Grandparent & Non-Parent Custody in Trumbull County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green, Esq. · Managing Partner, Gavvl Law · Last updated June 8, 2026
Trumbull County, Ohio · Warren
Grandparents and other non-parents can ask for legal custody or companionship when a child's parents can't safely care for them. In Trumbull County, these cases are filed in the Juvenile Division of the combined Trumbull County Family Court at 220 Main Avenue SW in Warren, (330) 675-2375.
How does a grandparent or non-parent get custody in Trumbull County, Ohio?
File a Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (or for legal custody) in the Juvenile Division of the Trumbull County Family Court, 220 Main Avenue SW, Warren, (330) 675-2375; the new-action fee is $186 and Juvenile e-filing is mandatory as of June 1, 2026. Because parents have a constitutional preference, a non-parent generally must show the parents are unsuitable — unfit, contractually relinquished custody, or that parental custody would harm the child — before the court decides custody under the best-interest standard. Grandparent companionship (visitation) is a separate, narrower request under R.C. 3109.11/3109.12.
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: Trumbull County Family Court — Juvenile Division
220 Main Avenue SW, Warren, OH 44482, Warren, OH 44482Phone: (330) 675-2375
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Website: www.co.trumbull.oh.us/family-court/
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Trumbull County Family Court — Juvenile Division
220 Main Avenue SW, Warren, OH 44482, Warren, OH 44482
Phone: (330) 675-2375
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Grandparent / Non-Parent Custody is the right path if…
- You are a grandparent or other non-parent who has been caring for, or needs to protect, the child.
- The child's parents are unable or unfit to provide safe care.
- You can show parental unsuitability or that parental custody would harm the child.
- You want legal custody, or companionship/visitation, recognized by court order.
Filing Fees
$186 new Juvenile action · Juvenile e-filing mandatory as of June 1, 2026 · GAL fees (often appointed in these cases) capped at $1,500 per case under Sup.R. 48.
Forms & Filing Packets
Non-parent legal custody — $186 new Juvenile action
Filed in the Juvenile Division. The non-parent must generally show parental unsuitability before the best-interest analysis.
- Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio uniform Form 23) — Asks the Trumbull County Juvenile Division to designate a residential parent and legal custodian and set a parenting-time schedule when parents were never married.
- 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.
Grandparent companionship / visitation — $186 new Juvenile action
A narrower request for court-ordered time under R.C. 3109.11 (deceased parent) or R.C. 3109.12 (unmarried mother), decided on the children's best interest.
- 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 Grandparent / Non-Parent Custody in Trumbull County
- File in the Juvenile Division. Non-parent custody and grandparent companionship are filed in the Juvenile Division of the Trumbull County Family Court, 220 Main Avenue SW, Warren, (330) 675-2375.
- Show parental unsuitability (for custody). Gather evidence that the parents are unfit or that parental custody would harm the child — this gate must be cleared before the best-interest analysis.
- File the complaint and supporting forms. File the allocation complaint with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (and a child-support worksheet for custody); the new-action fee is $186.
- Participate in the GAL investigation and hearing. Cooperate with any Guardian ad Litem and present your case at the hearing, where the court applies the unsuitability and best-interest standards.
Trumbull County Practice Notes
- Parental-unsuitability gate for custody. Parents have a constitutionally protected interest in their children. Before a non-parent can be awarded custody, the court must find the parents unsuitable — unfit, having contractually relinquished custody, or that parental custody would be detrimental to the child — and only then applies the best-interest standard.
- Companionship is narrower than custody. Grandparent companionship (visitation) is a separate request under R.C. 3109.11 (where a parent is deceased) or R.C. 3109.12 (where the mother was unmarried), decided on best-interest factors. It does not transfer custody.
- Guardian ad Litem is common. Courts frequently appoint a Guardian ad Litem in non-parent cases to investigate and recommend what serves the child. Under Sup.R. 48, GAL fees are capped at $1,500 per case absent a separate order.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where do I file for custody in Trumbull County?
- If you and the other parent were married, custody and parenting time are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, or legal separation in the Domestic Relations Division of the Trumbull County Family Court, 220 Main Avenue SW, Warren, (330) 675-2627. If you were never married, file a Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities in the Juvenile Division at the same address, (330) 675-2375; paternity must be established first. Either side decides custody under the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors.
- Do I file in the Domestic Relations or Juvenile Division in Trumbull County?
- Trumbull County runs ONE combined Trumbull County Family Court at 220 Main Avenue SW, Warren, with the same judges hearing both sides. The Domestic Relations Division (Clerk (330) 675-2627) handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and the custody, parenting time, and support that travel with them for married or divorcing parents. The Juvenile Division (Clerk (330) 675-2375) handles paternity and custody for never-married parents, grandparent / non-parent custody, and child support outside a marriage.
- 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.
- How much does it cost to file in Trumbull County?
- Effective May 1, 2025, the Trumbull County Family Court charges a $301 deposit for a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment complaint, and $105 for a post-decree motion in a divorce case. On the Juvenile side, a new action (parentage, custody, or support) is $186 and a post-decree juvenile motion is $131. A domestic-violence civil protection order is filed with no deposit. If you cannot afford the deposit, file a Poverty Affidavit (Affidavit of Indigency) asking the court to waive it. Confirm current amounts with the DR Clerk at (330) 675-2627 or the Juvenile Clerk at (330) 675-2375.
- Is a parenting class required in Trumbull County?
- No. Unlike some Ohio counties, the Trumbull County Family Court does not impose a mandatory parenting-education seminar. Its Local Rules (effective June 1, 2026), Rule 36.04, reference only the Trumbull County Parenting and Companionship Guidelines (effective January 1, 2022), which set the default parenting-time schedule the court applies when parents do not agree. A judge can still order a parenting class in a specific case; if one is ordered, confirm the approved provider with the Family Court at (330) 675-2600.
Free Local Resources in Trumbull County
- Trumbull County Family Court. Local forms, local rules, the Parenting and Companionship Guidelines, and filing information for divorce, dissolution, custody, support, and protection orders at co.trumbull.oh.us/family-court. DR Clerk (330) 675-2627; Juvenile Clerk (330) 675-2375. Court staff cannot give legal advice or help complete forms.
- Trumbull County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Trumbull County's IV-D agency opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders at 159 E. Market St., Suite 200, Warren, OH 44482, (330) 675-2732. File a IV-D Application when establishing or modifying support.
- Ohio Child Support Calculator. The state's official 2024 Income Shares worksheet at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov. Run it, print, and sign it before any hearing that sets or changes support.
- Someplace Safe — Domestic Violence Services. Trumbull County's domestic-violence program runs a 24-hour crisis hotline at (330) 393-3005 with emergency shelter, safety planning, and court advocacy for civil protection orders.
Other Family-Law Topics in Trumbull County
- Trumbull County Divorce — Full filing guide for contested divorce in the Trumbull County Family Court, Domestic Relations Division.
- Trumbull County Dissolution — The no-fault, agreement-first path — Form 17 petition, separation agreement, and the 30–90 day hearing.
- Trumbull County Custody — Married parents file inside divorce; never-married parents file in the Juvenile Division.
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.
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.
- 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.
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