A A court may adopt local rules of practice which shall not be inconsistent with these rules or with other rules promulgated by the Supreme Court and shall file its local rules of practice with the Clerk of the Supreme Court.
Rule 83.Local Rules of Practice
Last amended July 1, 2000 · Last verified July 1, 2026
In one sentenceRule 83 lets a court adopt local rules of practice that don't conflict with the statewide Civil Rules or other Supreme Court rules, but only after giving appropriate notice and a chance for public comment, with an exception for immediately effective rules the court finds urgently necessary.
Full Text of Rule 83
B Local rules of practice shall be adopted only after the court gives appropriate notice and an opportunity for comment. If a court determines that there is an immediate need for a rule, it may adopt the rule without prior notice and opportunity for comment, but promptly shall afford notice and opportunity for comment.
Amendment History
Effective Date: July 1, 1970
Amended: July 1, 1994; July 1, 2000
Staff Note (July 1, 2000 Amendment)
Rule 83 Local Rules of Practice
The title of Civ.R. 83 and the text of division (A) were amended to more accurately reflect the intent of the original Civ.R. 83, which was to (1) restate the rule-making power of local courts as granted by sentence five of Section 5(B), Art. IV, Ohio Constitution and (2) require that rules adopted by local courts be filed with the Supreme Court. Civ.R. 83 was previously entitled Rule of Court. Although the previous rule did not reflect that intent as accurately as it might have, courts had generally accorded it treatment consistent with that intent. See 2 J. Klein & S. Darling, Baldwin’s Ohio Practice: Civil Practice, Section 83- 1 through 83-4 at 786-92 (West Group 1997).
The amendment was intended to (1) remove any doubt about the intent of the rule, (2) serve as a reminder that local rules of practice must be consistent with the Civil Rules and with other rules promulgated by the Supreme Court, and (3) make Civ.R. 83(A) more clearly consistent with Sup. R. 5(A).
Division (B) was amended in technical respects only; no substantive change was intended.
Plain-English Summary
Division (A) lets a court adopt local rules of practice, so long as they aren't inconsistent with the Civil Rules or with other rules the Supreme Court has promulgated. Division (B) requires local rules to be adopted only after the court gives appropriate notice and an opportunity for public comment -- except that if the court finds an immediately effective rule is urgently necessary, it may adopt one without prior notice or comment, provided that the court promptly gives notice and an opportunity to comment on the rule it has already put into effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a local court adopt its own procedural rules?
Yes, so long as those local rules don't conflict with the statewide Civil Rules or with other rules the Supreme Court has adopted.
Does the public get a chance to weigh in before a local rule takes effect?
Generally yes -- local rules require notice and an opportunity for comment before adoption, except for an urgently necessary rule the court puts into immediate effect and then opens for comment afterward.
What happens if a local rule conflicts with a statewide Civil Rule?
Rule 83 doesn't allow that -- a local rule of practice may not be inconsistent with the Civil Rules or other Supreme Court rules.
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. 83). 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: local rules of practicerule of court