How does a Father determine or establish Custody in Ohio if the parents were never married?
In Ohio, if the mother and father of a child(ren) were not married and separate, the mother is automatically considered the primary custodial parent. This means that in order to establish a parent / child relationship, a Father will have to petition the Juvenile Court.
A common misconception is that if there is a child support order in place this has determined custody and/or parenting time for the Father. This is not the case. A Father will still have to petition the Court to have an Order Allocating Custodial or Parental Rights awarded to them.
Please contact our office if we can provide any further assistance.