Washington County Child Custody Attorneys

Hire Gavvl for your Washington County custody case

Flat-fee and full-representation options: we handle the filings, the Washington 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.

Hire Gavvl Law for your Washington County custody case

In Ohio, custody means the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities, and Washington County has no separate Domestic Relations division: married or divorcing parents have it decided inside their case at the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas, while never-married parents file in the Juvenile Court before custody clerk Jill Roach (ext. 2421). Either way the judge applies the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors. Gavvl Law files in the right court, prepares the UCCJEA affidavit and support worksheet, and represents you for a flat fee approved up front, with payment plans available.

• Filed in the right Marietta court. Married and divorcing parents belong at the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas (Judges Nicole Coil and John M. Halliday); never-married parents file the Unmarried Custody & Visitation packet in blue ink at the Juvenile Court before Jill Roach (ext. 2421). We file in the correct forum with the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit so your case isn't stalled in the wrong docket.
• The parenting class and any GAL, tracked. Parents with minor children must finish Successful Co-Parenting ($30 exact cash, second Monday of the month, pre-registered at (740) 376-7431) and file the certificate before the merit hearing, and a contested case can draw a Guardian ad Litem (coordinator Kathy Thieman, ext. 2402). We calendar the class and manage the GAL process so neither delays your hearing.
• Flat fee, whatever the standard. Custody inside a divorce is part of the $350 deposit and a post-decree change is $200, and if you're asking for shared parenting we draft a plan covering every R.C. 3109.04(G) factor. We quote one flat fee before we start, offer financing, and can request an Affidavit of Indigency fee waiver if the deposit is out of reach.

We appear before both the General Division and the Washington County Juvenile Court in Marietta, so the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors, the blue-ink juvenile packet, and the Clerk's Legal Division at (740) 373-6623 ext. 2503 are familiar when we handle your custody case.

Flat-fee options

Flat-fee limited scope: we draft and file the custody complaint or motion; you appear at any hearing.

• Establish custody: $1,250
• Modify custody: $1,450

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 custody case or see payment plans & financing.

Where to File: Washington County Court of Common Pleas

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Washington County Juvenile Court
205 Putnam St, Marietta, OH 45750
Phone: (740) 373-6623
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM

Custody is the right path if…

• You need a court order setting who the children live with and how parenting time and decision-making are divided.
• You and the other parent can't agree on parenting time, school enrollment, or major decisions for the children.
• Ohio is the children's home state under the UCCJEA — they've lived in Ohio for the last 6 months.
• You can complete a parenting education class and file the Certificate of Completion before the merit hearing.

Filing Fees

Custody inside a divorce/dissolution: part of the $350 case deposit · Post-decree change-custody motion: $200 · Never-married custody in Juvenile Court: deposit set by that court · "Successful Co-Parenting" class: $30 cash · GAL fees (contested cases) allocated between the parents. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk's Legal Division at (740) 373-6623, ext. 2503.

Forms & Filing Packets

How to File Custody in Washington County

1. Pick the right court — General Division or Juvenile. Married or divorcing parents file at the General Division of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas (there is no separate DR division). Never-married parents file at the Washington County Juvenile Court before the custody clerk, Jill Roach (ext. 2421). Grandparent and other non-parent custody is always Juvenile.
2. Confirm Ohio is the children's home state under the UCCJEA. The children must have lived in Ohio for at least the prior 6 months (or you must qualify under a UCCJEA exception). The Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (R.C. 3127.23) is how you swear to those facts.
3. Complete the "Successful Co-Parenting" class. Both parents complete the OSU Extension class (second Monday of each month, 3:00–5:00 p.m., 1115 Gilman Ave., Marietta; $30 cash; pre-register at (740) 376-7431) and file the certificate of completion before the final hearing.
4. Assemble your forms packet. Married parents: the divorce/dissolution packet plus the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit and an Ohio Child Support Computation Worksheet (add a proposed Shared Parenting Plan if you are asking for shared parenting). Never-married parents: the Unmarried Custody & Visitation packet in blue ink, the UCCJEA affidavit, and the support worksheet.
5. File with the Washington County Clerk and serve the other parent. File your packet with the Clerk's Legal Division (call (740) 373-6623, ext. 2503, to confirm the current deposit and number of copies) and arrange service on the other parent. Ask about a fee waiver if you can't afford the deposit.
6. Attend the hearing — both parents required. The court holds a pretrial or status conference first, then a merit hearing if the case does not settle. The Guardian ad Litem report (if one is appointed) is filed before the merit hearing, and the judge or magistrate applies the R.C. 3109.04(F) best-interest factors.

Washington County Practice Notes

• No separate Domestic Relations division. Washington County has no stand-alone DR court. Married and divorcing parents have custody decided by the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas (Judges Nicole Coil and John M. Halliday; Domestic Relations Magistrate Laura Silwani, ext. 2303), filed through the Clerk's Legal Division at 205 Putnam St., Marietta. Never-married parents file in the Juvenile Court before Judge Timothy A. Williams.
• Guardian ad Litem in contested cases. In a contested custody case, the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem under Sup. R. 48 and Local Juvenile Rule 29 — a court-appointed attorney — to investigate and recommend a parenting plan in the child's best interest. Washington County's GAL coordinator is Kathy Thieman (ext. 2402). The GAL represents what is best for the child, not the child's wishes; GAL fees are typically allocated between the parents.
• 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the residency requirements to file for custody in Washington County?

For custody decided inside a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment, you or the other parent must have been an Ohio resident for at least 6 months and a Washington County resident for at least 90 days before filing. For never-married parents filing in the Washington County Juvenile Court, Ohio must be the children's "home state" under the UCCJEA (R.C. 3127) — generally, the children have lived in Ohio for the last 6 consecutive months.

How much does it cost to file for custody in Washington County?

A divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment deposit is $350 (a few older packets still print $330 — confirm with the Clerk). Custody allocated inside one of those cases is part of that deposit. Post-decree motions to change custody, modify support, or modify visitation are $200 each. Never-married custody filed in the Washington County Juvenile Court is set by that court's own schedule — confirm with the custody clerk, Jill Roach (ext. 2421). If you can't afford the deposit, an Affidavit of Indigency (fee waiver) is available under Ohio Civil Rule 3(E). Confirm the current amounts with the Clerk's Legal Division at (740) 373-6623, ext. 2503, before filing.

Is a parenting class required for custody cases in Washington County?

Yes. Washington County uses "Successful Co-Parenting," run by OSU Extension–Washington County. The class meets the second Monday of each month from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at 1115 Gilman Ave., Marietta, costs $30 in exact cash, and requires pre-registration at (740) 376-7431. Parents in a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or custody case with minor children complete it and file the certificate before the final hearing. Confirm the current schedule and fee when you register.

Do I file custody in Domestic Relations or Juvenile Court in Washington County?

Washington County has no separate Domestic Relations division. If you are or were married to the other parent, custody, parenting time, and child support are decided inside your divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment at the General Division of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas (Judges Nicole Coil and John M. Halliday; Domestic Relations Magistrate Laura Silwani, ext. 2303). If you were never married, paternity and custody are handled by the Washington County Juvenile Court (Judge Timothy A. Williams; custody clerk Jill Roach, ext. 2421). Grandparent and other non-parent custody requests are always filed in Juvenile Court.

When does Washington County appoint a Guardian ad Litem?

In a contested custody case, the court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) under Sup. R. 48 and Local Juvenile Rule 29 — a court-appointed attorney who investigates and files a written report recommending what is in the children's best interest before the merit hearing. Washington County's GAL coordinator is Kathy Thieman (ext. 2402). The county does not publish a flat GAL fee, so ask the court what deposit to expect; GAL fees are typically allocated between the parents. The court may also order a custody investigation in higher-conflict cases.

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.

What is a IV-D application and why do I need one?

A IV-D Application opens a child-support case with your county's Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Once opened, CSEA collects support through automatic wage withholding, distributes it to the receiving parent, and can enforce the order through license suspension, federal tax intercept, credit reporting, and contempt referrals. Filing a IV-D Application is standard whenever a child-support order is issued.

Free Local Resources in Washington County

• Washington County Clerk of Courts — Legal Division. Provides current filing fees, local forms, and filing instructions for custody, divorce, and dissolution cases. Call (740) 373-6623, ext. 2503 (Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM), or visit https://washingtongov.org/269/Common-Pleas-Court---General-Division before filing to confirm deposits and packet requirements.
• Washington County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Washington County's IV-D agency, (740) 373-9324 (4th floor), opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. File a IV-D Application when establishing or modifying support.
• "Successful Co-Parenting" Parenting Class — OSU Extension. The court-approved parenting-education class for parents with minor children, run by OSU Extension–Washington County. Meets the second Monday of each month, 3:00–5:00 p.m., at 1115 Gilman Ave., Marietta; $30 in exact cash; pre-register at (740) 376-7431. File the certificate before the final hearing.

Other Family-Law Topics in Washington County

• Statewide Custody Overview — How Ohio custody and parenting time work at a high level.
• Talk to a Family Law Attorney — Connect with a Washington County custody attorney for help with your case.

Related to your custody 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 custody and related Ohio family law topics.

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Emergency Custody in Ohio: When and How to Get an Ex Parte Order — When a child faces immediate danger, Ohio courts can grant emergency custody on short notice through an ex parte order. Here's what qualifies and what happens next.

Keep exploring Washington County family law

• Ohio Custody guide — Statewide overview of custody in Ohio.
• Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
• Washington County family law guide — Court info, local filing notes, FAQs, and the downloadable Washington County guide.
• Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Co-Founder at Gavvl Law.
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