Warren County Paternity Attorneys

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 4, 2026

Warren County, Ohio · Lebanon

Paternity (parentage) cases for never-married parents are filed in the Warren County Juvenile Court at 900 Memorial Drive in Lebanon. Establishing legal fatherhood is the gateway to custody, parenting time, and child support. Warren's parentage filings must include proof of any R.C. 3111.38 administrative determination, and either parent can request genetic testing.

Hire Gavvl for your Warren County paternity case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Warren 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 establish paternity in Warren County, Ohio?

File a Complaint to Determine Parentage at the Warren County Juvenile Court, 900 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036 — the deposit is $160 (plus $50 per additional child). Include the IV-D Application and, where applicable, proof of an R.C. 3111.38 administrative determination (Local Rule 5.1). Either party can ask for genetic testing; tests run 99%+ accurate. Once paternity is established, the same case can set custody, parenting time, and child support.

Establish paternity in Warren County with Gavvl Law

Paternity cases for never-married parents are filed at the Warren County Juvenile Court, 900 Memorial Drive, and establishing legal fatherhood is the gateway to custody, parenting time, and child support. Warren adds a local wrinkle: under Juvenile Local Rule 5.1, a parentage filing must include proof of any R.C. 3111.38 administrative determination. Gavvl Law files the Complaint to Determine Parentage with that proof, requests genetic testing when it matters, and offers a flat fee for straightforward parentage or full representation when fatherhood is contested.

Local Rule 5.1 proof attached from the start. A Warren parentage complaint that skips proof of an R.C. 3111.38 administrative determination stalls. We gather CSEA's administrative order or acknowledgment record and file it with the complaint, and keep Social Security numbers off the public record as the rule requires.
Genetic testing handled correctly. Either party can request testing, and the court or CSEA orders the parties and child to a designated lab with results that run 99%+ accurate. We move for testing when identity is in question and protect your position whether the alleged father is confirmed or excluded.
Rescission and challenge deadlines watched. A signed Acknowledgment of Paternity can be rescinded within 60 days of the last signature, and after that challenged in court within one year on fraud, duress, or material mistake (R.C. 3111.27). We act inside those windows before the door closes on your rights.

The Juvenile deposit is $160 plus $50 per additional child, and once parentage is established the same case can set custody, parenting time, and support in one filing. We build the parentage complaint so it opens the door to the full order, and offer payment plans so a father or mother can establish rights without the cost standing in the way.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the parentage complaint to establish legal paternity — adding custody and parenting time if you need it. You appear at any hearings yourself.

Establish paternity (parentage complaint): $950
Paternity with custody & parenting time: $1,350

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 paternity 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: Warren County Domestic Relations Court

500 Justice Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036
Phone: (513) 695-1344
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (closed for lunch 12:30–1:00 p.m.)
Website: Court website
e-Filing: Online e-filing portal

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Warren County Juvenile Court (Probate/Juvenile Division)
900 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036
Phone: (513) 695-1160
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Paternity is the right path if…

The parents were never married and legal fatherhood has not been established.
You want a court order for custody, parenting time, or child support that depends on parentage.
You need genetic testing to confirm or rule out the alleged father.
Ohio has jurisdiction over the child.

Filing Fees

Determine Parentage complaint: $160 + $50 per additional child · Genetic testing ordered as needed · Personal service by Sheriff $25/person

Forms & Filing Packets

Parentage complaint (Juvenile Court) — $160 deposit (plus $50 per additional child)

Complaint to Establish Parentage / Paternity — Opens a parentage case at the Warren County Juvenile Branch under R.C. 3111, asking the court to legally declare a father and (typically) allocate parental rights and set child support.
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.

Support and custody add-on

Once parentage is established, add the support and custody forms so the Juvenile Court can set the full order in one case.

Motion for Child Support (Juvenile pro se) — Asks the Juvenile Court to set support once paternity is legally established.
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.
IV-D Application for Child Support Services — Opens your case with Warren County CSEA so support can be collected, tracked, and enforced through wage withholding.

How to File Paternity in Warren County

File the parentage complaint. File a Complaint to Determine Parentage at the Warren County Juvenile Court, 900 Memorial Drive ($160 plus $50 per additional child), with proof of any administrative determination.
Request genetic testing if needed. Either parent can ask the court or CSEA to order genetic testing at a designated lab; results are 99%+ accurate.
Add custody and support. Once paternity is established, file the support worksheet, IV-D Application, and any custody/parenting-time request in the same case.

Warren County Practice Notes

Genetic testing. Either party can request genetic testing. The court (or CSEA) will order the parties and child to a designated lab. Tests run 99%+ accurate. If the alleged father is excluded, the case is dismissed and the Ohio Department of Health updates the birth record.
Administrative determination proof required. Under Juvenile Local Rule 5.1, a Warren County parentage filing must include proof of any R.C. 3111.38 administrative determination, and Social Security numbers are not filed publicly. CSEA can issue an administrative paternity order before the court case in many situations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I file in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Warren County?: Warren County splits the two courts onto different campuses. The Domestic Relations Court at 500 Justice Drive hears married-parent matters — divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, and the custody/support that travels with them. The Juvenile Court at 900 Memorial Drive hears never-married-parent matters — paternity, custody, parenting time, child support, and grandparent/non-parent custody. Under Rees v. Rees (2026-Ohio-1235, 12th Dist.), grandparent and relative visitation goes to DR when the parents are or ever were married or a parent is deceased.
How much does it cost to file in Warren County?: Domestic Relations deposits (Clerk Breighton Smith, eff. 7/1/2025): a divorce or dissolution case is $400 with children and $300 without children; a case served by publication is $500; a married-living-apart custody/support complaint is $350; a post-decree motion is $75; and personal service by the Sheriff is $50 per party. An Affidavit of Indigency reduces the deposit to $15. Juvenile Court complaints (custody, parentage, support, visitation, shared parenting) are $160 plus $50 per additional child, and Juvenile motions are $75. Civil Protection Orders have no filing fee.
What does the Warren County CSEA do?: The Warren County Child Support Enforcement Agency at 500 Justice Drive, P.O. Box 440, Lebanon, OH 45036-0440, phone (513) 695-1580, opens IV-D cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, collects support by wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. Warren adds a 2% processing charge on all support, plus 20% of the current order on arrearages. File the IV-D Application (DR Form 12 or WCJC Form 11) whenever a support order is set.
Can I rescind an Acknowledgment of Paternity in Ohio?: A signed Acknowledgment of Paternity can be rescinded within 60 days of the last signature by contacting your local Child Support Enforcement Agency and completing a Request for Paternity Determination. After 60 days you must challenge the acknowledgment in court within 1 year on grounds of fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact (R.C. 3111.27). Genetic testing is typically ordered, and the Ohio Department of Health updates the birth record if the alleged father is excluded.

Free Local Resources in Warren County

Warren County DR Help Center & Document Center. The DR Help Center at 500 Justice Drive helps self-represented parties fill out printed Document Center forms on Tuesdays 1–3 p.m. and Thursdays 9–11 a.m. All Domestic Relations forms and case-type filing packets are posted at warrencountyohio.gov/Domestic_Relations_Court/Forms.
Warren County Probate/Juvenile Legal Help Center. Walk-in help at 900 Memorial Drive on Thursdays 8 a.m.–noon, where an attorney answers legal questions and provides filing packets regardless of financial situation (no attorney-client relationship is formed).
Warren County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Warren County's IV-D agency at (513) 695-1580, csea.warrencountyohio.gov, opens and enforces support cases, runs the Ohio Income Shares calculation, and processes payments through OCSPC.
Warren County CASA Program. More than 50 trained CASA volunteers, directed by Melissa Perduk, advocate for abused and neglected children in the child-welfare system. Details at warrencountyohio.gov/Probate_Juvenile/CASA/CASA/Index.

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.

More Warren County family-law resources

Ohio Paternity guide — Statewide overview of paternity in Ohio.
Cincinnati family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Cincinnati metro.
Warren County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Warren County guide.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
Payment plans & financing — Flat fees with Gavvl Direct, Affirm, Klarna, or PayPal Pay Later.

Call (513) 643-1969 or email support@gavvl.com.