Rule 3 - Designation or Election of Presiding Judge(A) Single-judge courts In a single-judge court of common pleas or a single-judge municipal or county court, the judge shall serve as the presiding judge of the court.
(B) Multi-judge courts(1) In a court of appeals, a multi-judge court of common pleas, or a multi-judge municipal or county court, the judges of the court shall elect by a majority vote a presiding judge of the court from the judges of the court.(2) If the judges of a court are unable to elect a presiding judge of the court pursuant to division (B)(1) of this rule, the presiding judge shall be determined as follows: (a) The judge having the longest total service on the court shall serve as the presiding judge; (b) If two or more judges have equal periods of total service on the court, the judge having the longest total service as an Ohio judge shall serve as the presiding judge; (c) If two or more judges have equal periods of total service as an Ohio judge, the judge having the earliest date of admittance to the practice of law in Ohio shall serve as the presiding judge;(d) If two or more judges were admitted to the practice of law in Ohio on the same date, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall designate one of the judges of the court to serve as the presiding judge. (C) Term The term of a presiding judge of a court shall be one year, provided that a court may establish by local rule a term of not less than one year and not more than three years. The term of a presiding judge shall begin on January 1st of the year immediately following the designation or election of the presiding judge. A presiding judge may serve consecutive terms.
(D) Designation or election date The designation or election of a presiding judge of a court shall occur on or before December 31st of the year preceding the term.
(E) Notification of designation or election A presiding judge of a court shall notify the Administrative Director of the Supreme Court of judge's designation or election as the presiding judge by January 15th of the year of the term.
Amended October 23, 2012, effective 12/1/2012;8/1/2017.