Court Rules
Judge

Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh

Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies

Butler County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Limits & Logistics

Document Limits

BriefCourt-wide
15 pgs

Courtesy Copies

Courtesy copies

Court-wide

Motion

Court-wide

Motion To Seal

Court-wide
  • Upon Filing

Suggestion Of Complex Litigation

Court-wide
Filters:AllMandatoryImportantFormattingMemorandaDiscoveryExhibitsBinders/TabsLettersSettlementJury

Document Format Requirements1 rule

FormattingCivil cases

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Important?

Each set shall be placed in a binder or cover.

Summary: Each assembled set of trial materials must be placed in a binder or cover.

JMMptp0002 · p. 2|SecG. TRIAL MATERIALS EXCHANGE

Document Filing Requirements3 rules

Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory

Pretrial statements must include the parties' claims and defenses, admitted and stipulated facts, disputed factual and legal issues, supporting authority, and witness information.

Counsel shall prepare pretrial statements which shall contain the following: (1) A concise statement of the claims and defenses of the parties; (2) Those facts established by admissions in the pleadings, admissions by discovery, and stipulations of counsel; (3) The contested issues of fact; (4) The contested issues of law, together with counsel's citations of authority for his position; (5) The names and addresses of witnesses, together with a brief statement of the subject matter of each witness's testimony and a brief summary of each witness's expected testimony;

Document Type

Pretrial Statement

Content & Formatting
Statement Of Facts
Legal Argument
JMMptp0002 · p. 1|SecE. PRETRIAL STATEMENTS
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory

Pretrial statements must also identify expert witnesses, list and mark trial exhibits, identify pending motions in limine, list special damages, estimate trial time, report settlement status, and provide requested jury instructions and interrogatories.

(6) The names, addresses, and qualifications of the expert witnesses expected to testify at trial, together with a brief statement of the subject matter of each expert witness's testimony; (7) A list of exhibits which counsel intends to offer into evidence, marked as follows: (a) Joint exhibits with Roman numerals, (b) Plaintiffs exhibits with Arabic numerals. (c) Defendant's exhibits with letters; (8) Motions in limine not previously filed; (9) A list of all special damages being requested; (10) Counsel's expectation of the trial time needed to present his side of the case; (11) The status of settlement negotiations including specific demands and/or offers; (12) Requested jury instructions (other than boilerplate), and jury interrogatories.

Document Type

Pretrial Statement

Content & Formatting
Exhibit List
JMMptp0002 · p. 2|SecE. PRETRIAL STATEMENTS
Filing RequirementsCivil cases

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory

Objections to exhibits or other trial material must be written, filed by 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date, contemporaneously delivered to chambers, and briefly state the grounds with supporting authority.

Objections to the admission of exhibits or to the use of other material must be made in writing and filed before 4:00 p.m. on the date indicated and a copy of the objection shall be contemporaneously delivered to the court in chambers. Objections shall state briefly the grounds for the objection and a brief citation of authority.

Document Type

Exhibit Or Material Objection

Specific requirements detailed in rule text.
JMMptp0002 · p. 2|SecG. TRIAL MATERIALS EXCHANGE

Filing & Service rules

Filing Timing and Cure Windows

Separate trial-material sets must be delivered to opposing counsel and the court before 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date.

Separate sets of materials shall be delivered to opposing counsel and to the court before 4:00 p.m. on the date indicated.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases

Page 2 | G. TRIAL MATERIALS EXCHANGE

Pretrial statements must be delivered to the court in chambers by 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date, and the deadline may be extended only with leave of court.

The pretrial statements shall be delivered to the court in chambers no later than 4:00 p.m. on the date indicated. This deadline is firm and cannot be extended except by leave of court.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases

Page 2 | E. PRETRIAL STATEMENTS

Objections to the admission of exhibits or use of other trial material must be made in writing, filed before 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date, and copied contemporaneously to the court in chambers.

Objections to the admission of exhibits or to the use of other material must be made in writing and filed before 4:00 p.m. on the date indicated and a copy of the objection shall be contemporaneously delivered to the court in chambers.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases

Page 2 | G. TRIAL MATERIALS EXCHANGE

Counsel must file all transcripts and video depositions with the Clerk's office before trial.

Counsel is responsible for insuring that all transcripts and video depositions are filed with the Clerk's office prior to trial.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases

Page 3 | I. TRIAL

Filing Bundling Requirements

Counsel must assemble complete sets of trial materials, place each set in a binder or cover, and deliver separate sets to opposing counsel and the court by 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date.

Counsel shall assemble sets of all depositions, documents, photographs and other items to be used at trial. Each set shall be placed in a binder or cover. Separate sets of materials shall be delivered to opposing counsel and to the court before 4:00 p.m. on the date indicated.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Civil cases

Page 2 | G. TRIAL MATERIALS EXCHANGE

Chambers Communication Rules

Counsel must contact the Clerk's office before trial to ensure the availability of the depositions.

This rule requires counsel to contact the Clerk's office prior to trial to insure the availability of the depositions.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases

Page 3 | I. TRIAL

Court-wide rules

Applies court-wide

These 198 rules apply across Butler County Court of Common Pleas, General Division. Where this judge's own standing orders above address the same topic, the judge's requirement controls.

Filing Requirements

All 81
  • Applies to
    Motion to seal
    Must include
    caption, case number

    Counsel seeking to seal a document, documents, or a case file must file a motion, submit a proposed entry, and provide the trial judge a courtesy copy of the motion.

  • Applies to
    Notice of filing of attachments
    Must include
    caption

    A document containing separately submitted attachments to a proposed entry must bear the specified notice title and be filed concurrently with the motion and proposed order or entry.

  • Applies to
    Transcript request

    A transcript must be ordered by submitting the court-approved Transcript Request form or a written request containing all required information, and no transcript will be prepared without such a request.

Service

All 27
  • Service
    Mail

    Electronic return receipts may be used for certified mail service, and electronic proof of service for certified or express mail sent by the Court satisfies the applicable service requirements, but the use of electronic return receipts is optional.

  • Applies to
    Motion

    A motion requesting permission for counsel to withdraw must be served on all counsel of record and the withdrawing counsel's client.

  • Applies to
    Initial complaint
    Service
    Court service

    For an electronically filed complaint or third-party complaint, the Clerk issues a summons and serves the pleading according to the filing party's instructions.

Filing Timing

All 23

  • A document is considered filed when the Clerk accepts it into the case record.

  • Subject to the deficiency-correction rule, an electronic document is filed upon submission regardless of the Portal's stamp date.

  • The Clerk must file specified initiating and appellate documents despite deficiencies and must notify the submitting party and assigned judge of those deficiencies.

Fees

All 18
  • Applies to
    Criminal cause or civil action

    A special projects fee, in addition to all other court costs, must be collected when filing each criminal cause or civil action in the General Division of Common Pleas Court.

  • Applies to
    Pro se filing

    The Clerk may scan and electronically file a pro se party's mailed documents only after all required deposits and filing fees have been paid.

  • Applies to
    Document requiring filing fee

    An electronically filed document requiring a fee, including a jury demand, may be rejected unless the fee is paid through the e-Filing Portal when filed.

More categories

View all Butler County Court of Common Pleas, General Division rules
About Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh

Appointed to the General Division of the Butler County Common Pleas Court in October of 2013, elected to her first full term in 2014 and reelected in 2020. She handles criminal felony and civil cases, and in addition to her regular docket presides over the Felony Non-Support Court. - Judicial Assistant: Linda Clark - Bailiff: Alan Halcomb - Magistrate: Justin Lane - Phone: 513-887-3783

Government Services Center, 315 High Street, Third Floor, Hamilton, Ohio 45011 - Judicial Assistant: Linda Clark - Phone: 513-887-3783

Common questions about Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh's rules

What formatting rules apply to filings before Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh?

Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh's formatting rule includes each set shall be placed in a binder or cover.. Each assembled set of trial materials must be placed in a binder or cover.

View ruleSource: page 2, section G. TRIAL MATERIALS EXCHANGE

What must be included with pretrial statement filings before Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh?

The rule requires legal argument and statement of facts. Pretrial statements must include the parties' claims and defenses, admitted and stipulated facts, disputed factual and legal issues, supporting authority, and witness information.

View ruleSource: page 1, section E. PRETRIAL STATEMENTS

What must be included with exhibit or material objection filings before Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh?

The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. Objections to exhibits or other trial material must be written, filed by 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date, contemporaneously delivered to chambers, and briefly state the grounds with supporting authority.

View ruleSource: page 2, section G. TRIAL MATERIALS EXCHANGE

How may parties contact Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh's chambers?

Counsel must contact the Clerk's office before trial to ensure the availability of the depositions.

View ruleSource: page 3, section I. TRIAL

Does Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh require motion papers to be bundled?

Yes. Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh requires bundling for covered papers. Counsel must assemble complete sets of trial materials, place each set in a binder or cover, and deliver separate sets to opposing counsel and the court by 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date.

View ruleSource: page 2, section G. TRIAL MATERIALS EXCHANGE

When is a filing treated as filed before Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh?

The rule states a 4:00 p.m. filing cutoff. Pretrial statements must be delivered to the court in chambers by 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date, and the deadline may be extended only with leave of court.

View ruleSource: page 2, section E. PRETRIAL STATEMENTS
Complete rules summary for Judge Jennifer Muench-McElfresh

Pretrial statements must include the parties' claims and defenses, admitted and stipulated facts, disputed factual and legal issues, supporting authority, and witness information.

Pretrial statements must also identify expert witnesses, list and mark trial exhibits, identify pending motions in limine, list special damages, estimate trial time, report settlement status, and provide requested jury instructions and interrogatories.

Pretrial statements must be delivered to the court in chambers by 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date, and the deadline may be extended only with leave of court.

Counsel must assemble complete sets of trial materials, place each set in a binder or cover, and deliver separate sets to opposing counsel and the court by 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date.

Each assembled set of trial materials must be placed in a binder or cover.

Separate trial-material sets must be delivered to opposing counsel and the court before 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date.

Objections to exhibits or other trial material must be written, filed by 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date, contemporaneously delivered to chambers, and briefly state the grounds with supporting authority.

Objections to the admission of exhibits or use of other trial material must be made in writing, filed before 4:00 p.m. on the indicated date, and copied contemporaneously to the court in chambers.

Counsel must file all transcripts and video depositions with the Clerk's office before trial.

Counsel must contact the Clerk's office before trial to ensure the availability of the depositions.

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