Shared Parenting in Tuscarawas County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 15, 2026
Tuscarawas County, Ohio · New Philadelphia
Shared parenting names both parents as residential parents and legal custodians under a written plan. In a Tuscarawas County divorce or dissolution, you file a Shared Parenting Plan in the General Division; the court approves it only if it serves the children's best interest under R.C. 3109.04. Tuscarawas applies its Standard Parenting Order when the parents live 150 miles or fewer apart, and the Long Distance Parenting Orders when they live farther apart.
How does shared parenting work in Tuscarawas County, Ohio?
Submit a written Shared Parenting Plan with your divorce or dissolution in the General Division (married parents) — or, for never-married parents, in the Juvenile Division. The plan must address living arrangements, the parenting-time schedule, decision-making, child support, health care, and dispute resolution. The court applies the R.C. 3109.04 best-interest factors and will not approve a plan that omits required terms. Tuscarawas uses its Standard Parenting Order & Rules when the parents live 150 miles or fewer apart and the Long Distance Parenting Orders when they live more than 150 miles apart. Include the Health Care Determinations form and an Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet.
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: Tuscarawas County Court of Common Pleas, General Division
125 E High Ave, New Philadelphia, OH 44663Phone: (330) 364-8811
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the Clerk at (330) 365-3243 to confirm current hours)
Website: www.co.tuscarawas.oh.us/government/court_of_common_pleas_court_general_division/index.php
e-Filing: https://eservices.tuscarawasohcourts.com/
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Tuscarawas County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division
125 E High Ave, New Philadelphia, OH 44663
Phone: (330) 365-3244
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the court to confirm current hours)
Shared Parenting is the right path if…
- Both parents want to be named residential parents and legal custodians.
- You can put a complete parenting schedule and decision-making plan in writing.
- You are filing in a divorce or dissolution (married parents) or a Juvenile case (never-married).
- You can address support, health care, and dispute resolution in the plan.
- You believe shared decision-making is in the children's best interest.
Filing Fees
Shared parenting is filed within a divorce/dissolution (General Division) or a Juvenile case (never-married) · Standard Parenting Order applies ≤150 miles, Long Distance Orders apply >150 miles · No separate fee beyond the underlying case deposit · Confirm amounts with the Clerk at (330) 365-3243.
Forms & Filing Packets
Shared parenting in a divorce/dissolution (married parents)
File the Shared Parenting Plan with your General Division case, plus the supporting parenting and support forms.
- Shared Parenting Plan (Tuscarawas General Division) — Required when both parents ask to be named residential parents and legal custodians under R.C. 3109.04. Must address living arrangements, decision-making, support, and the schedule.
- Standard Parenting Order & Rules Governing Companionship Time (parents ≤150 miles apart) — The General Division's default parenting-time schedule, applied when the parents live 150 miles or fewer apart unless they agree otherwise.
- Health Care Determinations Form (Tuscarawas) — Required in cases with minor children to set how the children's health-care costs are handled.
- 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.
Parents live more than 150 miles apart
Use the Long Distance Parenting Orders instead of the Standard Parenting Order.
- Long Distance Parenting Orders & Incidental Rules (parents >150 miles apart) — The General Division's default schedule when the parents live more than 150 miles apart.
Never-married parents (Juvenile Division)
Never-married parents file in the Juvenile Division; the Juvenile Standard Parenting Schedule applies and Local Rule 6.2 forms accompany the filing.
- Complaint for Custody (parents never married) — Tuscarawas Juvenile — File this if you are seeking custody of a child and the parents were never married to each other.
- Standard Parenting Schedule and Rules (Tuscarawas Juvenile) — The Juvenile Division's default parenting-time schedule for unmarried-parent cases.
- Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses (Ohio SC; Local Rule 6.2) — Ohio Supreme Court standardized affidavit required with every initial Juvenile filing and every reopening motion under Local Rule 6.2.
- Confidential Information Page (Local Rule 6.2) — Required with every initial Juvenile filing and every reopening motion under Local Rule 6.2.
How to File Shared Parenting in Tuscarawas County
- Draft the plan. Put the full schedule, decision-making, support, health care, and dispute resolution in a written Shared Parenting Plan.
- Pick the schedule by distance. Attach the Standard Parenting Order if the parents live within 150 miles, or the Long Distance Parenting Orders if farther apart.
- Add support and health-care forms. Include the Health Care Determinations form and an Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet.
- File with your case. File the plan in the General Division (married) or Juvenile Division (never-married, with Local Rule 6.2 forms) and confirm the deposit with the Clerk.
Tuscarawas County Practice Notes
- Plan must be complete to be approved. A Shared Parenting Plan must address physical living arrangements, the holiday and vacation schedule, child support, decision-making authority, transportation, school and health-care decisions, and dispute resolution. Plans that skip a term are routinely returned for revision.
- Distance picks the default schedule. Tuscarawas County applies its Standard Parenting Order & Rules Governing Companionship Time when the parents live 150 miles or fewer apart, and the Long Distance Parenting Orders when they live more than 150 miles apart, unless the parents agree otherwise.
- Best interest still governs. Even when both parents request shared parenting, the court approves the plan only if it serves the children's best interest under R.C. 3109.04(F); otherwise it can name one residential parent with a parenting-time schedule for the other.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What must a shared parenting plan include in Tuscarawas County?
- A Shared Parenting Plan must address physical living arrangements, the holiday and vacation schedule, child support, decision-making authority, transportation, school and health-care decisions, and dispute resolution. The court approves it only if it serves the children's best interest under R.C. 3109.04.
- What parenting-time schedule does Tuscarawas County use?
- The General Division applies its Standard Parenting Order & Rules Governing Companionship Time when the parents live 150 miles or fewer apart, and the Long Distance Parenting Orders when they live more than 150 miles apart. The Juvenile Division uses its own Standard Parenting Schedule and a Standard Long Distance Visitation Order for unmarried-parent cases.
- How does Tuscarawas County decide custody?
- The court applies the R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) best-interest factors: each parent's wishes, the child's wishes when of sufficient age, the child's relationships and adjustment to home and school, everyone's mental and physical health, which parent better supports the other's parenting time, support compliance, criminal history, and any history of abuse.
- Do I file in the General Division or the Juvenile Division in Tuscarawas County?
- If you are married to (or were married to) the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided in the General Division as part of your divorce or dissolution. If you were never married, paternity and custody are handled by the Juvenile Division. Grandparent and other non-parent custody requests are always filed in the Juvenile Division.
Free Local Resources in Tuscarawas County
- Tuscarawas County Clerk of Courts (General Division). Clerk Wendy D. Jones, Suite 230, PO Box 628, New Philadelphia, OH 44663. Accepts filings in person, by mail, by email (clerkfiling@co.tuscarawas.oh.us, $0.25/page service copies), by e-file (eservices.tuscarawasohcourts.com), or by fax (330-343-4682). Call (330) 365-3243 to confirm deposits and packet requirements before filing.
- Tuscarawas County Court of Common Pleas, General Division. Hears divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and adult DVCPO/CSPO cases at 125 E High Ave, New Philadelphia; (330) 364-8811. DR forms are county-local packets provided via the County Bar Association and SEOLS. How-to videos at youtube.com/@TuscarawasCountyCourts.
- Tuscarawas County Juvenile Division. Judge Adam W. Wilgus. Handles parentage, custody, parenting time, and support for never-married parents, plus grandparent visitation and non-parent custody. Local Rule 6.2 requires the Affidavit of Basic Information and a Confidential Information Page with initial filings.
- Tuscarawas County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Administered by the Prosecutor's Office (Director Traci A. Berry). Opens IV-D support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. CSEA line: 800-685-2732.
- Protection orders — SEOLS & Prosecutor's Office. Standardized DVCPO/CSPO petition forms and self-help guidance are available through Southeastern Ohio Legal Services / Ohio Legal Help. For local help, contact the Tuscarawas County Prosecutor's Office at (330) 365-3214. There is no filing fee; call 911 in an emergency.
Other Family-Law Topics in Tuscarawas County
- Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
- Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Tuscarawas County family-law attorney for help with your case.
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.
Keep exploring
- Ohio Shared Parenting guide — Statewide overview of shared parenting in Ohio.
- Akron family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Akron metro.
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