Establishing Paternity in Washington County
Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026
Washington County, Ohio · Marietta
When parents were never married, the Washington County Juvenile Court handles parentage (legally establishing who the father is), custody, parenting time, and support. In Ohio, an unmarried mother is the sole residential parent and legal custodian by default (R.C. 3109.042) until a court orders otherwise — so an unmarried father generally needs both established parentage and a custody or parenting-time order to have enforceable rights. The paternity/support clerk is Morgan McCartney (ext. 2423).
How do I establish paternity in Washington County, Ohio?
File to establish parentage under R.C. Chapter 3111 (with custody and support under R.C. 2151.23) at the Washington County Juvenile Court, 205 Putnam St., Marietta, before the paternity/support clerk, Morgan McCartney (ext. 2423). Use the county's Unmarried Custody & Visitation packet, completed in blue ink, with the UCCJEA Parenting Proceeding Affidavit. Paternity can be established by an Acknowledgment of Paternity, a prior judgment, or genetic testing. Once parentage is set, the court allocates custody and parenting time under Parenting Time Policy 3A and orders support on the 2024 Income Shares 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: Washington County Court of Common Pleas
205 Putnam St, Marietta, OH 45750, Marietta, OH 45750Phone: (740) 373-6623
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Website: washingtongov.org/269/Common-Pleas-Court---General-Division
Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)
Washington County Juvenile Court
205 Putnam St, Marietta, OH 45750, Marietta, OH 45750
Phone: (740) 373-6623
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Paternity is the right path if…
- You and the other parent were never married to each other.
- You need to legally establish the father (by acknowledgment, judgment, or genetic testing).
- You want a custody, parenting-time, or child-support order that you can enforce.
- Ohio is the children's home state under the UCCJEA (lived in Ohio about the last 6 months).
Filing Fees
New Juvenile Court case deposit set by that court · complete the local packets in blue ink · Parenting Time Policy 3A applies · confirm amounts with the Juvenile Court at (740) 373-6623 ext. 2421/2423
Forms & Filing Packets
Establish parentage and allocate custody — New Juvenile case deposit set by that court (confirm at ext. 2423)
File the Unmarried Custody & Visitation packet (in blue ink) at the Washington County Juvenile Court with the UCCJEA Parenting Proceeding Affidavit; Parenting Time Policy 3A applies.
- Unmarried Custody & Visitation packet (Washington County) — The local packet never-married parents use to establish custody and visitation in the Juvenile Court. Complete the forms in blue ink.
- Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (UCCJEA · R.C. 3127.23) — Lists where each child has lived for the last 5 years and with whom, confirming Ohio's jurisdiction over custody under the UCCJEA. Required in any case involving minor children.
- Standard Parenting Time — Policy 3A (Washington County) — The county's standard parenting-time schedule for orders entered on or after 5/1/2015, with a Local schedule (parents within 150 miles) and a Long-Distance schedule (over 150 miles).
Add a child-support order — Included with the Juvenile case
Include the official worksheet, the Health Insurance Affidavit, and a IV-D application so CSEA can calculate and enforce support.
- 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.
- Affidavit of Health Insurance (Washington County) — States who can provide health insurance for the children and at what cost — required whenever child support is at issue.
- Application / Questionnaire for Child Support Services (IV-D) — Opens a IV-D case with the Washington County Child Support Enforcement Agency so it can calculate, collect, and enforce support. File whenever a support order is requested.
How to File Paternity in Washington County
- Confirm Juvenile Court is the right court. Never-married parents file parentage, custody, and support in the Washington County Juvenile Court (not the Domestic Relations docket).
- Prepare the complaint packet. Complete the Unmarried Custody & Visitation packet in blue ink, with the UCCJEA Parenting Proceeding Affidavit, to establish parentage under R.C. Chapter 3111 plus custody/support under R.C. 2151.23.
- File with the Juvenile Court. File at 205 Putnam St., Marietta, with the paternity/support clerk, Morgan McCartney (ext. 2423); confirm the current deposit.
- Establish parentage. Paternity is set by an Acknowledgment of Paternity, a prior judgment, or genetic testing if it is contested.
- Set custody, parenting time, and support. The court allocates parental rights, applies Parenting Time Policy 3A, and orders support on the 2024 Income Shares worksheet; both parents complete Successful Co-Parenting.
Washington County Practice Notes
- Mother is the default custodian until a court orders otherwise. Under R.C. 3109.042, an unmarried mother is the sole residential parent and legal custodian by default. An unmarried father generally needs both established parentage and a custody or parenting-time order before his rights are enforceable.
- Use the local juvenile packets, in blue ink. Washington County publishes an Unmarried Custody & Visitation packet for never-married parents; the Juvenile Court asks that the local packets be completed in blue ink. The custody clerk is Jill Roach (ext. 2421) and the paternity/support clerk is Morgan McCartney (ext. 2423).
- Parenting Time Policy 3A (Local vs. Long-Distance). For orders entered on or after May 1, 2015, the county standard is Policy 3A: a Local schedule for parents within 150 miles (alternate weekends Friday 6 p.m.–Sunday 8 p.m. plus Tuesday/Thursday evenings 5:30–8 p.m., with holidays and summer time) and a Long-Distance schedule for more than 150 miles. A relocating parent must give written notice within 7 days and file a Notice of Intent to Relocate.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does an unmarried father have custody rights in Washington County before going to court?
- No. In Ohio an unmarried mother is the sole residential parent and legal custodian by default until a court orders otherwise (R.C. 3109.042). An unmarried father generally needs both established parentage (by an Acknowledgment of Paternity, a prior judgment, or genetic testing) and a custody or parenting-time order from the Washington County Juvenile Court before his rights are enforceable. The paternity/support clerk is Morgan McCartney (ext. 2423).
- Where do unmarried parents file for custody, paternity, or support in Washington County?
- At the Washington County Juvenile Court, 205 Putnam St., Marietta, before Hon. Timothy A. Williams (Magistrate Kyle Boker). The Juvenile Court keeps its own clerks: the custody clerk is Jill Roach (ext. 2421), and the paternity/support clerk is Morgan McCartney (ext. 2423). Complete the local juvenile packets in blue ink. Grandparent and other non-parent custody requests are always filed here, not in Probate.
- What is the standard parenting-time schedule in Washington County?
- For orders entered on or after May 1, 2015, Washington County uses Parenting Time Policy 3A, which has a Local schedule (parents within 150 miles of each other) and a Long-Distance schedule (more than 150 miles apart). The Local schedule gives the non-residential parent alternate weekends Friday 6:00 p.m. to Sunday 8:00 p.m. plus Tuesday and Thursday evenings 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., with holidays and summer time added. A parent who plans to relocate must give written notice within 7 days and file a Notice of Intent to Relocate. Older orders may still follow the travel-time-based Policy 3.
- How is child support calculated in Washington County?
- Washington County uses Ohio's statewide 2024 Income Shares Model — there is no county formula. Run the official worksheet at ohiochildsupportcalculator.ohio.gov using both parents' gross incomes, the parenting-time schedule, health-insurance premiums, and work-related child-care costs, then print and sign it. The Washington County Child Support Enforcement Agency, (740) 373-9324 (4th floor), opens the IV-D case, sets up wage withholding, and enforces collection. A deviation from the guideline amount requires statutory best-interest findings.
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 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.
Keep exploring
- Ohio Paternity guide — Statewide overview of paternity in Ohio.
- Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
- Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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