Ohio Civ. R. 53 (2011)
Rule 53. Magistrates
(A) Appointment.
A court of record may appoint one or more magistrates who shall be attorneys at law admitted to practice in Ohio.
(B) Compensation.
The compensation of magistrates shall be fixed by the court, and no part of the compensation shall be taxed as costs under Civ. R. 54(D).
(C) Authority.
(1) Scope.
To assist courts of record and pursuant to reference under Civ. R. 53(D)(1), magistrates are authorized, subject to the terms of the relevant reference, to do any of the following:
(a) Determine any motion in any case;
(b) Conduct the trial of any case that will not be tried to a jury;
(c) Upon unanimous written consent of the parties, preside over the trial of any case that will be tried to a jury;
(d) Conduct proceedings upon application for the issuance of a temporary protection order as authorized by law;
(e) Exercise any other authority specifically vested in magistrates by statute and consistent with this rule.
(2) Regulation of proceedings.
In performing the responsibilities described in Civ. R. 53(C)(1), magistrates are authorized, subject to the terms of the relevant reference, to regulate all proceedings as if by the court and to do everything necessary for the efficient performance of those responsibilities, including but not limited to, the following:
(a) Issuing subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence;
(b) Ruling upon the admissibility of evidence;
(c) Putting witnesses under oath and examining them;
(d) Calling the parties to the action and examining them under oath;
(e) When necessary to obtain the presence of an alleged contemnor in cases involving direct or indirect contempt of court, issuing an attachment for the alleged contemnor and setting the type, amount, and any conditions of bail pursuant to Crim. R. 46;
(f) Imposing, subject to Civ. R. 53(D)(8), appropriate sanctions for civil or criminal contempt committed in the presence of the magistrate.
(D) Proceedings in Matters Referred to Magistrates.
(1) Reference by court of record.
(a) Purpose and method.
A court of record may, for one or more of the purposes described in Civ. R. 53(C)(1), refer a particular case or matter or a category of cases or matters to a magistrate by a specific or general order of reference or by rule.
(b) Limitation.
A court of record may limit a reference by specifying or limiting the magistrate's powers, including but not limited to, directing the magistrate to determine only particular issues, directing the magistrate to perform particular responsibilities, directing the magistrate to receive and report evidence only, fixing the time and place for beginning and closing any hearings, or fixing the time for filing any magistrate's decision on the matter or matters referred.
(2) Magistrate's order; motion to set aside magistrate's order.
(a) Magistrate's order.
(i) Nature of order.
Subject to the terms of the relevant reference, a magistrate may enter orders without judicial approval if necessary to regulate the proceedings and if not dispositive of a claim or defense of a party.
(ii) Form, filing, and service of magistrate's order.
A magistrate's order shall be in writing, identified as a magistrate's order in the caption, signed by the magistrate, filed with the clerk, and served by the clerk on all parties or their attorneys.
(b) Motion to set aside magistrate's order.
Any party may file a motion with the court to set aside a magistrate's order. The motion shall state the moving party's reasons with particularity and shall be filed not later than ten days after the magistrate's order is filed. The pendency of a motion to set aside does not stay the effectiveness of the magistrate's order, though the magistrate or the court may by order stay the effectiveness of a magistrate's order.
(3) Magistrate's decision; objections to magistrate's decision.
(a) Magistrate's decision.
(i) When required.
Subject to the terms of the relevant reference, a magistrate shall prepare a magistrate's decision respecting any matter referred under Civ. R. 53(D)(1).
(ii) Findings of fact and conclusions of law.
Subject to the terms of the relevant reference, a magistrate's decision may be general unless findings of fact and conclusions of law are timely requested by a party or otherwise required by law. A request for findings of fact and conclusions of law shall be made before the entry of a magistrate's decision or within seven days after the filing of a magistrate's decision. If a request for findings of fact and conclusions of law is timely made, the magistrate may require any or all of the parties to submit proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law.
(iii) Form; filing, and service of magistrate's decision.
A magistrate's decision shall be in writing, identified as a magistrate's decision in the caption, signed by the magistrate, filed with the clerk, and served by the clerk on all parties or their attorneys no later than three days after the decision is filed. A magistrate's decision shall indicate conspicuously that a party shall not assign as error on appeal the court's adoption of any factual finding or legal conclusion, whether or not specifically designated as a finding of fact or conclusion of law under Civ. R. 53(D)(3)(a)(ii), unless the party timely and specifically objects to that factual finding or legal conclusion as required by Civ. R. 53(D)(3)(b).
(b) Objections to magistrate's decision.
(i) Time for filing.
A party may file written objections to a magistrate's decision within fourteen days of the filing of the decision, whether or not the court has adopted the decision during that fourteen-day period as permitted by Civ. R. 53(D)(4)(e)(i). If any party timely files objections, any other party may also file objections not later than ten days after the first objections are filed. If a party makes a timely request for findings of fact and conclusions of law, the time for filing objections begins to run when the magistrate files a decision that includes findings of fact and conclusions of law.
(ii) Specificity of objection.
An objection to a magistrate's decision shall be specific and state with particularity all grounds for objection.
(iii) Objection to magistrate's factual finding; transcript or affidavit.
An objection to a factual finding, whether or not specifically designated as a finding of fact under Civ. R. 53(D)(3)(a)(ii), shall be supported by a transcript of all the evidence submitted to the magistrate relevant to that finding or an affidavit of that evidence if a transcript is not available. With leave of court, alternative technology or manner of reviewing the relevant evidence may be considered. The objecting party shall file the transcript or affidavit with the court within thirty days after filing objections unless the court extends the time in writing for preparation of the transcript or other good cause. If a party files timely objections prior to the date on which a transcript is prepared, the party may seek leave of court to supplement the objections.
(iv) Waiver of right to assign adoption by court as error on appeal.
Except for a claim of plain error, a party shall not assign as error on appeal the court's adoption of any factual finding or legal conclusion, whether or not specifically designated as a finding of fact or conclusion of law under Civ. R. 53(D)(3)(a)(ii), unless the party has objected to that finding or conclusion as required by Civ. R. 53(D)(3)(b).
(4) Action of court on magistrate's decision and on any objections to magistrate's decision; entry of judgment or interim order by court.
(a) Action of court required.
A magistrate's decision is not effective unless adopted by the court.
(b) Action on magistrate's decision.
Whether or not objections are timely filed, a court may adopt or reject a magistrate's decision in whole or in part, with or without modification. A court may hear a previously-referred matter, take additional evidence, or return a matter to a magistrate.
(c) If no objections are filed.
If no timely objections are filed, the court may adopt a magistrate's decision, unless it determines that there is an error of law or other defect evident on the face of the magistrate's decision.
(d) Action on objections.
If one or more objections to a magistrate's decision are timely filed, the court shall rule on those objections. In ruling on objections, the court shall undertake an independent review as to the objected matters to ascertain that the magistrate has properly determined the factual issues and appropriately applied the law. Before so ruling, the court may hear additional evidence but may refuse to do so unless the objecting party demonstrates that the party could not, with reasonable diligence, have produced that evidence for consideration by the magistrate.
(e) Entry of judgment or interim order by court.
A court that adopts, rejects, or modifies a magistrate's decision shall also enter a judgment or interim order.
(i) Judgment.
The court may enter a judgment either during the fourteen days permitted by Civ. R. 53(D)(3)(b)(i) for the filing of objections to a magistrate's decision or after the fourteen days have expired. If the court enters a judgment during the fourteen days permitted by Civ. R. 53(D)(3)(b)(i) for the filing of objections, the timely filing of objections to the magistrate's decision shall operate as an automatic stay of execution of the judgment until the court disposes of those objections and vacates, modifies, or adheres to the judgment previously entered.
(ii) Interim order.
The court may enter an interim order on the basis of a magistrate's decision without waiting for or ruling on timely objections by the parties where immediate relief is justified. The timely filing of objections does not stay the execution of an interim order, but an interim order shall not extend more than twenty-eight days from the date of entry, subject to extension by the court in increments of twenty-eight additional days for good cause shown. An interim order shall comply with Civ. R. 54(A), be journalized pursuant to Civ. R. 58(A), and be served pursuant to Civ. R. 58(B).
(5) Extension of time.
For good cause shown, the court shall allow a reasonable extension of time for a party to file a motion to set aside a magistrate's order or file objections to a magistrate's decision. "Good cause" includes, but is not limited to, a failure by the clerk to timely serve the party seeking the extension with the magistrate's order or decision.
(6) Disqualification of a magistrate.
Disqualification of a magistrate for bias or other cause is within the discretion of the court and may be sought by motion filed with the court.
(7) Recording of proceedings before a magistrate.
Except as otherwise provided by law, all proceedings before a magistrate shall be recorded in accordance with procedures established by the court.
(8) Contempt in the presence of a magistrate.
(a) Contempt order.
Contempt sanctions under Civ. R. 53(C)(2)(f) may be imposed only by a written order that recites the facts and certifies that the magistrate saw or heard the conduct constituting contempt.
(b) Filing and provision of copies of contempt order.
A contempt order shall be filed and copies provided forthwith by the clerk to the appropriate judge of the court and to the subject of the order.
(c) Review of contempt order by court; bail.
The subject of a contempt order may by motion obtain immediate review by a judge. A judge or the magistrate entering the contempt order may set bail pending judicial review of the order.
HISTORY: Amended, eff 7-1-75; 7-1-85; 7-1-92; 7-1-93; 7-1-95; 7-1-96; 7-1-98; 7-1-03; 7-1-06.