Champaign County Court of Common Pleas, General Division Service and Proof of Service Rules

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Initial pleading

Service

Court service

A filing party submitting a complaint or other summons-requiring filing must also file service instructions, after which the Clerk issues summons and serves the filing accordingly.

When submitting any complaint, third-party complaint, or other filing requiring service of summons to the court's e-File System, the filing party shall also file instructions for service and the Clerk shall issue a summons and serve the complaint, third-party complaint, or other filing according to such instructions.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Indictment

Criminal indictments must be served on defendants in accordance with the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Indictments in criminal cases may be submitted for e-Filing in compliance with these Rules and shall be served on defendants according to the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Service

Electronic service to all parties

The established online platform must immediately deliver electronically submitted filings to parties of record when the filing is submitted to the Clerk.

(d) The established online platform shall be implemented to immediately deliver the submitted pleading, document or entry of the Court to parties of record at the point of submission to the Clerk.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Service

Electronic service

For recipients of the electronic filing notification, service is complete when the e-filing system generates that notification.

For parties or their counsel who receive the Notification of Electronic Filing, service is complete at the time the Notification of Electronic Filing is generated by the e-filing system.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Service

Electronic service

The electronic filing notification together with the required proof of service constitutes service under Civil Rule 5 and Criminal Rule 49.

The Notification of Electronic Filing, in conjunction with the required proof of service, will constitute service under Civ.R. 5 and Crim.R. 49.

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Service

Publication

When service is by publication, the publisher or agent must file an affidavit demonstrating publication and a copy of the publication notice, which together constitute proof of service.

If service is being accomplished by publication, then after the last publication, the publisher or agent shall file an affidavit with the Court demonstrating that publication was made, and a copy of the notice of publication. The affidavit and copy of the notice shall together constitute proof of service.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Witness disclosure

Each party must serve all parties with and file a written witness disclosure by the date designated in the Case Scheduling Order.

Each party shall, not later than the date for disclosure designated in the Case Scheduling Order, serve on all parties and file with the Court a written disclosure of all persons with relevant factual or expert knowledge whom the party reserves the option to call as witnesses at trial.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Witness disclosure

Each party must serve all parties with and file a written supplemental witness disclosure for witnesses whose relevance was not apparent initially, by the date designated in the Case Scheduling Order.

Each party shall, no later than the date for disclosure designated in the Case Scheduling Order, serve on all parties and file with the Court a written disclosure of all persons whose factual or expert knowledge did not appear relevant until the witnesses were initially disclosed, whom the party reserves the option to call as witnesses at trial.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Expert report

An expert witness may not testify unless a written report has been obtained and provided to opposing counsel.

An expert witness shall not testify unless a written report has been procured from the witness and provided to opposing counsel.

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Applies to

Mediation statement

The mediation statement must be served on opposing counsel before the mediation conference.

Said statement shall be served upon opposing counsel prior to the Mediation Conference.

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Applies to

Community control violation complaint

Service

Court service

File-stamped copies of the complaint must be delivered to the court for service on the defendant and prosecutor at the initial community control arraignment hearing.

(C) The APA Parole / Probation Officer shall ensure that file-stamped copies of the complaint are delivered to the Court to be served upon the Defendant and Prosecutor at the Initial Community Control Arraignment hearing.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

When email filing is used during a platform outage, service on parties of record must follow the same manner as service for a paper filing.

Where the Clerk has designated electronic mail as the electronic format option as the result of the unavailability of the designated online platform, any party filing a pleading or document or the Court filing an entry by electronic mail shall serve parties of record in the same manner as if the filing the pleading, document or entry of the Court with the Clerk occurred in paper format.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

Service

Mail

Parties served by regular U.S. mail because they did not receive the electronic notification receive the additional response time provided by the applicable rule, while recipients of the electronic notification do not receive that additional time.

Parties who do not receive the Notification of Electronic Filing and who are served by regular U.S. mail will have additional time to respond as provided by Civ.R. 6(D) or Crim.R. 45(E). Parties who receive the Notification of Electronic Filing are not entitled to the additional time to respond provided by Civ.R. 6(D) or Crim.R. 45(E).

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

Service

Electronic service

If the e-filing system fails to generate the electronic filing notice, the party to be served may request an order extending the response deadline.

If the e-filing system fails to generate the Notice of Electronic Filing, the party to be served may request an order extending the date for any response.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Notice to Court Regarding Petition for Certificate of Qualification for Employment

Service

Mail

The Clerk must send the specified CQE information notice to each identified court by ordinary U.S. mail.

The Clerk shall send a Notice to Court Regarding Petition for Certificate of Qualification for Employment and Submission of Information Regarding Petition for Certificate of Qualification for Employment to each court so identified. Such Notice shall be sent via ordinary U.S. mail.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026INFO

Applies to

Jury summons

Service

Mail

Jury summonses may be served by mail or by leaving them at the juror’s residence or usual place of business.

The Sheriff or Commissioners of Jurors / Deputy Commissioners of Jurors shall serve the summons by mail or by leaving it at the juror’s residence or usual place of business.

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Service

Electronic service ?

The availability and utilization of electronic filing shall not serve to eliminate any requirements to serve opposing counsel or parties with filing pursuant to the Rules of Civil Procedure.

Summary: Electronic filing does not eliminate the requirement to serve opposing counsel or parties under the Rules of Civil Procedure.

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Service

Personal service ?

An e-filer must serve a paper copy of the e-filed document on all parties to whom the e- filing system does not send the Notification of Electronic Filing.

Summary: An e-filer must serve a paper copy on every party whom the e-filing system does not notify electronically.

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Applies to

Motion

The motion and affidavit shall be served upon opposing counsel

Summary: The extension motion and affidavit must be served on opposing counsel.

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(C) Unless good cause is shown, all reports must be supplied to opposing counsel or the pro-se litigant as set forth in the Case Scheduling Order.

Summary: Unless good cause is shown, expert reports must be supplied to opposing counsel or the pro-se litigant under the Case Scheduling Order.

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Service

Publication

Publication shall be made once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks instead of as provided by Civ.R. 4.4.

Summary: In foreclosure cases, publication must occur once per week for three consecutive weeks rather than as otherwise provided by Civ.R. 4.4.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

If there is no return of service, Step One is repeated every thirty (30) days until all returns are filed or time limitations for service are met in accordance with Civ.R. 4(E).

Summary: If no return of service is filed, Step One is repeated every 30 days until all returns are filed or the service time limitations are met.

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Service

Publication

Twenty-eight (28) days after the last publication, the case shall proceed to Step Two.

Summary: The case proceeds to Step Two 28 days after the last publication.

We could not find this wording in the court's document. Open the source before relying on it.WARNING?

In all real property foreclosure actions, where the Champaign County Treasurer (hereinafter “Treasurer”) is named as a party defendant, the Treasurer need not be served with any answer or other pleading after the complaint, unless any party challenges the real estate taxes and/or assessments claimed by the Treasurer on the tax records either as to the amount or validity, or as to the priority as a first and best lien.