Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody in Richland County

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

Richland County, Ohio · Mansfield

Sometimes a grandparent, relative, or other suitable adult — not a parent — needs legal custody of a child. In Richland County these third-party custody requests go through the Domestic Relations Court, which publishes a dedicated Third-Party Custody checklist. A non-parent must overcome the strong legal preference for a child's parents.

Can a grandparent get custody of a child in Richland County, Ohio?

Yes — by filing a third-party (non-parent) custody case in the Richland County Domestic Relations Court, using the court's dedicated Third-Party Custody pleadings checklist, with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Form 06.00) and Personal Identifiers (Form 20.00). The court may order a Home Investigation (Form 08.00) and evaluations. A non-parent generally must show the parents are unsuitable, because the law strongly prefers a child's parents. The county fee schedule lists allocation at $450 — confirm whether a third-party custody complaint uses that deposit with the Clerk.

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: Richland County Domestic Relations Court

50 Park Ave. East, Third Floor, Mansfield, OH 44902-1861
Phone: (419) 774-5573
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Website: www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/domesticrelations

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

You're a grandparent, relative, or other adult seeking legal custody of a child.
The child's parents are unable or unfit to provide care.
You're prepared to overcome the legal preference for the parents.
You can take part in a home investigation and a possibly contested hearing.

Filing Fees

County fee schedule lists Complaint for Allocation at $450 — confirm whether a third-party custody complaint uses that deposit with the Clerk at (419) 774-3526 · fee waiver via Form 01.00

Forms & Filing Packets

Non-parent (third-party) custody — Allocation listed at $450 — confirm with the Clerk

File the complaint/motion for legal custody as a non-parent with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit and Personal Identifiers, using the Third-Party Custody checklist; the court may order a Home Investigation (Form 08.00).

Complaint for Parentage / Allocation of Parental Rights (Ohio SC Form 23 / JF 2) — Asks the Richland County Domestic Relations Court to establish parentage and/or name a residential parent and legal custodian and set a parenting-time schedule when the parents were never married.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Richland Form 06.00) — Required in any case with minor children — lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years to confirm Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
Personal Identifiers (Richland Form 20.00) — Confidential sheet listing SSNs and other identifiers, filed separately from the public record.
Request for Home Investigation (Richland Form 08.00) — Asks the court to order a home investigation — often used in contested custody and third-party custody cases.
Third-Party Custody pleadings checklist — The dedicated non-parent (third-party) custody packet checklist — use this, not the general custody one.

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

Confirm you qualify. A non-parent must be prepared to show the parents are unable or unfit and that custody with you serves the child's best interest.
Prepare the packet. Complete the complaint/motion for legal custody with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Form 06.00) and Personal Identifiers (Form 20.00), using the Third-Party Custody checklist.
File in the DR Court. File at the Richland County Clerk of Courts for the DR Court in Mansfield; confirm the deposit and file Form 01.00 if you can't afford it.
Cooperate with the investigation. The court may order a Home Investigation (Form 08.00) and evaluations before a hearing under the best-interest and parental-preference standards.

Richland County Practice Notes

Use the dedicated Third-Party Custody checklist. Richland's separate Third-Party Custody pleadings checklist signals the court treats these filings distinctly — use that checklist, not the general custody one. The court applies the best-interest standard within the parental-preference framework, so a non-parent generally must show the parents are unsuitable.
Informal alternatives short of custody. Ohio's standalone Caretaker Authorization Affidavit and Grandparent Power of Attorney let a caregiver handle school/medical decisions short-term; they are not custody orders. Grandparent companionship/visitation is a separate request decided on the best-interest factors (R.C. 3109.11/3109.12).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a grandparent or relative get custody in Richland County?: Yes — through a third-party (non-parent) custody filing in the Domestic Relations Court, using the court's dedicated Third-Party Custody pleadings checklist. A non-parent must overcome the strong legal preference for a child's parents (generally showing the parents are unsuitable). Ohio's Caretaker Authorization Affidavit and Grandparent Power of Attorney are informal alternatives short of a custody case.
Which court hears family-law cases in Richland County, Ohio?: Almost all of them go to the Richland County Domestic Relations Court (Judge Beth Owens; Chief Magistrate Brian Kellogg) at 50 Park Ave. East, Third Floor, Mansfield, (419) 774-5573. The DR Court hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, civil domestic-violence (DVCPO), parentage/paternity, allocation of parental rights (custody), parenting time, non-parent custody, and all post-decree matters — even for never-married parents. The separate Juvenile Court handles only abuse/neglect/dependency (CPS), delinquency, unruly, and truancy. A Civil Stalking Protection Order (non-household) is filed in the General Division, not the DR Court.
Will a Guardian ad Litem be appointed in my Richland County custody case?: The DR Court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem to represent the child's best interest in a contested custody or parenting matter, consistent with Ohio Sup.R. 48. The court also has local tools that often accompany contested custody work — Request for Home Investigation (Form 08.00), Order for Custody Evaluation (Form 22.00), Order for Psychological Evaluation (Form 23.00), and Order for Drug Testing (Form 25.00). Confirm the current GAL deposit and appointment process with the DR Court (419-774-5573).
How much does it cost to file in the Richland County DR Court?: Published DR cash deposits include $450 for a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, paternity, or allocation-of-parental-rights complaint; $200 for a counterclaim; $300 for a reallocation, parenting-time, contempt, or other post-decree motion; $250 each to register a foreign decree or support order; $125 for a motion to compel; $50 for a process server; and $20 for a Notice of Intent to Relocate. A DVCPO has no filing fee. These are deposits against costs, not the total cost of a case — confirm the current schedule with the Clerk. If you can't afford the deposit, file the fee-waiver Application (Form 01.00). Pay through the Clerk or PayGov, not a third-party app.

Free Local Resources in Richland County

Richland County Clerk of Courts. Handles filing and e-filing for the Common Pleas Court, including Domestic Relations. Clerk Heidi Ewing · (419) 774-3526 · https://www.richlandcourtsoh.us/clerkHome.php. All civil case types e-file through the Clerk's CourtView eAccess portal (available since June 1, 2023); online payments run through PayGov on the Clerk's ePayments page. Confirm current deposits and packet requirements before filing.
Richland County DR Court Forms, Fees & Local Rules. Official Domestic Relations forms, fee schedule, pleadings checklists, and the 2026 Local Rules. Forms: https://www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/domesticrelations/domesticforms · Fees: https://www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/domesticrelations/courtfees · Pleadings checklists: https://www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/domesticrelations/procedureinformationlinks · Self-represented help: https://www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/domesticrelations/proceedingwithoutanattorney.
Richland County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Richland County's IV-D agency opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. CSEA scheduling at the DR Court: Rhiannon Wright · (419) 774-5692. File a Title IV-D Application (JFS-07076) when establishing or modifying support.
Legal Aid & Ohio Legal Help. Free and low-cost legal information for Richland County residents who cannot afford an attorney. Legal Aid: https://www.richlandcourtsoh.us/legalAid.php · Ohio Legal Help: https://www.richlandcourtsoh.us/legalHelp.php. If you can't afford the filing deposit, ask the Clerk about an Affidavit of Indigency (fee waiver) under Ohio Civil Rule 3(E).

Related to your non-parent custody case

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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.
Medina family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Medina metro.
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