Click here to learn about the July 1, 2020 amendments to the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure
Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure determine the rules that should be followed by Ohio state courts in civil actions. The purpose of the Civil Rule is to eliminate delay and ensure prompt administration of justice. In general, the Civil Procedure directs the procedure to be followed by all courts to be applied to effect just results by eliminating delay, unnecessary expense, and other impediments to the administration of justice. There are some exceptions.
Amendment to Rule 6 of the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure
Effective July 1, 2019, various Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure were amended, including Rule 6, which was modified to make uniform the response time to motions. Specifically, this modification attempts to limit confusion and create consistency by providing uniform statewide deadlines. The newly amended Civil Rule 6(C)(1) supersedes and replaces the varying and often cumbersome previous Ohio trial court local rule deadlines for responding to motions. Civil Rule 6 now establishes a twenty-eight-day deadline for service of responses to motions for summary judgment and a fourteen-day deadline for service of responses to all other motions. Civil Rule 6 has been further amended to permit a movant’s reply to a response to any motion within seven days after service of the response.
Deadlines for serving written motions for purposes of trial or hearing
Additionally, Civ.R.6(C)(2) establishes deadlines for serving written motions for purposes of a hearing or trial, such as motions in limine or motions to bifurcate. Unless a different period is fixed under another Rule of Civil Procedure or by order of the court, written motions for purposes of a hearing must be served not later than fourteen days prior to the hearing, and motions for purposes of trial must be served not later than twenty-eight days prior to trial. A movant’s reply to the response is not permitted. For this and other questions, contact one of our subrogation lawyers.
