General Information

Civil actions may be filed in this court if the total amount of damages is $15,000.00 or less. Common types of civil actions are: Evictions, Contracts, Personal Injury and Property Damage. It is important to keep in mind that the civil division is separate from small claims, which handles monetary claims up to $6,000.00. The cost to file an Eviction is $220.00 or Civil complaint is $160.00 (for 1 defendant, each additional defendant is $20.00) by cash, credit card or money order payable to Crawford County Municipal Court.

To file a civil case in the Crawford County Municipal Court, the action must have occurred or the defendant must reside within the Court’s jurisdiction. The jurisdiction of this Court includes all of Crawford County.

If you are subject to a civil action you have 28 days to answer. If you fail to answer, the Plaintiff can file a Default Judgment.

The Court cannot offer any legal advice or assist in the completion or filing of a complaint. If you have questions, you are advised to seek legal counsel. The Court may not appoint an attorney to represent you in civil matters. If you feel you need an attorney and cannot afford one, you may contact Legal Aid Services of Northwest Ohio at 1-800-837-8908.

Phone & Fax Numbers

Forcible Entry & Detainer (Eviction)

This type of complaint is filed by a landlord (or the attorney) against tenant(s) who have failed to keep their rent current. It may also be filed due to a violation of the lease. If anyone has co-signed a lease, they are also named in this type of complaint and may be responsible for any past due rent and damages incurred.

Eviction hearings are only on the eviction portion of the complaint. Eviction complaints usually have two causes of action – the first cause is for the restitution (return) of the premises, and the second cause is for the past due rent and any damages that may have been made to the premises. An individual has twenty-eight (28) days to answer the second cause of action in the same manner as in a civil complaint.

Eviction complaints are served upon the tenant(s) by personal service and by ordinary mail with certificate.

After a landlord has received judgment for restitution of the premises, the tenant(s) should move out by the date of the judgment. If a tenant does not voluntarily move out, the landlord may file for a writ of restitution. If the tenant(s) is unwilling to vacate the premises, it is the responsibility of the attorney, plaintiff, or agent to arrange for moves to be at the eviction site on the date and time specified by the Crawford County Sheriff department. The landlord will need to make arrangements or provide the necessary help to accomplish this. The landlord or court is not responsible for any theft or damage to a tenant’s belongings as a result of an eviction. Therefore, it is in the best interests of a tenant to move their own belongings voluntarily.

Notice to leave premises form and eviction complaints are available from the clerk’s office or may be downloaded from the “Forms” section of this website.

Landlord/Tenant Frequently Asked Questions

My tenant has not paid the rent. Do I have to file an eviction with the court to get them out?

Yes. In Ohio, a landlord of residential premises cannot physically remove the tenant from the premises, terminate utilities, or change the locks to encourage a tenant to move from the premises. This is called “self-help”, and is illegal in Ohio. A landlord must file a complaint against the tenant, go to court, be granted a judgment, and follow the court-instituted eviction procedure to remove the tenant from the premises.

Can a corporation or LLC file an eviction without an attorney?

No. You must obtain legal counsel.

Is it true that the court does not do set-outs in the winter?

No. The court may limit the number of move-outs, which may take place around the Christmas and New Year holidays because of staff limitations.

I understand it may take 60 to 90 days to evict a tenant. Is that true?

For a simple non-payment case, a tenant may be evicted in less than five weeks: The landlord must serve the three-day notice, then wait three business days. The landlord then files the complaint with the Clerk’s office. The eviction hearing date may not be held any sooner than seven (7) days from the date the tenant is served. If the eviction is granted, the move-out may take place within ten (10) days from the date the writ of restitution of premises is issued.

Is the eviction procedure different for “Section 8” or subsidized tenants?

Yes. Tenants who participate in federal subsidy programs, including the Section 8 programs, are afforded special protection under federal law. As a general rule, subsidized housing tenants are entitled to written notice of their opportunity to meet with the management, and an opportunity to meet with the management. They also may be entitled to an opportunity to correct their conduct before the landlord may file an eviction action. The specific requirements vary with each of the subsidized or “Section 8” programs. A landlord interested in evicting a Section 8 tenant should first know the type of Section 8 or subsidy involved. Second, the landlord should read carefully the signed lease and contract. Finally, because both federal and state laws apply to Section 8 evictions, the court recommends that Section 8 landlords obtain legal advice from an attorney before filing an eviction against a tenant in a federal subsidy program.

My landlord has refused to make repairs to my apartment. Can I withhold my rent?

No. In Ohio, a tenant whose landlord refuses or fails to make repairs cannot withhold their rent. However, the tenant may deliver to the landlord written notice of the defective conditions or repairs requested. Then, if the landlord does not make the repairs in a reasonable amount of time, the tenant may deposit the rent with the court. You should consult with an attorney to get more information about rent escrow.

Service Requirements

Whenever you file a document of any kind with the Court (with the exception of the complaint) you must serve a copy of the document filed on the opposing party. You accomplish this by mailing or hand delivering a copy to the opposing party at his/her last known address.

You must prove to the Court that you served the opposing party by adding a statement to the document informing the Court of the date and manner of service. For Example:

“A copy of the foregoing document was mailed on the 1st day of May, 1994 to John Doe at 11 Anywhere Road, Crawford County, Ohio, 44---.”

Civil Court Costs

Effective Jan 1, 2024