Portage County Court of Common Pleas, Ohio Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

The requesting party must arrange a conference call or other group communication with the mediation department to set a new mediation date.

The requesting patty is responsible for establishing a conference call with the mediation department or other form of group communication to set a new mediation date.

CRITICAL

If counsel believes expert evaluations, reports, or witnesses may be necessary, counsel must notify the Court within seven days to set a pretrial conference.

(B) If counsel believes expert evaluations, reports or witnesses may be necessary, counsel shall notify the Court within seven (7) days to set a pretrial conference in the matter.

CRITICAL

Contact

Letter fax to clerk

If a fax filing lacks the required cover page, the clerk must fax the sender notice of the omission and rule violation.

The clerk shall notify the sender that no cover page was received by faxing to the fax number of the sender such notation and that this Rule was violated.

CRITICAL

Except for arraignments, defense counsel must confirm the prisoner’s location and notify the Court before any scheduled court appearance.

Except as to arraignments, it is defense counsel's responsibility to confirm a prisoner's location and notify the Court prior to any scheduled court appearance.

CRITICAL

A written complaint must be delivered to the Court Administrator at the stated address.

(E) The written complaint shall be delivered to the Court Administrator at the Portage County Juvenile Court, 8000 Infirmary Road, Ravenna, Ohio, 44266.

CRITICAL

When the specified conditions are met, the Court must immediately notify the court that issued the existing order.

If a court issues a Juvenile Civil Protection Order or a Juvenile Domestic Violence Order (entered after a full hearing or approval of a consent agreement), and the Court has knowledge of the existence of a Juvenile Civil Protection Order or Juvenile Domestic Violence Protection Order arising out of the same activities involving the same named Complainant/Petitioner and alleged Respondent, the Court shall immediately notify the Court issuing the Juvenile Civil Protection Order or Juvenile Domestic Violence Protection Order.

CRITICAL

A GAL must not have ex parte communications with the Court about the merits of the case.

A GAL shall maintain independence, objectivity, and fairness, as well as the appearance of fairness, in dealings with parties and professionals, both in and out of the courtroom and shall have no ex parte communications with the Court regarding the merits of the case.

CRITICAL

Plaintiff’s counsel must immediately notify the Court if loss mitigation fails or is successfully completed.

Plaintiffs counsel shall immediately notify the Court of a failure of loss mitigation and/or successful completion so that the case may be placed back on the active docket.

CRITICAL

A prospective juror seeking an excuse under division (A)(6) must notify the appointed court employee by the scheduled appearance date, in person, by telephone, in writing, or by email.

A prospective juror who requests to be excused as provided in division (A)(6) of this section must inform the appropriate court employee appointed by the court of the prospective juror's request to be so excused by not later than the date on which the prospective juror is scheduled to appear for jury duty. The prospective juror must inform that court employee of the request to be so excused by appearing in person before the employee or contacting the employee by telephone, in writing, or by electronic mail.

CRITICAL

Fiduciaries and their attorneys of record must attend citation hearings in person, may not send substitutes, and may not participate by telephone.

The Court views compliance, and citations for non-compliance, as serious matters. Therefore, all Fiduciaries and their attorney of record must appear in person at citation hearings. Attorneys are not permitted to send someone else in their place, regardless of whether it is another attorney in the same law firm. And no one can participate by telephone, regardless of how far you have to travel to get to the Court.

CRITICAL

Individuals with disabilities, special needs, or language barriers who need an interpreter must notify the Court at least five court days before a proceeding to request reasonable accommodations.

Individuals with disabilities, special needs or language barriers requiring the need for an interpreter must notify the Court at least five Court Days before any hearing, conference or other proceeding to request reasonable accommodations.

CRITICAL

An attorney who learns of an assignment that might create a conflict must notify the Court and opposing counsel as soon as practicable.

When an attorney becomes aware of any assignment that might create a conflict, the attorney must advise the Court and opposing counsel as soon as practicable.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

When the parties settle before trial, plaintiffs’ counsel must immediately telephone the trial judge and file written notice of settlement with the Court.

As soon as the parties have reached a settlement agreement prior to the trial date, Plaintiffs counsel must immediately notify the trial judge by telephone and file written notice of the settlement with the Cou11.

CRITICAL

Imprisoned individuals must notify the Court at least 10 court days before a proceeding and request to appear and participate by telephone or video conference.

Individuals who are imprisoned must notify the Court at least 10 Court Days before any hearing, conference or other proceeding and request appearance and participation by telephone or video conferencing.

CRITICAL

Applicants, parties, and their attorneys must notify the Court in writing of contact-information changes within 30 calendar days after they occur.

All applicants, other parties and their attorneys must inform the Court in writing of any changes in their contact information within 30 Calendar Days after the changes occur.

CRITICAL

Attorneys, parties, and witnesses must not discuss a case’s merits with its presiding Judge or Magistrate unless opposing counsel or an unrepresented opposing party is present.

No attorney, party, or witness shall discuss the merits, either orally or in writing, of any case with the Judge or Magistrate presiding over the case, without the presence of opposing counsel or the opposing party, if the party is not represented by counsel.

CRITICAL

All parties and attorneys must advise the Court of relevant known or newly learned domestic violence allegations involving at least two people required to attend mediation, before mediation concludes.

All parties and attorneys must advise the Court of any domestic violence allegations known to them to exist or to have existed in the past, or which become known to them following entry of the order of referral to mediation, but before conclusion of all mediation proceedings, which allegations involve any two or more persons whose attendance is required by the referral order.

CRITICAL

The Sheriff’s Department must immediately notify the trial judge’s office when the defendant is arrested.

The Sheriffs Department shall immediately notify the trial judge's office of the arrest.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Appointed counsel must maintain a working phone with a secretary or voicemail and respond promptly to calls from the court or the defendant.

The attorney must have a working phone with a secretary or voicemail in order to respond timely to calls from the court or the defendant.

WARNING

Place requests for certified, authenticated, or exemplified copies at least one Court Day in advance.

Any person who desires to obtain certified, authenticated or exemplified copies of Court records must place the request for the records at least one Court Day in advance to enable the Deputy Clerks adequate time to make the copies.

WARNING

The Court will not notify a sender of a failed fax filing except as provided in Local Rule 3.05.

(C) The Court is not required to send, nor will it, any form of notice to the sending party of a failed fax filing, except as provided in Loc.R. 3.05.

WARNING

Counsel or a party who is unavoidably delayed must notify the Judge or Magistrate as early as practicable.

If counsel or a party is unavoidably delayed, notice must be given to the Judge or Magistrate as early as practicable.

WARNING

The Clerk is not responsible for confirming fax receipt, so filers should contact the Clerk to confirm receipt of a fax filing.

The Clerk is not responsible for confirmation of receipt of facsimile transmission. Persons filing by facsimile transmission should contact the Clerk to confirm receipt of filing.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

An attorney may provide a business telephone number; all other persons must provide the residence, work, or mobile number most accessible during the Court’s normal hours.

The telephone number of an attorney for an applicant or party may use their business telephone number. All other persons must use their residence, work or mobile telephone number, whichever is most accessible to them during the Court’s normal hours.

WARNING

Those anticipating problems with a Rule should bring them to the Court’s attention as early as possible.

If you anticipate problems, bring them to the attention of the Court as early as possible so we can work through solutions together.

WARNING

A GAL must promptly advise each Court of any grounds for disqualification or unavailability to serve.

(A) Unless excepted by statute, by Court Rule consistent with this Rule, or by Order of Court pursuant to this Rule, a GAL shall meet the qualifications of and satisfy all training and continuing education requirements under this Rule and under any local Court Rules governing GALs. A GAL shall meet the qualifications for GALs for each county where the GAL serves and shall promptly advise each Court of any grounds for disqualification or unavailability to serve.

WARNING

Contact

Email

Applicants, parties, and attorneys must configure their devices to allow Court emails through, and the Court is not responsible for delayed or undelivered emails caused by improper configurations.

All applicants, other parties and their attorneys must configure their computers and mobile devices so that emails from the Court are not filtered as spam or otherwise blocked. The Court is not responsible if the applicant, party or attorney do not receive emails from the Court due to improper configurations that do not permit the Court’s emails to be delivered promptly.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Call the Court before filing to confirm the fee if the amount is uncertain.

If you are not certain of the fee that will be required for a particular filing, call the Court first to confirm the amount.

WARNING

If an attorney is concerned that a filing will be delinquent because the client is not being cooperative, the attorney needs to immediately request a status conference to address the issue with the Court.

If an attorney is concerned that a filing will be delinquent because the client is not being cooperative, the attorney needs to immediately request a status conference to address the issue with the Court.

WARNING

If a party wishes to present a pre-recorded deposition as trial testimony, counsel should arrange with the Court for the audio-visual playback system to be available.

In the event a party wishes to present at trial a pre-recorded deposition as trial testimony, counsel should arrange with the Court to have the court's audio-visual playback system available for trial.

WARNING

Give the Deputy Clerks at least two Court Days’ notice to retrieve a closed file.

Records in current, open files are available in the Court’s office. Closed files are not in the Court’s office, so the Court’s Deputy Clerks need at least two Court Days prior notice to retrieve a closed file.

WARNING

The Court must develop procedures for communicating and sharing information about these orders with other courts.

The Court shall develop procedures to communicate and share information with other courts regarding the existence and terms of all Juvenile Civil Protection Orders, Juvenile Domestic Violence Protection Orders, and other relevant orders.

INFO

A Fiduciary or the Fiduciary’s attorney may request a status conference to discuss unique issues or unanticipated problems in an estate, guardianship, or trust case.

A Fiduciary or the Fiduciary’s attorney in any estate, guardianship or trust case may request a status conference with the Court to discuss unique issues or unanticipated problems with the case.

INFO

Requests for copies of public records may be made during the Court’s normal business hours.

Any person may request copies of any of the Court’s public records during the Court’s normal business hours.

INFO

The Court recommends contacting it when an unusual circumstance may warrant using the applications for deferral.

It is recommended that you contact to the Court if you have an unusual circumstance which you believe the use of these applications is necessary.

INFO

Contact

Phone

For a probate record more than five years old, it is advisable to call the Court first to check whether the Court still maintains it or whether it has been closed or sent to the County Archives.

If you are searching for a probate record that is more than five years old, it is advisable to call the Court first to determine whether the record is still maintained at the Court, or if it has been closed or sent to Portage County Archives.

INFO

Prospective appointees may ask the Court to add them to an appointment list if they demonstrate the qualifications required for the position.

Prospective appointees may request the Court to add them to one or more list upon demonstrating to the Court that they possess the necessary skills, experience and licensure Ohio law or the Court requires for the position.

INFO

Contact

Phone

The Court advises calling first to determine where older marriage licenses and other records are located.

It is advisable to call the Court first to determine the location of those records.

INFO

The Court no longer sends 30-day reminders before issuing a citation.

The prior practice of sending 30-day reminders before the citation is eliminated.

INFO

Appointees are advised to discuss the case’s scope and compensation with the Court before accepting an appointment.

It is best to discuss the scope of the case and the compensation with the Court before accepting the appointment.

INFO

Before beginning estate administration, it is recommended to check with the Court whether it has the will on deposit.

Since Wills may be on deposit with the Court, it is always a good practice to check with the Court to determine if a Will is in the Court’s possession before beginning the administration of any estate.