Ohio Child Custody, Support and Visitation Law: Laws on Grandparent and Nonparent Custody and Visitation

In a divorce, dissolution of marriage, legal separation, annulment, or child support proceeding that involves a child, the court may grant visitation rights to any grandparent or any other person other than a parent, if all of the following apply:

(a) The grandparent or other person files a motion with the court seeking visitation rights.

(b) The court determines that the grandparent or other person has an interest in the welfare of the child.

(c) The court determines that the granting of the visitation rights is in the best interest of the child.

If either the father or mother of an unmarried minor child is deceased, the court of common pleas of the county in which the minor child resides may grant the parents and other relatives of the deceased father or mother reasonable visitation rights with respect to the minor child during the child's minority if the parent or other relative files a complaint requesting visitation rights and if the court determines that the granting of the visitation rights is in the best interest of the minor child.

If a child is born to an unmarried woman, the parents of the woman and any relative of the woman may file a complaint requesting the court of common pleas of the county in which the child resides to grant them reasonable visitation rights with the child. If a child is born to an unmarried woman and if the father of the child has acknowledged the child and that acknowledgment has become final pursuant to section 2151.232, 3111.25, or 3111.821 of the Revised Code or has been determined in an action under Chapter 3111 of the Revised Code to be the father of the child, the father may file a complaint requesting that the court of appropriate jurisdiction of the county in which the child resides grant him reasonable parenting time rights with the child and the parents of the father and any relative of the father may file a complaint requesting that the court grant them visitation rights with the child.

The parent or legal custodian of a child may create a power of attorney that grants to a grandparent of the child with whom the child is residing any of the parent's or legal custodian's rights and responsibilities regarding the care, physical custody, and control of the child, including the ability to enroll the child in school, to obtain from the school district educational and behavioral information about the child, to consent to all school-related matters regarding the child, and to consent to medical, psychological, or dental treatment for the child.

Caretaker authorization affidavit. Gives circumstances in which grandparent can get custody rights without contacting grandchild's parents.

Kinship Caregiver Program