Stark County Shared Parenting Attorneys

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 5, 2026

Stark County, Ohio · Canton

Shared parenting names both parents as residential parents and legal custodians under one written plan. In Stark County, the plan must meet the R.C. 3109.04(G) factors, and a final shared-parenting decree must adopt or attach the plan (Rule 12.06). The court approves five parenting-time schedules but parties may craft their own (Rule 16.04).

Hire Gavvl for your Stark County shared parenting case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Stark County local forms, the court strategy, and the hearings — and you know the price before we start.

Start with a $25 consultation and talk through your options with an Ohio family-law attorney before you commit to anything. Get started online or see payment plans & financing.

How do I get a shared parenting plan approved in Stark County, Ohio?

Submit a written Shared Parenting Plan that addresses living arrangements, the holiday and vacation schedule, decision-making, transportation, school and health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution (R.C. 3109.04(G)). File it with your divorce or dissolution at the Stark County Family Court, 110 Central Plaza South, Canton, OH 44702 (or with a Juvenile complaint for never-married parents). The final shared-parenting decree must adopt or attach the plan (Rule 12.06), and a court-approved parent-education program is required when minor children are involved (Rule 12.04).

Stark County shared parenting plans, drafted by Gavvl Law

Shared parenting names both parents residential parent and legal custodian under one written plan, and in Stark County that plan must satisfy every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor before a final shared-parenting decree can adopt or attach it under Rule 12.06. The court publishes five parenting-time schedules under Rule 16.04, but parents are free to craft their own. Gavvl Law writes a plan that will not be sent back, and offers a flat fee up front with payment plans and full representation where approval is contested.

A plan that covers every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. A Stark shared-parenting plan must address living arrangements, the holiday and vacation schedule, decision-making, transportation, school and health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution — and plans that skip a factor are routinely sent back for revision. We draft against the full checklist so yours clears on the first read.
Built so the decree can adopt or attach it. Under Rule 12.06 a final shared-parenting decree must adopt or attach the plan, so a gap now means a revision later. We line the plan up with the decree and the parenting-time schedule you choose under Rule 16.04, whether that is one of the court's five defaults or a custom arrangement.
Right division, right seminar. Married parents file the plan with a divorce or dissolution in the Domestic Relations Division while never-married parents attach it to the New Case Juvenile complaint, and the court-approved parenting program applies either way. We file in the correct division and get the seminar done, all on a flat fee approved up front.

Shared-parenting filings run through the combined Family Court at 110 Central Plaza South in Canton, where a signed child-support worksheet accompanies the plan so support is computed under the Income Shares Model. We build the plan, worksheet, and decree language together so your Stark shared-parenting arrangement holds up.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the complaint to establish custody and parenting time, or prepare your shared parenting plan for filing. You appear at any hearing.

Establish custody & parenting time: $1,250
Shared parenting plan (drafting): $1,650

Prefer full representation? An Ohio attorney can carry the entire case on a $3,500 retainer.

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.

Start your shared parenting case or see payment plans & financing.

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: Stark County Family Court (Domestic Relations & Juvenile Divisions)

110 Central Plaza South, Suite 670, Canton, OH 44702
Phone: (330) 451-7415
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Website: Court website

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

Both parents want to be named residential parent and legal custodian.
You can cooperate enough to follow one detailed written plan.
Your plan addresses every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor, including dispute resolution.
Both parents will complete the required parenting program.

Filing Fees

Included in the divorce deposit · New Juvenile complaint $307 for never-married parents

Forms & Filing Packets

Shared parenting plan inside a divorce/dissolution (married parents)

Filed with your DR case. The plan must address every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor and be adopted or attached to the final decree (Rule 12.06).

Child Support Worksheet (Ohio statutory worksheet) — Filed with the shared-parenting plan inside the divorce so support is computed under the Income Shares Model.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom. Confirms Ohio's jurisdiction over custody.
Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet — Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares calculator, print, and sign. Required any time you're asking the court to set support.

Shared parenting plan — Juvenile Division (never-married parents)

Never-married parents file the plan with the New Case Juvenile complaint after paternity is established.

New Case — Juvenile Complaint for Paternity, Custody, or Visitation — The Juvenile Division complaint used to establish parentage and allocate parental rights, with a shared-parenting plan attached.
Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom. Confirms Ohio's jurisdiction over custody.

How to File Shared Parenting in Stark County

Draft a plan that meets R.C. 3109.04(G). Cover living arrangements, holidays, decision-making, transportation, school and health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution.
Complete the parenting program. Both parents must finish the court-approved parent-education program (or 'Working Together for Kids' for never-married parents).
File the plan in the right division. Married parents file with the divorce or dissolution; never-married parents file with the Juvenile complaint after paternity.
Address any revisions the court requests. If the plan skips a required factor, revise and re-file before the merit hearing.

Stark County Practice Notes

Shared parenting plan must address every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. A written Shared Parenting Plan must address physical living arrangements, holiday and vacation schedule, child support, decision-making authority, transportation, school and health-care decisions, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution. Plans that skip a factor are routinely sent back for revision. The Stark County Family Court approves five standard parenting-time schedules (Rule 16.04) that can serve as the plan's schedule baseline, and most plans are first heard by one of the court's six magistrates in Canton.
The decree must adopt or attach the plan. Under Rule 12.06, a final shared-parenting decree must adopt or attach the shared-parenting plan. Build the plan carefully — gaps in the R.C. 3109.04(G) factors will send it back for revision.
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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a parenting class required in Stark County?: Yes. Under Rule 12.04, parents filing a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or custody action involving minor children must complete a court-approved parent-education program. Separately, under Rule 16.06, unmarried parents filing an initial parental-rights action must complete the online 'Working Together for Kids' seminar — and the moving party must finish it before the initial hearing or the matter is dismissed. The initial filing must include the order to complete the seminar, the registration/instruction sheet, and the mediation flyer.
Do I file in the Domestic Relations or Juvenile Division in Stark County?: Stark County runs a combined Family Court — the Domestic Relations and Juvenile Divisions share one location at 110 Central Plaza South, Suite 670, Canton, and one main number, (330) 451-7415. The Domestic Relations Division (Judge Michelle L. Cordova) handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and the custody and support that travel with them for married parents. The Juvenile Division (Judge Rosemarie A. Hall) handles paternity and custody for never-married parents, plus grandparent / third-party custody. Six shared magistrates hear cases in both divisions.
When does Stark County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?: Under Rule 17 and Sup.R. 48, the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem in a contested custody case to investigate (interview the parents and child, observe, visit residences, and contact providers and schools) and advocate for the child's best interest. In domestic-relations and juvenile custody cases the GAL report is generally due at least 7 days before the pretrial. GAL reports are not freely distributable; further disclosure needs court approval. Stark also runs a CASA / Guardian ad Litem program at (330) 451-7786.
What does it mean for Ohio to be my child's 'home state' under the UCCJEA?: Under the UCCJEA (R.C. 3127), Ohio is the children's home state when they have lived in Ohio with a parent for at least 6 consecutive months immediately before the filing. If the children recently moved, the prior state may still have jurisdiction. Ohio courts can also decline jurisdiction as an inconvenient forum under R.C. 3127.21 even when home-state requirements are met.

Free Local Resources in Stark County

Stark County Family Court Help Desk. Free help for self-represented parties completing and reviewing divorce and custody forms, plus questions on court procedure and notary services. Mondays 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., first come first served; check in with the reception bailiff in the lobby, (330) 451-7415. Help Desk attorneys do not represent you or give legal advice.
Stark County Family Court — Court Filing Forms & Brochures. The court's assembled filing packets for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, custody, support, contempt, and protection orders, hosted in the county Document Center at starkcountyohio.gov. The court notes the forms are a resource only and not a substitute for legal advice.
Stark County Law Library. Public legal-research help at 110 Central Plaza South, Suite 401, Canton, (330) 451-7380, Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Domestic Violence Project, Inc. (DVPI). Shelter, advocacy, and support for those experiencing domestic violence in Stark County. Learn more at dvpi.org.

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.