Ohio Family Law Glossary: Custody, Support & Court Terms

Acknowledgment of paternity #: A sworn form signed by both parents that legally establishes who a child's father is without a court case. In Ohio it establishes parentage and the support obligation, but it does not by itself create an enforceable parenting-time order.
Allocation of parental rights and responsibilities #: Ohio's statutory term for what is commonly called custody: the court's decision about which parent, or both, has decision-making authority and where the child primarily lives. See ORC § 3109.04.
Arrearage (arrears) #: Child support that was ordered but not paid. Arrears generally remain owed until paid, and enforcement can continue after the child is emancipated.
Child support enforcement agency (CSEA) #: The county agency that establishes, collects, and enforces child support orders under the state and federal Title IV-D program. In most counties it is part of the county department of job and family services.
Civil protection order (CPO) #: A court order protecting a person from domestic violence, under ORC § 3113.31. An emergency (ex parte) order can be issued quickly, followed by a full hearing where both sides are heard.
Companionship or visitation #: Court-ordered time with a child for a non-parent, such as a grandparent or other relative. Ohio uses "parenting time" for parents. See ORC §§ 3109.051, 3109.11, and 3109.12.
Contempt #: A finding that a person disobeyed a court order, such as a support or parenting-time order. Sanctions can include fines, jail, and paying the other side's attorney fees.
Declaration (or affidavit) #: A written statement of facts signed under penalty of perjury (a declaration) or sworn before a notary (an affidavit), used as evidence in place of, or alongside, live testimony. Courts give the most weight to specific, dated, first-hand observations.
Domestic relations court #: The court, usually a division of the county court of common pleas, that hears divorce, dissolution, and legal separation cases and the custody and support issues within them.
Ex parte #: A court action taken after hearing from only one side, usually in an emergency. An ex parte order is temporary and is followed by a full hearing.
Guardian ad litem (GAL) #: A person appointed by the court to investigate and recommend what is in a child's best interest. Standards for GALs are set by the Rules of Superintendence (Sup.R. 48).
Home state #: Under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (ORC Chapter 3127), generally the state where a child lived with a parent for the six months before a custody case is filed. The home state usually decides which court can hear custody and visitation cases, and a state that already issued a custody order may keep jurisdiction after a move.
Imputed income #: Income a court attributes to a parent for child support purposes based on what the parent could earn, rather than what the parent actually earns. Governed by ORC Chapter 3119.
Juvenile court #: The court that, in most Ohio counties, hears custody, parenting-time, and support cases between parents who were never married to each other, as well as abuse, neglect, and dependency cases.
Legal custodian #: The person with legal authority over a child's care and major decisions. Under ORC § 3109.042, an unmarried mother is the sole residential parent and legal custodian until a court orders otherwise.
Magistrate #: A court officer who hears many family cases and issues decisions that a judge must adopt. A party can file written objections to a magistrate's decision, generally within 14 days.
Parenting coordinator #: A person appointed by the court to help parents carry out a parenting order and resolve day-to-day disputes about it. In Ohio, parenting coordination is governed by the Rules of Superintendence (Sup.R. 90). Coordinators are usually paid by the parties.
Parenting time #: The time a parent spends with a child under a court order. See ORC § 3109.051.
Pro se #: Representing yourself in court without a lawyer.
Residential parent #: The parent with whom a child primarily lives, and whose residence usually determines the child's school district.
Reunification therapy #: Counseling ordered or agreed to in order to rebuild a relationship between a child and a parent after a period of little or no contact. It is not a single standardized treatment. Methods, credentials, and costs vary widely.
Shared parenting #: An arrangement under ORC § 3109.04 in which both parents share parental rights and responsibilities under a court-approved shared parenting plan. It does not necessarily mean equal time.
Supervised parenting time #: Parenting time that takes place in the presence of an approved third party, often at a visitation center or with a paid supervisor. It is usually ordered where a court has concerns about safety. Who pays, and how long it lasts, depend on the order.
Title IV-D #: The part of the federal Social Security Act that funds state child support enforcement programs, including federal incentive payments tied to performance measures such as collections.

See also the Ohio law index and Start here.