $800 attorney / $400 CASA in contested cases

Forms & Filing Packets

Shared parenting inside a divorce or dissolution — Part of the $300 divorce/dissolution deposit

File a Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) with the divorce or dissolution in the Domestic Relations Division, plus the child-support worksheet. Both parents complete the A-OK parenting class within 60 days (Local Rule 41).

Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) — Required when both parents are asking to be designated residential parents under R.C. 3109.04(G). Must be notarized.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (2024 Income Shares) — Run the official Ohio Child Support Calculator, print, and sign. Required any time the court sets or changes support.
Putnam County Parenting Affidavit — The county's parenting/UCCJEA affidavit listing where each child has lived and with whom. Filed with the complaint in any case involving minor children.

Shared parenting for never-married parents — Filing fee set by the Juvenile/Probate Court — confirm the current deposit at (419) 523-3012

File the Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights (Ohio SC Form 23) with a proposed Shared Parenting Plan in the Juvenile/Probate Court, plus the UCCJEA affidavit and the support worksheet. Paternity must be established first.

Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 23) — Asks the Juvenile Branch to name a residential parent and legal custodian and set a parenting-time schedule when the parents were never married.
Shared Parenting Plan (Ohio SC Form 20) — Required when both parents are asking to be designated residential parents under R.C. 3109.04(G). Must be notarized.
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.

How to File Shared Parenting in Putnam County

Draft a Shared Parenting Plan. Use Ohio SC Form 20 to set the schedule, holidays, decision-making, and how support is handled. Putnam's Rule 28 schedule can fill anything you leave open.
File in the right court. Married parents file the plan inside a divorce or dissolution (Domestic Relations Division); never-married parents file the Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights (Form 23) in the Juvenile/Probate Court at (419) 523-3012, after paternity is established.
Complete the A-OK parenting class. Both parents complete the A-OK parenting class within 60 days of filing (Local Rule 41) — in person or through the court-accepted online provider.
Get the plan approved. The court reviews the plan against the child's best interest (R.C. 3109.04(F)). In a contested case the court may appoint a Guardian ad Litem before approving a plan.

Putnam County Practice Notes

Rule 28 fills the gaps in your plan. Unless the parents agree to a different plan the court approves, Putnam County's Rule 28 standard schedule sets the default: a Wednesday evening (5:30–8:30 p.m.), alternating weekends (Friday 7 p.m. to Sunday 7 p.m.), six weeks of summer in two-week increments, and an even/odd-year holiday rotation, with a separate long-distance plan when parents live more than 150 miles apart.
Best-interest standard governs. R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) lists 10+ factors: each parent's wishes, the child's wishes (when of sufficient age), the child's interaction with parents/siblings, adjustment to home/school/community, mental and physical health of all involved, the parent more likely to facilitate court-approved parenting time, child support compliance, criminal history, residence outside Ohio, and any history of abuse.
The A-OK parenting class has a 60-day clock. In any case with minor children, both parents must complete the A-OK parenting class within 60 days of filing. Miss it and you cannot be granted an allocation of parental rights; if no party completes it, the case is dismissed (Local Rule 41). There is an in-person option and a court-accepted online provider — confirm registration details with the Clerk at (419) 523-3110.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does shared parenting work in Putnam County?: In shared parenting both parents remain residential parents and legal custodians and share decision-making under a written Shared Parenting Plan the court approves (R.C. 3109.04). The plan sets the schedule, holidays, decision-making, and how support is handled; Putnam's Rule 28 schedule can fill any gaps. The court approves a plan only if it serves the child's best interest, and both parents must complete the A-OK parenting class within 60 days of filing (Local Rule 41).
What is the standard parenting-time schedule in Putnam County?: Unless the parents agree to a different plan the court approves, Putnam County's Rule 28 standard schedule applies: one weekday evening (Wednesday, 5:30–8:30 p.m.), alternating weekends (Friday 7 p.m. to Sunday 7 p.m.), six weeks of summer parenting time in two-week increments, and an even-year/odd-year holiday rotation. A separate long-distance plan applies when the parents live more than 150 miles apart.
Is a parenting class required for custody cases in Putnam County?: Yes. In any case with minor children — divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, or an allocation of parental rights — both parents must complete the A-OK parenting class within 60 days of filing. Miss it and you cannot be granted an allocation of parental rights; if no party completes it, the case is dismissed (Local Rule 41). There is an in-person option and a court-accepted online provider. Confirm registration details with the Clerk at (419) 523-3110.
When does Putnam County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?: In a contested custody case, the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem — a court-appointed attorney — to investigate and recommend a parenting plan in the child's best interest. The GAL represents what is best for the child, not the child's wishes. In Putnam County the GAL deposit is $800 for an attorney GAL or $400 for a CASA volunteer, and the cost is typically allocated between the parents.
Do I file custody in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Putnam County?: If you are married to (or were married to) the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in the Domestic Relations Division (Judge Schierloh), filed through the Clerk of Courts at (419) 523-3110. If you were never married, paternity and custody are handled by the combined Juvenile/Probate Court (Judge Borer) at (419) 523-3012. Grandparent and other non-parent custody requests are filed in the Juvenile/Probate Court. Because the DR Division also advertises child-custody disputes, confirm the division for a never-married case before filing.

Free Local Resources in Putnam County

Putnam County Clerk of Courts (Domestic Relations). Provides current filing fees, the county's Domestic Relations forms, and filing instructions for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment. File in person or by mail at 245 E. Main Street, Ottawa, OH 45875, or by fax/email (20 pages or fewer; $3 per transmission plus $1 per page) to (419) 523-5284 / cpefile@putnamcountyohio.gov. Call (419) 523-3110.
Putnam County Juvenile & Probate Court. Handles custody, parentage, and parenting time for never-married parents, non-parent custody, children-services cases, and adoption. Confirm its local forms and filing fees at (419) 523-3012.
Putnam County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Establishes paternity with free genetic testing, sets and reviews support administratively, and enforces orders by wage withholding. Payments run through Ohio Child Support Payment Central (2% processing fee). Call 567-376-3780.
Putnam County Pro Se Clinic (with Legal Aid of Western Ohio). A free instructional session on divorce, dissolution, and custody — educational, not legal representation. Schedule it at (419) 523-6200.
Putnam County Job & Family Services. Report concerns about a child's safety at 567-376-3777. In an immediate emergency, call 911.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official 2024 Income Shares worksheet at https://ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov/ before any case that sets or changes support.

Related to your shared parenting case

Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on shared parenting and related Ohio family law topics.

Shared Parenting in Ohio: How Joint Custody Really Works — Shared parenting is Ohio's version of joint custody — both parents stay legal custodians and share major decisions. Here's what a plan must cover and how courts decide.
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.
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.

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Ohio Shared Parenting guide — Statewide overview of shared parenting in Ohio.
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