Rule 36.31 - Initial Certification(A) Initiating a complaint (1) The judge of a court of common pleas, municipal court, or county court or division of the court operating a specialized docket that has been certified by the Supreme Court pursuant to Sup.R. 36.26 shall maintain compliance with the "Specialized Docket Standards" of Appendix I to this rule during the entire certification period. Anyone with information alleging non-compliance with the standards may initiate a complaint process which may prompt technical assistance from the staff of the Specialized Dockets Section of the Supreme Court pursuant to Sup.R. 36.29.(2) If technical assistance does not resolve the alleged non-compliance, a formal written complaint may be submitted to the section. The complaint shall be in the form and manner as prescribed by the section and include the name and contact information for the person filing the complaint, the judge of the court or division operating the specialized docket, identification of any and all standards in question, and the nature of the areas of non-compliance. The section shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint within ten business days of its filing by regular or electronic mail.(3) The section shall send a copy of the complaint with a request for response to the judge of the court or division operating the specialized docket. The judge shall provide a written response to the subcommittee of the Supreme Court Commission on Specialized Dockets within thirty days.(4) The chair and vice-chair of the Commission on Specialized Dockets shall appoint a separate subcommittee of three commission members to review each complaint submitted to the section and the written response of the judge.(B) Recommendation on decertification Upon receipt of the complaint and response from the judge pursuant to division (A) of this rule or upon expiration of the response deadline if no response is received, the appointed subcommittee of the Commission on Specialized Dockets shall issue a recommendation on the certification of the specialized docket. The manager shall provide notice to the judge operating the specialized docket.
(C) Review by commission The Commission on Specialized Dockets shall review and make a determination on the recommendation of the certification of the specialized docket issued by the appointed subcommittee of the commission pursuant to division (B) of this rule. The section shall provide to the judge operating the specialized docket notice by regular or electronic mail specifying the date and time the commission will meet to review the recommendation. The notice shall also inform the judge that at the meeting a representative of the court or division may be present and offer evidence and arguments in opposition of the recommendation on decertification. The decision of the commission on decertification shall be final and not appealable.
Ohio. R. Superi. Ct. 36.31
Adopted August 18, 2020, effective 1/1/2021.