Start here
Start here
Just served, or newly in the system? Here are your first steps, and what not to do.
First steps for anyone
- Read every document you were served, today. Note every deadline and hearing date. Missing one can decide the case.
- Find legal help. Start with legal aid and low-cost options. Many courts also have self-help centers.
- Do not post about your case. Social media, texts, and emails can be used as evidence. Assume the judge will read them.
- Start a clean record. Keep a dated, factual log of parenting time, communication, and payments. See the guide Documentation without drama (coming soon).
- Learn the vocabulary. “Residential parent,” “allocation of parental rights,” “GAL.” See the glossary.
Pick your situation
- If you’re a father: Ohio’s default custody rule for unmarried parents, and how standing is established.
- If you’re a mother: your rights and obligations, and how to protect your child’s relationships.
- If you’re a grandparent or relative: companionship and standing for extended family.
- Safety first: protective orders, domestic violence resources, and crisis lines.
This site educates and refers. It cannot tell you what to file in your case. See the disclaimer.