Establishing Paternity in Van Wert County

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

Van Wert County, Ohio · Van Wert

Establishing paternity is the legal step that creates a father-child relationship so the court can order custody, parenting time, and child support for an unmarried couple's child. In Van Wert County, parentage for never-married parents is handled by the Probate & Juvenile Court (Judge Kevin H. Taylor) and the CSEA. This guide covers the three ways to establish paternity.

How do I establish paternity in Van Wert County, Ohio?

There are three routes: sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity (often at the hospital), which once final has the effect of a court order; establish it administratively through the Van Wert County CSEA with genetic testing if needed, (419) 238-9566; or file a parentage complaint in the Probate & Juvenile Court (Ohio Form 23 / Juvenile Form 2) with the Personal Identifier Form, Affidavits 1, 3, and 4, a Request for Service, and the Application for Child Support Services. The Juvenile deposit is $225 (Rule 8). Once parentage is established, the court can set custody, parenting time, and support.

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: Van Wert County Court of Common Pleas — General / Domestic Relations Division

121 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Van Wert, OH 45891
Phone: (419) 238-6935
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current hours with the Clerk of Courts at (419) 238-1022)
Website: www.vwcommonpleas.org

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Van Wert County Probate & Juvenile Court
108 East Main Street, Van Wert, OH 45891
Phone: (419) 238-1118
Hours: Monday 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Tuesday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed on legal holidays)

Paternity is the right path if…

The parents were not married when the child was born and paternity has not been legally established.
You want a court order for custody, parenting time, or child support that requires parentage first.
You need genetic testing to confirm or contest paternity.
You're an unmarried father seeking legal rights, or a mother seeking support.

Filing Fees

Acknowledgment of Paternity (hospital/CSEA): no court filing. CSEA administrative establishment: through the agency. Juvenile parentage complaint: $225 deposit (Rule 8); a home investigation, if ordered, is $750. Confirm amounts with the Juvenile Court at (419) 238-1118.

Forms & Filing Packets

Parentage complaint in the Probate & Juvenile Court — $225 Juvenile petition/complaint deposit (Rule 8)

Filed in the Van Wert County Probate & Juvenile Court, 108 East Main Street. The court establishes parentage (ordering genetic testing if contested) and then decides custody, parenting time, and support on the child's best interest.

Complaint for Allocation of Parental Rights & Responsibilities (Ohio SC Form 23) — Asks the Juvenile Branch to name a residential parent and legal custodian and set a parenting-time schedule when the parents were never married.
Personal Identifier Form (filed with Juvenile complaints) — A Van Wert County Juvenile item required with parentage and custody complaints, separating confidential identifiers from the public record.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Parenting Proceeding / UCCJEA Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 3) — Required in any case with minor children. Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years, confirming Ohio's UCCJEA jurisdiction.
Health Insurance Affidavit (Ohio SC Affidavit 4) — Discloses whether health insurance is available for the children through either parent's employer, so the court can order medical support.
Apply for Child Support Services (Title IV-D) — Van Wert County CSEA — Opens a IV-D child-support case with the Van Wert County Child Support Enforcement Agency, which establishes, collects, and enforces support by income withholding. Phone (419) 238-9566.
Van Wert Probate & Juvenile Court — Forms (formsJU.php) — The Juvenile Division forms page — Uniform DR/Juvenile forms plus county items, including third-party custody/visitation filings and the Grandparent Power of Attorney.

How to File Paternity in Van Wert County

Choose the route. Decide whether to sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity, ask the Van Wert County CSEA to establish it administratively, or file a parentage complaint in the Probate & Juvenile Court.
File the parentage complaint. If filing in court, use Ohio Form 23 / Juvenile Form 2 with the Personal Identifier Form, Affidavits 1, 3, and 4, a Request for Service, and the Application for Child Support Services; pay the $225 Juvenile deposit.
Complete genetic testing if contested. If paternity is disputed, the court orders genetic testing before establishing the parent-child relationship.
Set custody, parenting time, and support. After parentage is established, the court decides custody and parenting time on the child's best interest and sets support under the Ohio guidelines, collected through the CSEA.

Van Wert County Practice Notes

Three ways to establish paternity. An Acknowledgment of Paternity signed at the hospital or later (final after the rescission period) has the effect of a court order; the Van Wert County CSEA, (419) 238-9566, can establish parentage administratively with genetic testing; or you file a parentage complaint (Form 23 / Juvenile Form 2) in the Probate & Juvenile Court. The court keeps a confidential family file in paternity, support, and custody cases.
Parentage comes before custody and support. Before the court can order custody, parenting time, or child support for an unmarried father, parentage usually must be established first. Once it is, support runs through the CSEA and parenting time follows the county's Appendix A schedule.
Appendix A Model Parenting Time Schedule is the default. Van Wert County's Appendix A schedules (effective 1/19/19) apply in both the Domestic and Juvenile Divisions. For parents within 30 miles, Option A is week-about (equal time) and Option B is alternating weekends plus a weekday split; Appendices B and C cover long-distance. The option chosen does not by itself create a child-support deviation, and holidays/vacations rotate under the Appendix.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is paternity established in Van Wert County?: Paternity can be established three ways: by signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity (often at the hospital), administratively through the Van Wert County CSEA with genetic testing if needed (419) 238-9566, or by filing a parentage complaint in the Probate & Juvenile Court (Ohio Form 23 / Juvenile Form 2). Establishing paternity is the legal step that lets the court order custody, parenting time, and child support for an unmarried couple's child.
Which Van Wert County court hears my family-law case?: If you are (or were) married to the other parent, divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, post-decree matters, and civil protection orders are heard in the General / Domestic Relations Division of the Van Wert County Court of Common Pleas (Judge Martin D. Burchfield; domestic cases heard by Magistrate Christina L. Steffan) and filed with the Clerk of Courts at 121 East Main Street, (419) 238-1022. If you were never married, parentage, custody, parenting time, and child support — and non-parent custody requests — are heard in the Van Wert County Probate & Juvenile Court (Judge Kevin H. Taylor), 108 East Main Street, Juvenile (419) 238-1118.
What does it cost to file a parentage or custody case in the Van Wert County Probate & Juvenile Court?: Under Juvenile Local Rule 8, the deposit for petitions, complaints, counter/cross-claims, and a motion to vacate, revive, or modify a former judgment is $225.00. A home investigation, if ordered, is $750.00, and a Guardian ad Litem security deposit is $500.00. If you cannot afford the deposit, a Civil Fee Waiver Form is available. Confirm the current amounts with the Juvenile Court at (419) 238-1118.
What does the Van Wert County CSEA do, and do I need a IV-D application?: The Van Wert County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), part of Job & Family Services at 121 East Main Street, (419) 238-9566, is the IV-D agency that establishes, collects, and enforces child support. Filing a IV-D Application (DR-2) opens a support case so CSEA can set support under Ohio's guidelines, collect by automatic income withholding, and enforce orders. Support payments run through the Ohio Child Support Payment Central (Ohio CSPC) in Columbus.
What is the default parenting-time schedule in Van Wert County?: Van Wert County has adopted Model Parenting Time Schedules (Appendix A, effective 1/19/19) that apply in both the Domestic and Juvenile Divisions. For parents who live less than 30 miles apart, Appendix A offers selectable options — Option A (week-about / equal time, transitions Sundays at 7:00 p.m. with a Wednesday evening) and Option B (alternating weekends Friday to Monday plus a weekday split). Long-distance schedules are in Appendices B and C. The parenting-time option chosen does not by itself create a child-support deviation.

Free Local Resources in Van Wert County

Van Wert County Clerk of Courts (Domestic Relations). Where divorce, dissolution, legal-separation, annulment, post-decree, and protection-order filings are made — Van Wert County Courthouse, 121 East Main Street, (419) 238-1022 (fax filing (419) 238-4760 under Local Rule 5). The Clerk confirms current deposits and packet requirements; the Local Rules are posted at https://www.vanwertcountyohio.gov/government/courts/common_pleas_court/index.php.
Van Wert County Probate & Juvenile Court. Hears never-married parentage, custody, support, and non-parent custody, plus adoption — 108 East Main Street, Juvenile (419) 238-1118, Probate (419) 238-0027. New parentage/custody/support case $225 (Rule 8). Forms and e-filing at https://vwprobjuvcourt.com and https://efile.henschen.com.
Van Wert County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). The IV-D agency that establishes, collects, and enforces child support by income withholding — Van Wert County Job & Family Services, 121 East Main Street, (419) 238-9566. Apply for services at https://www.vanwertcountyohio.gov/services/job_and_family_services/child_support_enforcement_agency.php. Payments run through the Ohio Child Support Payment Central (Ohio CSPC).
Parenting class (Local Rule 6.5). The court-ordered parenting-education requirement in any domestic case with minor children — approved online programs and the live 'A-OK' course, due within 60 days of the final entry. Confirm the approved-program list with the Court Administrator at (419) 238-6935.
Ohio Child Support Calculator. Run the official Ohio 2024 Income Shares child-support worksheet at https://ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov/ before any case that sets or changes support.

Related to your paternity case

Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.
Grandparents' Rights — Seek visitation or custody when it serves the child's best interest.
Post-Decree Modification — Update custody, support, or parenting orders after your case ends.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on paternity and related Ohio family law topics.

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.
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.
Child Support Calculation in Ohio: How the Formula Works — Ohio calculates child support with the income shares model, combining both parents' incomes to set a shared obligation. Here's how the formula works and what changes the bottom line.

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Ohio Paternity guide — Statewide overview of paternity in Ohio.
Dayton family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Dayton metro.
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