Common pleas courts that establish commercial dockets will have the option of using retired judges to preside over these cases come July 1 under rule amendments announced by the Ohio Supreme Court today.

Commercial dockets resolve business-to-business disputes quicker and provide consistency to the process by judges developing expertise in this area. The types of cases that come before commercial docket judges include business liquidations, trade secret disputes, non-compete contracts, and shareholder disagreements.

As with the assignment of any retired judge, the constitutional authority to make assignments rests with the Chief Justice. The decision to use sitting judges or seek the assignment of a retired judge would be made by the local court.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court adopted rules – also effective July 1 – that establish the framework for common pleas courts with six or more general division judges or that are located in a county with at least 300,000 people to establish commercial dockets. Pilot commercial dockets have been operating in common pleas courts in Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, and Lucas counties.

View the rules as adopted.

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