Warren County Shared Parenting Attorneys

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

Warren County, Ohio · Lebanon

Shared parenting makes both parents residential parents and legal custodians under a written plan that meets the R.C. 3109.04(G) factors. In Warren County, married parents file the Shared Parenting Plan (DR Form 20) with their divorce or dissolution, and never-married parents file a Complaint/Motion for Shared Parenting at the Juvenile Court. The Juvenile schedule even offers Model III week-on/week-off equal-time options.

Hire Gavvl for your Warren County shared parenting 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 (flat fees from $1,440).

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 file a shared parenting plan in Warren County, Ohio?

Married parents file the Shared Parenting Plan (UDRF Form 20) and the proposed Decree of Shared Parenting with their divorce or dissolution at the Warren County DR Court, 500 Justice Drive. Never-married parents file a Complaint/Motion for Shared Parenting at the Warren County Juvenile Court, 900 Memorial Drive ($160 plus $50 per additional child). The plan must address living arrangements, holidays, decision-making, transportation, school and health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution.

Hire Gavvl Law to build your Warren County shared parenting plan

Shared parenting makes both parents residential parents and legal custodians under a written plan that has to satisfy the R.C. 3109.04(G) factors — and Warren County routinely sends back plans that skip one. Married parents file the Shared Parenting Plan (UDRF Form 20) with their divorce or dissolution at the DR Court, while never-married parents file a Complaint/Motion for Shared Parenting at the Juvenile Court. Gavvl Law drafts a plan that clears review the first time, and offers a flat fee for agreed plans or full representation when the other parent resists.

Every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor covered. Plans that omit a factor come back for revision. We address physical living arrangements, holiday and vacation schedules, child support, decision-making authority, transportation, school and health-care decisions, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution so the plan is approved rather than returned.
Juvenile Model III equal-time options, used where they fit. Warren's Juvenile Model Parenting Schedule offers Model III equal-time arrangements — week-on/week-off (III(a)) and a 2-2-3 rotation (III(b)) — plus a phase-in schedule. The DR Basic Schedule doesn't include those, so we choose the schedule and court that match your goal.
The proposed decree filed with the plan. In DR cases Warren requires the Decree of Shared Parenting drafted and filed with the plan, alongside the child-support worksheet. We prepare the decree and worksheet together so the court can approve the entire shared-parenting order in one pass.

For never-married parents the Juvenile deposit is $160 plus $50 per additional child; for married parents shared parenting rides inside the divorce or dissolution deposit. We pick the right court and schedule for your family, and offer payment plans so building a durable, court-ready shared parenting plan stays affordable.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the complaint to establish custody and parenting time, or prepare your shared parenting plan for filing. You appear at any hearing.

Establish custody & parenting time: $1,440
Shared parenting plan (drafting): $1,900

Prefer full representation? An Ohio attorney can carry the entire case on a $3,500 retainer.

On limited-scope services of $2,000 or more, Gavvl Direct — our in-house plan with no interest and no credit check — takes 60% down to start, then the balance in three monthly payments, the first due 28 days after your initial payment. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay.

Start your shared parenting case or see payment plans & financing.

Real people — with direct lines

Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
Niva Elgin — Director of Attorney Relations · Licensed New Mexico Attorney
Richard Furnish — Of Counsel Attorney

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — Niva Elgin, our Director of Attorney Relations and a licensed New Mexico attorney — or Richard Furnish, an Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Warren County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Director of Attorney Relations. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

95+ five-star Google reviews
60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained — and every step after

Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, Niva Elgin, or Richard Furnish about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder

Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Can I do this without an attorney?

sometimes, yes. Ohio lets you represent yourself, and for a genuinely agreed dissolution or a simple motion, some people do. The Warren County forms and local rules are linked in the questions below, and our free tools will draft a parenting plan or estimate child support before you spend anything.

Here's what the online-divorce platforms leave out: most Ohio counties require their own forms and language on top of the statewide ones, and a rejected filing is the most common reason people call us after trying it alone. A $25, 30-minute call tells you whether you can do this yourself — and if you can, we'll say so.

Schedule Your $25 Consultation

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.)
Court directory (county site temporarily unavailable): Ohio Supreme Court directory — find Warren County Domestic Relations

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.

Shared Parenting is the right path if…

Both parents want to be named residential parent and legal custodian.
You can cooperate enough to follow a detailed written plan.
Your plan addresses every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor the court requires.
A shared schedule (including possible equal-time models) fits the children's needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which forms do I need to file for shared parenting in Warren County?

Shared parenting plan (married parents, DR Court)

Filed with a divorce or dissolution at the DR Court, 500 Justice Drive.

Shared Parenting Plan (UDRF Form 20) — Written plan meeting R.C. 3109.04(G): living arrangements, holidays, decision-making, transportation, school/health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution.
Decree of Shared Parenting — The proposed final shared-parenting order Warren requires filed with the case.
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.

Shared parenting (never-married parents, Juvenile Court)

Filed at the Warren County Juvenile Court, 900 Memorial Drive.

Complaint/Motion for Shared Parenting (Juvenile pro se) — Asks the Juvenile Court to approve a shared-parenting arrangement for never-married parents.
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.

How to file shared parenting in Warren County

Draft a plan that hits every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. Cover living arrangements, holidays/vacation, decision-making, transportation, school and health care, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution.
Pick the right court and form. Married → DR Form 20 with your divorce/dissolution. Never-married → Complaint/Motion for Shared Parenting at the Juvenile Court.
File the plan and proposed decree. Include the Decree of Shared Parenting (DR) and the child-support worksheet so the court can approve the full order.

What does shared parenting cost in Warren County?

Two numbers matter. The court's filing fee, which the Clerk sets and can confirm. And the attorney work: Our published flat fees from $1,440 cover drafting and filing the paperwork (limited scope — the court's filing fee is invoiced separately), with payment plans available. Prefer full representation? An attorney can carry the whole case on a retainer — every number is published in the pricing section above.

What forms do I need for shared parenting in Warren County?

It depends on your situation — children, temporary orders, and which court you file in all change the packet. Answer the quick questions in the paperwork section above and your exact Warren County checklist appears, with every official form linked as a PDF.

How long does shared parenting take in Warren County?

It depends on how much you and the other side agree. Agreed matters generally move through Warren County Domestic Relations Court in months, not years; contested cases take longer. The part you control is filing a complete, correct packet the first time — bounced paperwork is the most common self-filing delay.

Do we really need lawyers if we agree?

Maybe not — and we'll say so at a $25 consultation. But an agreement only counts if it survives on paper, in the exact packet Warren County's court expects, and what you file becomes a binding court order that is hard to fix later. Precision drafting for people who already agree is most of what our flat-fee work is: done once, done right.

Where are the Warren County local rules, and what does this court do differently?

Judges, magistrates, and filing fees change, so we do not publish them here. Warren County posts the current information itself:

Ohio Supreme Court trial-court directory — find Warren County Domestic Relations — directory listing only; call the court for current local rules, forms, and staff.
Warren County Clerk of Courts — current filing fees and deposits, e-filing, and case records.

Shared parenting plan must address every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. A written Shared Parenting Plan must address physical living arrangements, holiday and vacation schedule, child support, decision-making authority, transportation, school and health-care decisions, tax exemptions, and dispute resolution. Plans that skip a factor are routinely sent back for revision.
Equal-time options in Juvenile cases. Warren's Juvenile Model Parenting Schedule (eff. 1/1/2026) includes Model III equal-time arrangements — week-on/week-off (III(a)) and a 2-2-3 rotation (III(b)) — as well as a phase-in schedule for reestablishing a parent-child relationship. The DR Basic Schedule does not include those equal-time models.
Best-interest standard governs. R.C. 3109.04(F)(1) lists 10+ factors: each parent's wishes, the child's wishes (when of sufficient age), the child's interaction with parents/siblings, adjustment to home/school/community, mental and physical health of all involved, the parent more likely to facilitate court-approved parenting time, child support compliance, criminal history, residence outside Ohio, and any history of abuse.

Are there free legal resources in Warren County?

Warren County DR Help Center & Document Center. The DR Help Center at 500 Justice Drive helps self-represented parties with printed forms on Tuesdays 1–3 p.m. and Thursdays 9–11 a.m. The county's online Document Center is temporarily unavailable; call the court at (513) 695-1344 for its current local forms and case-type filing packets. Ohio's statewide standardized domestic-relations forms are at supremecourt.ohio.gov/forms/all-forms/domestic-relations-and-juvenile-standardized/1; confirm which local forms Warren requires.
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 opens and enforces support cases. The Ohio JFS local-agency directory lists the office at jfs.ohio.gov/page/ce11b69d-cafc-4a22-ae04-d732053aeda7-page.
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.

Start Your Parenting Plan for Free

Before you meet with an attorney or mediator, try our free Ohio parenting plan builder — it explains sole custody vs. shared parenting in plain language and turns your answers into a printable worksheet you can bring to court, mediation, or a consultation.

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.
My Ex Leaves Our Child With the Grandparents During Their Parenting Time. Can I Do Anything About It? — Ohio courts favor grandparent relationships, so a few nights a month at grandma's is not a problem. It becomes one when the grandparents replace the parent. This guide explains why the court cannot order the grandparents to do anything, how to tell whether you have shared parenting or sole custody, and the six realistic options — from a documented conversation to a right of first refusal, contempt, a parenting time modification, a custody change, or an emergency motion.
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.