Lake County Court of Common Pleas, General Division Electronic Filing Rules

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

Filings designated as prohibited eFile case types may not be filed electronically and must be submitted in paper by U.S. Mail or at the clerk’s counter.

These are case types and filings that may not be filed electronically and shall be presented in paper form via traditional means via U.S. Mail or at the clerk’s counter.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

In designated eFile case types, the listed documents must be filed electronically through the court’s electronic filing system.

All pleadings, motions, briefs, memoranda of law, deposition transcripts, transcripts of proceedings, orders, or other documents submitted in designated eFile case types shall be filed electronically through the court’s electronic filing system.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

When a case type becomes designated for e-filing, represented parties must promptly enable counsel to electronically file, serve, receive, review, and retrieve case documents.

Upon the designation of any particular case type as an eFile case or filing, the parties to that case who are represented by counsel shall promptly take steps to allow their counsel to file, serve, receive, review, and retrieve copies of their pleadings, notices, orders, and other documents filed in the case electronically.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Paper filings are prohibited in mandatory designated eFile case types, and represented parties must register to use the court’s electronic filing system.

For designated eFile case types as mandatory, the court shall not accept or file any pleadings or instrument in paper form. Parties represented by counsel shall eFile a document by registering to use the court’s electronic filing system.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

The designated representative’s confidential electronic identifier must be used for all listed electronic filing, service, receipt, review, and retrieval functions in the case.

The court’s electronic filing system shall assign the party’s designated representative(s) a confidential and unique electronic identifier that must be used to file, serve, receive, review, and retrieve electronically filed pleadings, orders, and other documents filed in the assigned case.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Parties must electronically file the enumerated documents in case types designated for electronic filing.

For case types designated for electronic filing, parties shall file all pleadings, motions, briefs, memoranda of law, deposition transcripts, transcripts of proceedings, notices, orders, or other documents electronically through the court’s electronic filing system.

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

Applies to

Motion to seal

A motion to file documents under seal must be filed and served electronically, while the documents proposed for sealing must be handled under section 2.06.

(b) DOCUMENTS FILED UNDER SEAL. A motion to file documents under seal shall be filed and served electronically. However, the documents to be filed under seal shall be filed in accordance with section 2.06 of these rules.

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

Applies to

Document requiring filing security deposit or fee

A document that requires a filing security deposit or fee for valid filing must be filed and paid electronically through the same process used for other eFile documents.

(2) Any document requiring payment of a filing security deposit or a fee to the clerk of courts in order to achieve valid filing status shall be filed and paid electronically in the same manner as any other eFile document.

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

The electronic version is the official court record for electronically filed documents and for paper documents scanned and uploaded to the system.

For documents that have been electronically filed or documents filed in paper format that have been scanned and uploaded to the electronic filing system, the electronic version constitutes the official court record.

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

The listed documents may be filed conventionally unless the court expressly requires electronic filing.

(1) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following types of documents may be filed conventionally, unless expressly required to be filed electronically by the court:

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

Applies to

Exhibits

Exhibits or other items that cannot be comprehensibly viewed electronically may be filed and served conventionally.

(d) EXHIBITS. Exhibits or other items that may not be comprehensibly viewed in an electronic format may be filed and served conventionally.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026INFO

Applies to

Document

Complaints, pleadings, and other documents may be filed electronically over the Internet subject to the governing rule.

In conformity with the Revised Code, Civil Rule 5(E) and Criminal Rule 12(B) and, as approved (provisionally) by the Ohio Supreme Court Commission on Technology and the Courts, complaints, pleadings and other documents may be filed with the clerk of court electronically via the Internet, subject to the provisions in this rule.

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

Electronically filed papers have the same legal force and effect as traditionally filed papers.

Electronically filed papers have the same force and effect as those filed by traditional means.

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

Civil cases

Applies to

Settlement confirmation ?

If the entry cannot be provided by the scheduled trial date, the parties shall fax confirmation of the settlement to the court, and provide the entry as soon as practicable, but within fourteen days.

Summary: If the settlement entry cannot be provided by the trial date, the parties must fax settlement confirmation to the court and provide the entry as soon as practicable but no later than fourteen days later.

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

These are case types and filings that shall be submitted via the eFiling system.

Summary: Filings designated as mandatory eFile case types must be submitted through the eFiling system.

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

The clerk shall not accept or file any document in paper form in mandatory eFile case types from litigants represented by counsel.

Summary: The clerk will not accept paper filings from represented litigants in mandatory eFile case types.

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

By definition, parties filing electronically or receiving electronic service of any documents filed must become participants in the court’s electronic filing system.

Summary: A party that electronically files or receives electronic service must participate in the court’s electronic filing system.

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

All filings by parties appearing pro se shall be filed and served conventionally in paper form, unless the party petitions the court, and the court allows the party, to file and serve electronically, in which case the party may do so through the court’s electronic filing system.

Summary: Pro se parties must conventionally file and serve in paper unless the court permits electronic filing after the party petitions.

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

Applies to

CQE petition ?

All petitions for a certificate of qualification for employment shall be completed electronically online, through the ODRC website, on the form prescribed by the division of parole and community services. The court will not accept the paper filing of a petition for CQE.

Summary: CQE petitions must be completed electronically through the ODRC website on the prescribed form, and paper petitions will not be accepted.

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

Unless otherwise modified by approved stipulation or court order, all rules of civil, criminal, and appellate procedure, local rules, and orders of the court shall continue to apply to all documents electronically filed.

Summary: Electronically filed documents remain subject to civil, criminal, appellate, local, and court-order rules unless modified by approved stipulation or court order.

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

The clerk of courts shall scan the paper document and return the paper copy to the pro se litigant.

Summary: The clerk must scan a pro se litigant’s paper document and return the paper copy.

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

These are case types and/or filings that may be submitted via the eFiling system.

Summary: Filings designated as discretionary eFile case types may be submitted through the eFiling system.