How to File a Caretaker Authorization Affidavit in Hamilton County Juvenile Court
Stepping in to care for a grandchild? A Caretaker Authorization Affidavit (CAA) gives you the legal authority to handle everyday decisions like school enrollment and medical care. Here's the order of operations: complete the required sections, sign in front of an Ohio notary, then file with Hamilton County Juvenile Court within five days.
Ohio law requires grandparents to make reasonable attempts to locate or contact the child's parents, guardian, or custodian before filing a CAA. If you're filing because you can't reach a parent - or don't know where they are - document your efforts. This affidavit is designed for situations where you've genuinely tried to connect and couldn't.
Complete items 1–7 in the CAA packet, then sign and notarize. Once that's done, you're authorized to exercise care, physical custody, and control of the child. Practically speaking, this means you can enroll them in school and consent to medical, psychological, or dental treatment. Because the affidavit carries real legal weight, fill it out carefully - make sure every answer is complete and legible before heading to the notary.
- ✓ The child’s present address
- ✓ Every address where the child has lived within the last five years
- ✓ The name and present address of each person the child lived with during that five-year period
Don't sign the affidavit at home thinking you'll get it notarized later. Your signature must happen in front of an Ohio notary public - you'll sign while they watch, and they'll complete their section on the spot.
Once signed and notarized, you have five days to file the affidavit with the juvenile court in your county - or another court that already has jurisdiction over the child. This deadline is firm. Plan your notarization and filing together so you're not rushing on day five.
File your completed CAA with the Hamilton County Juvenile Court Clerk's Office at 800 Broadway, Cincinnati, OH 45202-1332. You can mail it or drop it off in person. If you're close to the five-day deadline, hand-delivering avoids any mail delays.
Good news: Hamilton County Juvenile Court does not charge a filing fee for a CAA, and filing does not require a court date.
Questions about filing? Call a Deputy Clerk at 513-946-9431.
Warning: The CAA form includes a written notice that falsification is a crime under Ohio law and can be punished by up to six months in jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both.
Quick Checklist
- ✓ Complete items 1–7 of the Caretaker Authorization Affidavit (CAA) packet (this is what authorizes you to act for the child, including school enrollment and medical consent)
- ✓ Include the child’s present address, all addresses from the last five years, and the name and present address of each person the child lived with during that time
- ✓ Sign the affidavit in front of an Ohio notary public and make sure it’s properly notarized
- ✓ File the notarized CAA no later than five days after it’s executed
- ✓ Mail or bring your filing to: Hamilton County Juvenile Court Clerk’s Office, 800 Broadway, Cincinnati, OH 45202-1332
- ✓ Remember: no filing fee and no court date required for filing a CAA in Hamilton County
- ✓ Keep a copy of everything you file for your records
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