Last amended July 1, 2026 · Last verified July 1, 2026
In one sentenceRule 73.8 sets the house rules for probate paperwork — letter-size paper, full contact details for counsel or the fiduciary, legible signatures, the case number on every page — and gives the prevailing side’s counsel seven days to submit a proposed judgment entry.
(A)All filings, except wills, shall be on eight and one-half by eleven inch paper, without backings, of stock that can be microfilmed.
(B)All filings shall contain the name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and attorney registration number of the individual counsel representing the fiduciary and, in the absence of counsel, the name, address, and telephone number of the fiduciary. Any filing not containing the above requirements may be refused.
(C)Failure of the fiduciary to notify the court of the fiduciary’s current address shall be grounds for removal. Not less than ten days written notice of the hearing to remove shall be given to the fiduciary by regular mail at the last address contained in the case file or by other method of service as the court may direct.
(D)Filings containing partially or wholly illegible signatures of counsel, parties or officers administering oaths may be refused, or, if filed, may be stricken, unless the typewritten or printed name of the person whose signature is purported to appear is clearly indicated on the filing.
(E)All pleadings, motions, or other filings are to be typed or printed in ink and correctly captioned.
(F)Unless the court otherwise directs, counsel for the party in whose favor a judgment is rendered, shall prepare the proposed judgment entry and submit the original to the court with a copy to counsel for the opposing party. The proposed judgment entry shall be submitted within seven days after the judgment is rendered. Counsel for the opposing party shall have seven days to object to the court. If the party in whose favor a judgment is rendered fails to comply with this division, the matter may be dismissed or the court may prepare and file the appropriate entry.
(G)When a pleading, motion, judgment entry or other filing consists of more than one page, each page shall contain the case number in the upper portion of the page.
End
Amendment History
Effective Date: July 1, 2026
Plain-English Summary
Divisions (A), (B), (D), (E), and (G) govern the form of every filing. All filings except wills go on eight and one-half by eleven inch paper, without backings, on stock that can be microfilmed. Each filing must give the name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and attorney registration number of the lawyer representing the fiduciary — or, if there is no lawyer, the fiduciary’s own name, address, and telephone number — and the court may refuse a filing that lacks them. A filing with an illegible signature of counsel, a party, or an officer administering an oath may be refused, or stricken if filed, unless the signer’s name is typed or printed on it. Filings must be typed or printed in ink and correctly captioned, and every page of a multi-page filing must carry the case number near the top.
Division (C) makes a fiduciary’s current address the fiduciary’s responsibility. Failing to keep the court informed is grounds for removal, and the fiduciary gets not less than ten days’ written notice of the removal hearing by regular mail to the last address in the case file or by another method the court directs.
Division (F) assigns the judgment entry. Unless the court directs otherwise, counsel for the party in whose favor judgment is rendered prepares a proposed entry and submits the original to the court, with a copy to opposing counsel, within seven days after the judgment is rendered. Opposing counsel has seven days to object. If the prevailing party does not comply, the court may dismiss the matter or prepare and file the entry itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who prepares the judgment entry in a probate case?
Unless the court directs otherwise, counsel for the party who won. Rule 73.8(F) gives that lawyer seven days after the judgment is rendered to submit a proposed entry, with a copy to opposing counsel, who then has seven days to object.
What happens if a fiduciary moves without telling the court?
It is grounds for removal under Rule 73.8(C). The fiduciary is entitled to not less than ten days’ written notice of the removal hearing, sent by regular mail to the last address in the case file or by another method the court directs.
Can the probate court refuse a filing?
Yes. A filing that lacks the required contact information may be refused under Rule 73.8(B), and one with an illegible signature may be refused or stricken under Rule 73.8(D) unless the signer’s name is typed or printed on it.
Source & verification. The rule text, Effective Date, Amended dates, and Staff Notes are reproduced verbatim from the
official Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure (Ohio R. Civ. P. 73.8). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Ohio (Ohio Constitution, Art. IV, § 5(B)). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as:probate filing requirementsprobate judgment entryfiduciary address