Cleveland Law Library Weblog

Our Law Library, the Cleveland Law Library, Dedicated a Little Free Library at Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center Yesterday, 4/18/17

In collaboration with the FBI Citizens Academy Foundation of Cleveland and the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court, our Law Library, the Cleveland Law Library, dedicated a Little Free Library at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center yesterday on April 18, 2017. We believe that this is the first LFL to be installed in a courthouse in the United States.
This LFL is located in the 2nd floor lobby of the Justice Center near the balcony that overlooks the 1st floor entrance and lobby. It is conveniently located between the Clerk's office and the cafeteria. Our Charter Number is 40074, and it will soon be posted to the map located at littlefreelibrary.org.   After a lovely ceremony and reception yesterday at 1:00 p.m., we saw a little girl take the very 1st book from the LFL! Seeing that assured me that it will be a success and cemented my belief that there can never be too many opportunities for children and teens to read!

This is the 2nd LFL we have created this year. See our prior post about the LFL we established with the Cleveland Public Library. 

Cuyahoga Juvenile Court Accepting Comments on Proposed Rule Changes and Amendments

The Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court is accepting comments on proposed changes and amendments to its Rules of Court. Comments will be accepted until 12/20/13 on the following proposals:

• Proposed Local Rule 5. Use of juvenile initials
• Proposed Local Rule 51. Juvenile court civil protection orders/juvenile domestic violence protection orders
• Amended Local Rule 28. Custody actions
• Amended Local Rule 44. Genetic tests
• Amended Local Rule 47. Motions to show cause and complaint in contempt
• Amended Local Rule 48. Recording of proceeding, transcript, use of court reporters

Ohio Supreme Court Approves Standardized Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court Forms for Use

The Ohio Supreme Court has approved the standardized Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court forms we first blogged about in October. These 23 new forms, which cover divorces, dissolutions, motions for change in the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities (custody and visitation) and child support, and parenting plans, became effective on July 1st. According to the Court's Press Release, these forms are designed to "increase access to justice in family-law related proceedings in domestic relations and juvenile courts."  Each form is available in both PDF and Word format for ease of use. The Court's Press Release also indicates that all Courts in Ohio must accept these forms, although Courts can also create and accept their own forms.

Ohioans Given More Time to Comment on Proposed, Standardized Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court Forms

At the suggestion of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Ohio Supreme Court has extended the deadline until December 14th for comments on proposed, standardized domestic relations and Juvenile Court forms. See our prior post for a list of the forms and a link to review them. 

Ohio Supreme Court Proposes 23 Standard Domestic Relations/Juvenile Forms for Divorces, Dissolutions, Legal Separations and Parenting Plans

The Ohio Supreme Court has created 23 proposed domestic relations and juvenile forms for divorces, dissolutions, legal separations and parenting plans. Specifically, the Court has proposed the following list of forms:

Complaint for Divorce without Children; Answer; Final Judgment

Complaint for Divorce with Children; Answer; Final Judgment

Judgment Entry Converting Interest in Real Estate

Consent to Judgment Entry

Petition for Dissolution of Marriage; Judgment Entry

Separation Agreement

Parenting Plan; Final Decree of Parenting

Complaint for Parentage, Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities (Custody), and Parenting Time (Companionship and Visitation)

Motion for Contempt and Affidavit

Show Cause Order, Notice and Instructions to the Clerk

Motion for Change of Parenting Time (Companionship and Visitation) and Memorandum in Support

Motion for Change of Parental Rights and Responsibilities and Memorandum in Support

Motion for Change of Child Support, Medical Support, Tax Exemption, or Other Child-Related Expenses and Memorandum in Support

Waiver of Service of Summons

Request for Service

According to the Court's news release:

"Key information, relevant instructions, and tips have been embedded in the forms using plain English as much as possible to assist self-represented  litigants in pursuing their cases in court."

Comments are being accepted until November 13, 2012. When the forms are approved, they will be posted to the Court's website where they can be completed online or printed out.

Ohio Supreme Court Requests Comments on Proposed Changes to the Rules of Practice and Procedure (appellate, civil, criminal, juvenile and evidence)

The Ohio Supreme Court is requesting comments until November 13th on proposed changes to the Rules of Practice and Procedure, including appellate, civil, criminal, juvenile and evidence rules. According to the Court's news release,

"The proposed amendments concern changes to the rules of  appellate procedure, civil procedure, criminal procedure, juvenile procedure  and the Ohio Rules of Evidence.

Many of the proposed changes target inconsistencies, allow  for electronic means of service, remove outdated concepts, or move certain  rules to other sections that make more sense. There are, however, a few substantive  changes to existing rules.

• Proposed amendments to Civ. R. 4.4 and Juv. R. 16 would       make it clear that service by posting can be used in initial actions and       expand it to post-decree matters. In addition to the traditional “posting”       of a notice on the courthouse bulletin board, service would use the county       clerk of court’s website if it exists, although the amendments don’t       require electronic posting.
• Amendments to Civ. R. 10(D)(2) and Evid. R. 601 seek to       enhance the affidavit of merit requirement and clarify who qualifies as an       expert in a medical claim. The amendments distinguish between medical       malpractice cases and other medical, dental, optometric or chiropractic       claims. An amendment to Evid. R. 601 would require experts to have devoted       three-quarters of their professional time to active clinical practice at       the time of the event giving rise to the claim."

Click here to follow the link to view the text of the proposed amendments and for the address for the submission of comments.  Assuming no problems or changes occur, these proposed amendments would go into effect on July 1, 2013.

New Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice System Will be Fully Open to Public on October 11, 2011

Today marks the last day of business for the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court at its current facility on East 22nd. The Court is in the process of moving into the new Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center (CCJJC) located at 9300 Quincy Ave. in Cleveland, Ohio. The building will be fully open to the public starting on October 11, 2011, but filings will be accepted at the CCJJC beginning on October 3rd, when the court will also begin to hear emergency custody, detention arraignments, adult jail, and civil protection matters at the new facility. For questions, you can call (216) 443-8400 for more information. Click here for a video tour of the new facility.

Ohio Supreme Court Getting ready for Annual Update to Civil, Appellate, Criminal and Juvenile Rules

The Ohio Supreme Court is getting a head start on annual updates to the rules governing civil, appellate, criminal and juvenile practice in Ohio. Through November 2nd, the Court is accepting comments on proposed changes which would include rules on official transcripts for appeal, oral argument scheduling, magistrate qualifications, and rules for juvenile proceedings. Click here to read the Court's press release, which contains a link where you can read the text of the proposed rules.

Ohio Supreme Court Accepting Comments on Proposed Rule for Juvenile Court CPO's

The Ohio Supreme Court is accepting public comments until July 20, 2010 on a proposed new Rule 10.05 to the Ohio Rules of Superintendence that would authorize juvenile courts to issue civil protection orders against juveniles and adopt standard forms for seeking a protection order. The Rule was proposed in response to HB 10, which allows a juvenile court to issue a protection order against a child who is alleged to have committed certain offenses or domestic violence against the person to be protected. HB 10 also includes foster parents under the scope of the domestic violence laws and prohibits the unauthorized use of the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway.  According to the Ohio Attorney General's office, the Gateway "is a secure, Web-based platform that provides real-time information to law enforcement agencies about identity theft, sex offenders and missing children. Through OHLEG, law enforcement agencies can share information in order to better prevent and solve crimes."

Ohio Supreme Court Translates Common Forms into 5 Languages

The Ohio Supreme Court has translated 27 common forms used in general, domestic relations, juvenile and probate court cases into Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Russian, and Somali. A few of the key forms include those related to domestic violence and stalking. Click here to find the translated forms.