Unruly Filings

Ohio Juv.R. 10 allows any person with knowledge that a child appears to be a juvenile traffic offender, delinquent, unruly, neglected, dependent, or abused may file a complaint with respect to the child in the juvenile court of the county in which the child resides or has legal settlement, or in which the traffic offense, delinquency, unruliness, neglect, dependency, or abuse occurred.

Complaints alleging that a child appears to be an unruly or delinquent child due to habitual or chronic truancy and the parent, guardian, or other person having care of the child has failed to cause the child to attend school may also be filed in the county in which the child is supposed to attend public school.

The Court Complaint/Referral Process

You are encouraged to speak with an Diversion Counselor regarding your concerns to learn more about resources that may assist or better serve you and the child in the situation at hand by calling 937.562.7579 or 937.562.4027. If your child has run away and you need immediate assistance, after contacting law enforcement, please contact Diversion Counselors Rhonda White (937.562.4031) or Zach Hensley (937.562.4044) or Administrative Assistant Lori Fulk (937.562.4037).

The Unruly Complaint is available on Greene County Juvenile Court’s Forms page in PDF fillable format, you can access the form from this link (greenecountyohio.gov). The Complaint must be typed and filled out completely to the best of your knowledge and ability. The affidavit does require a signature and Notary.

If you need access to a computer and/ or printer, a kiosk is available on the 2nd floor of the Juvenile Courthouse across from the Clerk’s Office. The Clerks or the Assessment and Intervention Center can assist with Notarizing your signature as well. Once completed and notarized, the complaint may be submitted to the Juvenile Court Clerk’s Office via email to juvclerk@greenecountyohio.gov , via FAX to 937.562.4010, or in person at 2100 Greene Way Blvd., Xenia, Ohio 45385.

The Court Process After Submission of Complaint/Referral

Ohio Juv. R. 9 states that in all appropriate cases formal court action should be avoided and other community resources utilized to remedy situations brought to the attention of the court. You’re encouraged to reach out to our Assessment and Intervention Center as the first step before submitting a formal Complaint/Referral. However, there are cases in which the youth does not always respond to the informal Assessment and community resource process [Assessment Center link here] and Parents/Guardians may find it necessary to move forward with submitting an Unruly Complaint/ Referral to the court.

Upon the submission of a Complaint/Referral alleging that a child is unruly, the court staff will screen the referral to determine whether or not the child is within the court’s jurisdiction and whether or not the filing of a complaint is in the best interest of the child and the public. Ohio Juv. R. 9. After the screening process, the court staff may address the allegations on an informal basis pending the child’s successful completion of diversion programming [Diversion link here].

• If the child completes diversion to the court’s satisfaction, the court may dismiss the Complaint/Referral.

• If the child fails to complete diversion to the court’s satisfaction, the court may consider filing the Complaint and addressing the referral in formal court.

Ohio Revised Code 2151.27(F)

Definitions:

“Unruly Child”:

(A) Any child who does not submit to the reasonable control of the child's parents, teachers, guardian, or custodian, by reason of being wayward or habitually disobedient;

(B) Any child who is a habitual truant from school;

(C) Any child who behaves in a manner as to injure or endanger the child's own health or morals or the health or morals of others;

(D) Any child who violates a law, other than division (C) of section 2907.39, division (A) of section 2923.211, division (C)(1) or (D) of section 2925.55, or section 2151.87 of the Revised Code, that is applicable only to a child. Ohio Revised Code 2151.022.