Shared Parenting in Summit County

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

Prepare a Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) that addresses the R.C. 3109.04(G) factors — the living and parenting-time schedule, holidays and vacations, decision-making for school and health care, transportation and exchanges, child support and the tax exemption, and how you'll resolve future disputes — and file it with your divorce, dissolution, or parentage case at the Summit DR Court, 205 South High Street, Akron. For a dissolution the plan must be notarized. The court reviews the plan against the children's best interest and can approve it, ask for changes, or reject it and decide custody itself. Either parent may also propose shared parenting; the court is not required to adopt it.

Where to File: Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Summit County Juvenile Court
650 Dan Street, Akron, OH 44310, Akron, OH 44310
Phone: (330) 643-2900
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

• Both parents want to share residential and legal-custody responsibilities.
• You can cooperate on schedules and major decisions.
• You have or are opening a divorce, dissolution, or parentage case.
• You want the plan tailored to your children's routine and best interest.

Filing Fees

Shared parenting makes both parents residential parents and legal custodians · Filed with your divorce, dissolution, or parentage case · Form 20 plan must address R.C. 3109.04(G) factors · Notarized for a dissolution · Approved only if it serves the children's best interest

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Shared Parenting in Summit County

1. Decide if shared parenting fits. Shared parenting works best when both parents can cooperate on schedules and major decisions for the children.
2. Draft the plan. Complete the Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) covering schedule, holidays, decision-making, transportation, support, and dispute resolution.
3. Add the supporting forms. Include the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3) and a child-support worksheet. Notarize the plan if you're filing a dissolution.
4. File with your case. Submit the plan with your divorce, dissolution, or parentage case at the Summit DR Court, 205 South High Street, Akron.
5. Attend review and finalize. The court reviews the plan against the children's best interest, may order changes or mediation, and then incorporates the approved plan into the decree.

Summit County Practice Notes

• Shared parenting is a legal status, not just a schedule. Under a shared parenting plan both parents are residential parents and legal custodians. It can still set a primary home for school purposes, but both parents share decision-making authority unless the plan says otherwise.
• The plan must cover the statutory factors. R.C. 3109.04(G) requires the plan to address the schedule, holidays, decision-making for school and medical care, transportation and exchanges, child support and the tax exemption, and dispute resolution. A vague plan invites rejection.
• The court can reject a plan. Even if both parents agree, the court must find shared parenting in the children's best interest. If it does not, the judge can require changes or order sole custody to one parent with parenting time to the other.
• Best-interest factors apply. The R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) factors — wishes, relationships, adjustment, health, support for the other parent's time, and any abuse history — guide whether shared parenting is approved and how the plan is shaped.

Frequently Asked Questions

What has to be in a shared parenting plan in Summit County?

A Summit County Shared Parenting Plan (Form 20) makes both parents residential parents and legal custodians and must address the R.C. 3109.04(G) factors: the living/parenting-time schedule, holidays and vacations, decision-making for school and health care, transportation and exchanges, child support and the tax exemption, and how the parents will resolve future disputes. For a dissolution the plan must be notarized. The court approves it only if it serves the children's best interest.

What standard does a Summit County court use to decide custody?

Ohio courts decide custody by the child's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F)(1). The factors include each parent's wishes, the child's wishes (when the court interviews the child), the child's relationships with parents and siblings, adjustment to home, school, and community, the mental and physical health of everyone involved, which parent is more likely to honor parenting time, child-support compliance, any history of abuse or neglect, and whether a parent plans to move out of state.

Do I have to take a parenting class in Summit County?

Yes. Married parents of minor children who file for divorce or dissolution must complete the court's "Remember the Children" program (Local Rule 32). It is delivered online through the court's Learning Management System at lms1.drcourt.org and can be done in increments. For a dissolution, the court will not set a final hearing until both parents complete it. Family Court Services at (330) 643-2355 can help with access.

Where do I file a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment in Summit County?

All of these are filed at the Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, 205 South High Street, Akron, OH 44308. The Clerk of Courts handles filing — in person, or by e-filing 24/7 at clerkefile.summitoh.net. Summit hosts its own versions of the Ohio forms on drcourt.org, so use the Summit-hosted form rather than the generic Supreme Court PDF, and remember to flatten any fillable PDF before you file.

Is there an automatic restraining order when I file in Summit County?

Yes. Under Local Rule 2.04, filing a divorce, legal separation, or annulment in Summit County automatically issues a Mutual Restraining Order against both spouses. It restrains harassment, hiding or wasting assets, running up debt, removing household goods, changing insurance, and moving a child's residence out of the area — and tells both parties to keep filing taxes as they have. It takes effect for each party on service.

Free Local Resources in Summit County

• Summit Free Legal Clinic at Open M. Court-hosted community clinic in Akron offering free legal advice for self-represented parties.
• Summit County DR Court. drcourt.org — CPO forms, Local Rules, judge bios, and the parenting-class LMS. Clerk's Office (1st floor) opens at 7:30 a.m.
• Summit County Juvenile Court. juvenilecourt.summitoh.net · (330) 643-2900. Custody, visitation, support, and Grandparent Power of Attorney forms at 650 Dan Street.
• Summit County CSEA (Child Support Enforcement Agency). Opens IV-D cases and collects/distributes child support through wage withholding once a support order is in place.
• Victim Assistance Program of Summit County. Free advocates who help domestic-violence survivors complete CPO petitions and prepare for hearings.

Other Family-Law Topics in Summit County

• Summit County Divorce — Full filing guide with forms, fees, and the court's parenting class.
• Ohio Grandparents' Rights — Statewide overview of custody and companionship options for grandparents.
• Ohio Child Support Calculator — Run the 2024 Income Shares worksheet yourself.
• Ohio family-law resources — 88-county directory of courts and legal aid.

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.

Keep exploring

• Ohio Shared Parenting guide — Statewide overview of shared parenting in Ohio.
• Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
• Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.