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

CRITICAL

Proof of service must be made for all documents required or permitted to be served in compliance with Civ.R. 5(B)(4).

Proof of service of all documents required or permitted to be served shall be made in compliance with Civ.R. 5(B)(4).

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 10, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Pleadings, motions, documents, judgment entries, and notices of hearings

Service

Electronic service

Registered Users consent to electronic service of the listed case materials at their registered email address, while paper notices are mailed in exempt cases and required documents are provided to incarcerated defendants and self-represented litigants as described in Rule 11.07.

Registered Users consent to electronic service of: pleadings, motions, documents, judgment entries, and notice of hearings via the electronic service address identified as the Registered User's e-mail address. Paper notices will be mailed in cases that are exempt from e-filing under this rule and will be provided required documents to any incarcerated defendant or self- represented litigant as described in Rule 11.07.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Summons

Summons service for cases initiated or added to through e-filing must still be completed under the applicable Civil Rules.

Initial comp laints, re-filed complaints, third party compla ints, and other documents initiating a case or adding a new party in thee-filing case type are filed using the E-Filing system, however, service of summons must still be completed pursuant to the applicable Civil Rules.

CRITICAL

Service

Electronic service

Unless a judgment entry, rule, or statute provides otherwise, later-filed documents are served to Registered Users by email and to non-Registered Users by paper copies and U.S. Mail.

Unless otherwise instructed by judgment entry, rule or statute, all documents filed a~er the initial fi ling shall be served to the Registered User's e-mail address on file with the Clerk. Participants or litigants who are not Reg istered Users, will continue to rece ive paper format copies and service via the U.S. Mail.

CRITICAL

Service

Mail

Participants or litigants who are not Registered Users receive paper-format copies and service by U.S. Mail.

Participants or litigants who are not Reg istered Users, will continue to rece ive paper format copies and service via the U.S. Mail.

CRITICAL

Automated e-filing notifications do not replace a party’s duty to serve filed documents on the other parties by electronic means or U.S. Mail.

The automated e-filing notification in the E-filing system is a courtesy . It does not replace or otherwise alleviate a party's responsibility to serve the fi led documents upon the other parties in a case either by electronic means or U.S. Mail.

CRITICAL

Service

Electronic service

A self-represented litigant who can access and use email must receive electronic notification and service.

However, if the self-represented litigant does have access and ability to utilize e-mail, the self-represented litigant shall receive electronic notification and service.

CRITICAL

Proof of service for all documents required or permitted to be served must comply with the cited civil and criminal rules.

Proof of service of all documents required or permitted to be served shall be made in compliance with Civ.R. 5(8)(4) and Crim. R. 49.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 10, 2026CRITICAL

Service

Electronic service to opposing party

The prescribed Certificate of Service language identifies electronic mail for counsel of record and regular mail for self-represented litigants who are not registered e-filing users.

"I hereby certify that on (date) I served this document in accordance with Civ.R. S/Crim. R. 49 by electronic mail on the following: (list counsel of record with e-mail addresses) AND by regular mail upon the following: (list self-represented litigants who are not registered users of the Court's e-filing system).

CRITICAL

Requests for leave to plead or extensions must be served on all parties or counsel of record.

Al l requests for leaves to plead or extensions must include a proposed judgment entry and shall have been served on all parties and/or counsel of record.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 10, 2026CRITICAL

Service

Mail

Counsel seeking to withdraw must notify the client by certified mail with return receipt requested of the withdrawal application and the hearing date and time.

Counsel seeking to withdraw must provide written notice of such application by certified mail with return receipt requested to the client of the attorney for whom withdrawal is sought. In addition, counsel seeking to withdraw must also provide written notice of the hearing date and time to the client of the attorney for whom withdrawal is sought.

CRITICAL

Notice of filing must be served on all counsel of record in the pending matter.

Notice of filing shall be served to all counsel of record in the pending matter.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 10, 2026CRITICAL

If title evidence shows that necessary parties were not named as defendants, the filing attorney must proceed without delay to add and serve them.

Where the evidence of title indicates that necessary parties have not been made Defendants, the Attorney for the party filing the same shall proceed without delay to cause such new parties to be added and served.

CRITICAL

A motion for appointment must be filed by an attorney in good standing who belongs to the Trumbull County Bar Association and attests to the applicant’s character and fitness.

Any Motion requesting appointment of a Standing Special Process Server shall be filed by an attorney of good standing who is a member of the Trumbull County Bar Association and who will attest in the Motion to the character and fitness of the party desiring to be a Standing Special Process Server.

CRITICAL

A party seeking appointment as a standing special process server must apply to the court by motion.

Any party desiring to be a standing special process server for the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas - General Division shall make application to the court by way of motion.

CRITICAL

An application for appointment must include an affidavit from the applicant setting forth the specified information.

Said application shall include an affidavit by the applicant setting forth the following:

CRITICAL

The applicant’s affidavit must state that the applicant is over 18, is not under a disability, and will not serve in the specified conflicted or rule-violating circumstances.

A statement that he/she is over 18, not under any disability, and that he/she will never attempt to make service in an action to which he/she is a party, is related to any party, is counsel for any party, has an interest in the outcome of any case, or otherwise would be in violation of the Ohio or Trumbull County Rules of Court.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 10, 2026CRITICAL

Service

Mail

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

The Court shall then direct the Clerk to send a Notice to Court Regard ing Petition for Certificate of Qua lification for Employment form (Form 22C) and a Submission of Information Regarding Petition for Certificate of Qualification for Employment form (Form 22E) to each court so ident ified via ord inary US mail.

WARNING

Appointment of a Standing Special Process Server is solely within the judge’s discretion and is subject to the stated procedures and limitations.

Appointment of any Standing Special Process Server shall be solely at the discretion of the Judge of the Court of Common Pleas - General Division, and said appointment shall be subject to the following procedures and limitations:

INFO

A party may request appointment of a special process server under Civ.R. 4.1.

In accordance with Civ.R.4.1, a party may request the appointment of a special process server.

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

Any permission to amend a pleading must be accompanied by a proposed judgment entry that has been served on al l parties and/or counsel of record.

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

Service

Mail to clerk ?

The Clerk of the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas shall accept service of process methods as outlined in Civil Rule 4.1 Process: Methods of Service, which methods of service shall include "virtual" service of process utilizing advanced postal technology for service by certified mail. This advanced postal technology does not modify Civil Rule 4.l(A)(l)(a) Service by United States certified or express mail, but merely provides for advanced electronic and website technology in the sending of certified mail and receipt of confirmation utilizing the court's website to show to whom the mail was delivered, the date of delivery, and address where delivered, all in accordance with the now-existing Civil Rules. All service of process of compla ints or other documents served with virtual service of process are subject to review and/or challenge as further outlined in Civil Rule 4.1, with confirmation of service of process data being made available through this Clerk's office.

Summary: The Clerk accepts Civil Rule 4.1 service methods, including virtual service by certified mail with electronic delivery confirmation, which remains subject to review or challenge.

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

Service

Electronic service ?

If the self-represented litigant does not have access to the means for electronic notification, the Clerk shall note an exception that this person will not receive electronic notices.