The domestic courts of Ohio are divided into two subdivisions: Domestic Relations Division and Juvenile Division. The first decision to make when filing with the court is which subdivision you need to file in. The Juvenile Division hears all matters involving juveniles. A juvenile is defined as any individual under the age of 18. These cases include:
- Custody, Visitation, and Support issues regarding children whose parents have never been married to one another;
- Third Party Custody – when a grandparent, relative, or other individual (including current or former foster parents) request custody;
- Custody cases where the original custody order was granted in another jurisdiction (even if the original action in the other jurisdiction was filed in the domestic relations division);
- Child Support enforcement cases for “foreign” orders – when the child support order was issued in another state;
- Children Services cases where allegations of abuse, neglect, or dependency have been made;
- Juvenile delinquency cases – crimes committed by a juvenile
- Juvenile Unruly Cases; and
- Juvenile School Truancy Cases.
The procedures and steps necessary to complete any of these cases vary greatly in what must be filed and the timeline in which to do so. It is best that you contact an attorney regarding any of these matters to ensure that your case is being handle properly in hopes of the most successful outcome possible.