Anyone with legal custody of a child can ask the CSEA to establish a support order. Ohio law provides that unwed mothers are the sole residential parent and legal custodian of a child unless a court awards custody to someone else.

Child Support orders are required to contain the amount of child support to be paid when private health insurance is being provided, an amount of child support to be paid when private health insurance is not being provided, a medical support amount to be paid when private health insurance is not being provided and a provision for health insurance coverage and payment of uninsured medical expenses. The CSEA cannot address custody or visitation issues.

Establishing a child support order requires both parents to provide verification of income, day care expenses and health insurance expenses. Failure of a non-requesting party, or person otherwise required to cooperate with the CSEA, to return income verification does not prevent the CSEA from calculating a support order.

There are 2 ways a support order can be established.

Administratively:
A hearing officer conducts a hearing at the CSEA. This process is generally faster and more informal than a court hearing. During the administrative process the hearing officer calculates the amount of child support to be paid using the Child Support Guidelines as required by Ohio law A hearing officer cannot deviate from the amount of child support determined on the Child Support Guidelines.

Judicially:
A hearing is scheduled before a Magistrate or Judge who determines the amount of child support to be paid. The court can address other issues such as visitation if a proper motion is filed. The court also has the discretion to deviate from the amount of support determined on the Child Support Guidelines.

What to bring to the hearing with you:

• Pay stubs, tax returns or other evidence of income

• Health insurance information (the cost of family and employee-only coverage whether you carry coverage or not), if available through your employer

• Amount of daycare expenses paid, if any, for the child that the order being established for.

• Evidence of the amount of other child support paid or received for other children.

If you are interested in establishing a child support order go to www.odjfs.state.oh.us to complete an application to request our services.