Local Rule 4

PRACTICE ON ASSIGNMENT OF CIVIL CASES

4.01        ASSIGNMENT

      Cases are assigned by the Court for trial even if no request for trial assignment has been received. However, it shall be the duty of counsel for any party seeking affirmative relief to advise the court when their claim is at issue and ready for trial.

4.02      ASSIGNMENT DATES IN DOMESTIC RELATIONS MATTERS

       The filing of a pleading by a defendant in a divorce or spousal support case after the case has been assigned for hearing shall not cause the assignment to be vacated. The time shall be used for a pretrial conference, which the parties and their attorneys shall attend, unless otherwise ordered by the court.

4.03     CONTINUANCE

        The firmness of assignment dates is imperative. A continuance will not be considered due to conflict of assignments unless written application is received within ten (10) days of the mailing of notice of trial assignment. All continuances shall be required in writing and any continuances granted shall be to a time certain. Agreed entries of continuance shall not be accepted, unless previously authorized by the Court.

      Specific reference is hereby made to Rule 41, Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio, which shall be strictly enforced.

4.04    NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT

      Notices of trial assignment shall be mailed to all trial attorneys designated under Rule 5.01 and in the absence of a trial attorney of record, to any unrepresented parties.

      All pleadings after the complaint shall be served upon the trial attorneys in accordance with Civil Rule 5. Further, the trial attorneys must certify that a pleading has been served upon all trial attorneys and any unrepresented parties.

     If a notice is on the Court's official notice form, it will be sent by the Assignment Commissioner to all persons entitled to notice.

      If the notice is not on the Court's official notice form, then Civ. R. 5 requires that the trial attorneys and unrepresented parties are responsible for service.