HOURS OF OPERATION: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EXCEPT LEGAL HOLIDAYS
CLERK’S HOURS OF OPERATION: 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EXCEPT LEGAL HOLIDAYS
SCHEDULE OF COURT HOLIDAYS FOR 2025
ATTENTION EVERYONE ENTRING THE COURTHOUSE:
To ensure the safety and security of everyone entering the Courthouse, effective February 12, 2024 everyone entering the front entrance of the Courthouse will need to have all items screened through the x-ray machine. This includes all bags. All drinks will need to be held going through the metal detector. Any drink containers that contain metal will no longer be allowed into the building as they cannot be properly screened. Drink containers that do not contain metal are still allowed in the building. Please arrive early for any court proceedings that you must attend.
PLEASE NOTE: For matters regarding mediation, please contact 513-732-7126.
PLEASE NOTE: New court forms are available for the sealing of certain criminal cases. These documents are effective April 4, 2023, and copies are located in “Court Forms” on this website.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to mandatory health and security screenings at the entrance to the Courthouse, please arrive early for any court proceeding that you must attend. If you are running a fever, DO NOT COME TO COURT. You will be denied entry. You may but are not required to wear a mask when coming to court. Please review notices elsewhere on this web site for updated information.
PLEASE NOTE: The Common Pleas Court has added material concerning the use of technology in courtroom presentations and for remote access to this web site. You may access this new information in the page “FAQS & More” under the heading “Technology Information.” Included are a Technology Glossary, a schematic diagram of connections to courtroom systems, and a PowerPoint on connecting to the Court’s audio-visual system.
PLEASE NOTE: Any new Appointed Counsel appointment made as of September 8, 2022 will be reimbursed at a rate of $75/hour for both in and out of court. Any appointment made prior to September 8, 2022 will be reimbursed at the old rate of $60 for In Court and $50 for Out of Court. For a complete copy of the Commissioners’ Resolution, please click HERE.
Please note that the Court has added a Technology FAQs page to this website. These FAQs, which cover the use of electronic devices in the Courthouse and in courtrooms, may be of assistance to attorneys, parties, and witnesses who come to court. The new Technology FAQs can be reached HERE.
PLEASE NOTE: Effective August 4th, 2020, the Court of Common Pleas has ordered that the cost of filing a foreclosure complaint is increased to $570.00, of which $220.00 will be placed on deposit for the on-line auction fee mandated by H.B. 390. Please prepare your filing procedures accordingly.
PLEASE NOTE: The Court has adopted new procedures for garnishments and related proceedings. Please review the GARNISHMENT SPECIAL ORDER here.
PLEASE NOTE: The Court has issued a stay of foreclosure and sheriff’s sale proceedings. Please review the Order Staying Foreclosure here.
TO ALL COUNSEL SEEKING CRIMINAL CASE APPOINTMENTS: Please take notice that the Common Pleas Court has adopted a new form for counsel seeking to receive appointments to represent indigent criminal defendants. All counsel must submit the new form pursuant to the regulations of the Ohio Public Defender Commission in OAC chapter 120-1. Counsel are urged to review the regulations in that chapter. Completed forms should be returned promptly to Court Administrator Diana Owens. Please click for the Appointed Counsel Application Form in PDF format.
Common Pleas Court Receives Supreme Court of Ohio Technology Grants: The Clermont County Common Pleas Court recently received two grants from the Supreme Court of Ohio for the upgrade of courthouse technology. The grants from the Supreme Court’s Technology Grant Fund total $54,608, and consist of $40,000 for courthouse security video upgrades, and $14,608 for improved courtroom audio-visual equipment. The two grant checks were presented by Supreme Court Justice Judith French to the Common Pleas Court in a ceremony on April 25, 2019 in the courtroom of Judge Richard Ferenc.
Pictured above, left to right: Clermont County Bar Association President Ernie Ramos, Judge Anthony Brock, Justice Judith French,
Judge Richard Ferenc, Judge Victor Haddad.
NOTICE REGARDING NEW COURT COSTS SCHEDULE:
EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2018, the Court is amending its Local Rules Appendix A-Security for Costs. The current costs schedule will expire August 31, 2018. The increased costs are:
APPENDIX A
Security For Costs
| NEW CIVIL CASE | $250.00 |
| FORECLOSURE | $350.00 |
| APPEAL OF ARBITRATION | $450.00 |
| JUDGMENT DEBTOR EXAM | $125.00 |
| RECLASSIFICATION CHALLENGE | $125.00 |
| GARNISHMENT | $150.00 |
| EXECUTION | $150.00 |
| WRIT OF POSSESSION | $250.00 |
| PETITION FOR CQE | $125.00 |
| RECORDING CERTIFICATE OF JUDGMENT | $30.00 |
| CANCELLATION OF CERTIFICATE OF JUDGMENT | $10.00 |
| STATE OF OHIO CERTIFICATE OF JUDGMENT | $40.00 |
| FOREIGN CERTIFICATE OF JUDGMENT | $75.00 |
| JURY TRIAL (DEPOSIT) | $300.00 |
| JURY VIEW (DEPOSIT) | $400.00 |
| CROSS COMPLAINT | $75.00 |
| APPEAL TO THE TWELFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT | $225.00 |
| FOREIGN COUNTY SHERIFF’S SERVICE (PER DEFENDANT) | $50.00 |
| EXPUNGEMENT | $75.00 |
| STATE REPARATION/INDIGENT DEFENSE SUPPORT FUND | $60.00 |
| BAIL BOND SURCHARGE | $25.00 |
| INDIGENT DEFENDANT APPLICATION | $25.00 |
| PETITION FOR RELIEF FROM DISABILITY | $125.00 |
| REVIVOR | $125.00 |
| ORDER OF SALE | $150.00 |
| PROCESS SERVER APPOINTMENT-INDIVIDUAL | $25.00 |
| PROCESS SERVER APPOINTMENT-COMPANY | $50.00 |
| WITNESS FEE (PER DAY) | $12.00 |
| MILEAGE (WITNESS PER MILE) | $0.51 |
| COPIES | $0.10 |
EFFECTIVE DATE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2018
COURT COSTS SCHEDULE SEPTEMBER 1, 2018-PDF
Comments Welcomed: The new website for the Common Pleas Court has been available to the public since January 2017. If you have comments, suggestions, improvements to the new site, or an error correction, please submit them by clicking here. Thank you for your input.
The Clermont County Board of Commissioners has posted a YouTube video “What is the Common Pleas Court?” on its website. The video can be accessed by clicking HERE.
Retiring Judge Thomas Herman has given an interview on his years of service to Clermont County. The video can be accessed by clicking HERE.
TO ALL COUNSEL INVOLVED IN FORECLOSURE CASES, Please take notice that the Court has adopted major amendments to Local Rule 11 involving judicial sales. A copy of the rule can be found here. All new foreclosure cases filed will require the submission of a Property Description Approval Form (available here) which must be reviewed by the Auditor’s Office Tax Map Department before filing the complaint with the Clerk. The fee for a Writ of Possession is now $200. The amended version of Local Rule 11 will be effective November 24, 2014. Please adjust your procedures to conform to the new version of the Local Rule and advise your clients accordingly. A complete version of the Local Rules as amended is available here.
Please take notice that the Court has updated its reported civil jury verdicts for reference by counsel and parties. The report covers trials through October of 2014. The jury verdicts report is available HERE.
Please take notice that the Court has posted on this web site a schematic diagram of major county buildings. Anyone is welcome to use this diagram to get to the correct government building, including the Clermont County Courthouse, in a timely manner. Attorneys are free to download and print this map to assist their clients. A copy of the schematic is available here.
Please take notice that failure to submit Appointed Counsel fee applications on criminal cases within 90 days of disposition of the case will result in a 35% reduction in the fee, based on Ohio Public Defender’s Office rules.
Please take notice that the Clerk of Courts has updated the Civil Case Classification form. Please use this version for all future filings. A copy of the updated 2014 form is available here.
Effective May 1, 2014, the fee for filing an appeal to the 12th District Court of Appeals has been raised to $225.00 for all cases, criminal and civil. Please plan accordingly if you are filing a Notice of Appeal in the near future.
Please take notice that the Clermont County Common Pleas Court has amended its Local Rules effective May 2, 2013. These amendments cover new provisions for petitions for Certificates of Qualification for Employment, updates to arraignment practice and the Clerk’s fee schedule, and renumbering of certain rules. The May 2, 2013 amendments are available here. The complete Local Rules are available here and on the Local Rules page of this web site. Individual Local Rules as amended have been posted on the Local Rules page.
Please take notice that the Court now has information about Certificates of Qualification for Employment (CQEs) listed in the Frequently Asked Questions section of this web site. The CQE petition process was created in a recent amendment to ORC 2953.25. The link to the FAQs is here.
Additional judge’s opinions are being posted on the Court’s web site as they become available for the benefit of the practicing bar. All posted court opinions may be accessed here.