Court Jurisdiction and Venue for Adoption Petitions - Ohio

Jurisdiction

Citation: Rev. Code § 3107.01

The probate court has jurisdiction over adoption proceedings.

Venue

Citation: Rev. Code § 3107.04

A petition for adoption shall be filed in the court in the county in which one of the following applies:

• Where the person to be adopted was born
• Where the petitioner or the person to be adopted or parent of the person to be adopted resides at the time of filing the petition
• Where the petitioner is stationed in military service
• Where the agency having the permanent custody of the person to be adopted is located

If the court finds, in the interest of justice, that the case should be heard in another forum, the court may stay the proceedings, dismiss the petition in whole or in part on any conditions that are just, or certify the case to another court.