Chapter 2703 | Service Of Summons

Section 2703.14 | Service by publication.

• Effective: June 23, 1994
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 208 - 120th General Assembly

Service may be made by publication in any of the following cases:

(A) In an action for the recovery of real property or of an estate or interest in real property, when the defendant is not a resident of this state or his place of residence cannot be ascertained;

(B) In an action for the partition of real property, when the defendant is not a resident of this state or his place of residence cannot be ascertained;

(C) In an action to foreclose a mortgage or to enforce a lien or other encumbrance or charge on real property, when the defendant is not a resident of this state or his place of residence cannot be ascertained;

(D) In an action to compel the specific performance of a contract for the sale of real property, when the defendant is not a resident of this state or his place of residence cannot be ascertained;

(E) In connection with giving notice of the admission of a will to probate, when the place of residence of a defendant or other person entitled to notice is not known and cannot with reasonable diligence be ascertained;

(F) In an action by an executor, administrator, guardian, or trustee seeking the direction of the court respecting the trust or property to be administered and the rights of the parties in interest, when the defendant is not a resident of this state or his place of residence cannot be ascertained;

(G) In an action in which it is sought by a provisional remedy to take or to appropriate in any way property of the defendant, when the defendant is not a resident of this state or is a foreign corporation or his place of residence cannot be ascertained;

(H) In an action against a corporation organized under the laws of this state that has failed to elect officers or to appoint an agent upon whom service of summons can be made and that has no place of doing business in this state;

(I) In an action that relates to or the subject of which is real or personal property in this state, when the defendant has or claims a lien on the property or an actual or contingent interest in the property or the relief demanded consists wholly or partly in excluding him from any interest in the property, and the defendant is not a resident of this state or is a foreign corporation or his place of residence cannot be ascertained;

(J) In an action against an executor, administrator, or guardian who has given bond in that capacity in this state but who, at the time of the commencement of the action, is not a resident of this state or his place of residence cannot be ascertained;

(K) In an action or proceeding for a new trial or other relief after judgment, or to impeach a judgment or order for fraud, or to obtain an order of satisfaction thereof, when the defendant is not a resident of this state or his place of residence cannot be ascertained;

(L) In an action in which the defendant, being a resident of this state, has departed from the county of his residence with intent to delay or defraud his creditors or to avoid the service of a summons, or keeps himself concealed with a similar intent.

Section 2703.141 | Service of process by publication - foreclosure action.

• Effective: September 11, 2008
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 138 - 127th General Assembly

(A) If service by publication is necessary in an action to foreclose a mortgage or to enforce a lien or other encumbrance or charge on real property, the party seeking service by publication shall cause the publication to be made once a week for three consecutive weeks instead of as provided by Civil Rule 4.4.

(B) In any county that has adopted a permanent parcel system, the parcel may be described in the notice described in division (A) of this section by listing the complete street address and the parcel number, instead of also with a complete legal description, or the parcel may be described in the notice by listing the complete street address of the parcel and by indicating that the complete legal description of the parcel may be obtained from the county auditor.

Section 2703.20 | Service of process upon nonresident owners or operators of motor vehicles.

• Effective: October 4, 1955
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 60 - 101st General Assembly

Any nonresident of this state, being the operator or owner of any motor vehicle, who accepts the privilege extended by the laws of this state to nonresident operators and owners, of operating a motor vehicle or of having the same operated, within this state, or any resident of this state, being the licensed operator or owner of any motor vehicle under the laws of this state, who subsequently becomes a nonresident or conceals his whereabouts, by such acceptance or licensure and by the operation of such motor vehicle within this state makes the secretary of state of the state of Ohio his agent for the service of process in any civil suit or proceeding instituted in the courts of this state against such operator or owner of such motor vehicle, arising out of, or by reason of, any accident or collision occurring within this state in which such motor vehicle is involved. Such appointment shall be irrevocable and binding upon the executor or administrator of such nonresident operator or owner.

Such process shall be served, by the officer to whom the same is directed, or by the sheriff of Franklin county, who may be deputized for such purposes by the officer to whom the service is directed, upon the secretary of state by leaving at the office of the secretary of state, at least fifteen days before the return day of such process, a true and attested copy thereof, and by sending to the defendant, by registered mail, postage pre-paid, a like true and attested copy, with an indorsement thereon of the service upon said secretary of state, addressed to such defendant at his last known address. The registered mail return receipt of such defendant shall be attached to and made a part of the return of service of such process.

Where the nonresident operator or owner dies prior to the commencement of an action brought pursuant to this section, service of process may be made on the executor or administrator of such nonresident operator or owner in the same manner and on the same notice as is provided in the case of a nonresident operator or owner. Where an action has been commenced under the provisions of this section by service on a defendant who dies thereafter the court must allow the action to be continued against his executor or administrator upon motion with such notice as the court deems proper. Where the nonresident operator or owner of such motor vehicle is an infant, service in the manner provided in this section shall be made upon the infant only, and service upon the persons named in section 2703.13 of the Revised Code shall not be required.

Section 2703.201 | Nonresident owners and other operators of aircraft service of summons.

• Effective: January 23, 1963
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 105th General Assembly

Any nonresident of this state, being the pilot, operator, legal or equitable owner, lessor, or lessee of any aircraft, who accepts the privilege of operating an aircraft, or of having the same operated within or over this state, or any resident of this state, being the pilot, operator, legal or equitable owner, lessor, or lessee of any aircraft, who subsequently becomes a nonresident or conceals his whereabouts, by operation of such aircraft within or over this state makes the secretary of state of this state his agent for the service of summons in any civil suit or proceeding instituted in the courts of this state against any pilot, operator, legal or equitable owner, lessor, or lessee of such aircraft arising out of or by reason of any damage, accident, or injury occurring within this state during such operation. Such appointment is irrevocable and binding upon the executor or administrator of such nonresident pilot, operator, legal or equitable owner, lessor, or lessee.

Such summons shall be served by the officer to whom the same is directed or by the sheriff of Franklin county, who may be deputized for such purposes by the officer to whom the service is directed, upon the secretary of state by leaving at the office of the secretary of state at least fifteen days before the return day of such process, a true and attested copy thereof, and by sending to the defendant, by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, a true and attested copy with an endorsement thereon of the service upon said secretary of state, addressed to the defendant at his last known address. The registered or certified mail return receipt of such defendant shall be attached to and made a part of the return of service of such summons. The return day shall be the third Monday after the date of such summons.

Where the nonresident pilot, operator, legal or equitable owner, lessor, or lessee dies prior to the commencement of an action brought pursuant to this section, service of summons shall be made on the executor or administrator of such nonresident pilot, operator, legal or equitable owner, lessor, or lessee in the same manner and by the same notice as is provided in the case of a nonresident pilot, operator, legal or equitable owner, lessor, or lessee. Where an action has been commenced under this section by service on a defendant who dies thereafter, the court must allow the action to be continued against his executor or administrator upon motion with such notice as the court deems proper. Where the nonresident pilot, operator, legal or equitable owner, lessor, or lessee of such aircraft is an infant, service in the manner provided in this section shall be made upon the infant only and service upon the persons named in section 2703.13 of the Revised Code is not required.

Section 2703.24 | Proceedings when name of party is unknown.

• Effective: October 4, 1955
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 30 - 101st General Assembly

When it appears by affidavit that the name and residence of a necessary party are unknown to the plaintiff, proceedings against him may be had without naming him; and the court shall make an order respecting the publication of notice, but the order shall require not less than six weeks' publication.

Section 2703.26 | Lis pendens in general.

• Effective: September 11, 2008
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 138 - 127th General Assembly

When a complaint is filed, the action is pending so as to charge a third person with notice of its pendency. While pending, no interest can be acquired by third persons in the subject of the action, as against the plaintiff's title.

Section 2703.27 | Lis pendens as to suits in other counties.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

When a part of real property, the subject matter of an action, is situated in a county other than the one in which the action is brought, a certified copy of the judgment in such action must be recorded in the county recorder's office of such other county before it operates therein as notice so as to charge third persons, as provided in section 2703.26 of the Revised Code. It shall operate as such notice, without record, in the county where it is rendered. This section does not apply to actions or proceedings under any statute which does not require such record.

Section 2703.29 | Service of summons on cross petition upon nonresident plaintiff.

• Effective: July 28, 1965
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 12 - 106th General Assembly

When a plaintiff is not a resident of the state and a defendant files a cross petition, service of summons on the cross petition may be made upon such nonresident plaintiff by registered mail directed to the plaintiff at the address listed by plaintiff with the clerk of courts of the county in which the action is pending and the return of the sheriff shall be in accordance with section 2703.23 of the Revised Code.

Thereafter continued prosecution of the case by the nonresident plaintiff shall be deemed a waiver of service of summons on the cross petition.