The Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas has approved for publication and comment Proposed Amended Local Rule 15 (Case Management).
As part of our mission to provide the absolute best representation in commercial litigation cases in Hamilton County and throughout Ohio, we closely monitor changes to the Court’s Local Rules and other court developments.
Amended Local Rule 15, if adopted, will introduce new requirements pertaining to pretrial statements. Pretrial statements are not currently required by the Court’s Local Rules; however, every Judge customarily requires a pretrial statement to be filed.
Most of the subjects the new rule would require to be addressed in pretrial statements are not new: exhibits, witnesses, key legal issues in the case, etc. However, several noteworthy requirements are introduced. Practitioners should be aware that under the proposed Amended Rule:
- The deadline to file pretrial statements would be two days prior to date of the pretrial conference (Some Hamilton County Common Pleas Judges require pretrial statements to be filed three days prior, which would not necessarily change).
- Copies of a party’s expert witness reports would be required to be attached to the pretrial statement.
- In addition to disputed legal issues, pretrial statements would have to address “any significant evidentiary questions, with a citation of authorities in support thereof.”
Per the Court’s website, comments regarding the proposed amendments to Local Rule 15 should be directed to Thomas O. Beridon, Court Administrator, 1000 Main Street, Room 410 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 or TBeridon@cms.hamilton-co.org. Comments will be accepted until the close of business on July 29, 2024.
Durst Kerridge is an Ohio-based civil litigation boutique that practices extensively in Ohio’s state and federal courts, including the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas. We are committed to staying at the forefront of new developments in the courts in which we practice. To schedule a consultation, call Durst Kerridge at (513) 621-4999 or contact Alex J. Durst or Paul R. Kerridge directly.
