Ohio Rev. Code § 1923 § 1923.051
Judgment of restitution based on drug offenses taking place at leased premises.
Operative Text
(A) Notwithstanding the time-for-service of a summons provision of division (A) of section 1923.06 of the Revised Code, if the complaint described in section 1923.05 of the Revised Code that is filed by a landlord in an action under this chapter states that the landlord seeks a judgment of restitution based on the grounds specified in divisions (A)(6)(a) and (b) of section 1923.02 of the Revised Code, then the clerk of the municipal court, county court, or court of common pleas in which the complaint is filed shall cause both of the following to occur: (1) The service and return of the summons in the action in accordance with the Rules of Civil Procedure, which service shall be made, if possible, within three working days after the filing of the complaint; (2) The action to be set for trial not later than the thirtieth calendar day after the date that the tenant is served with a copy of the summons in accordance with division (A)(1) of this section. (B) The tenant in an action under this chapter as described in division (A) of this section is not required to file an answer to the complaint of the landlord, and may present any defenses that the tenant may possess at the trial of the action in accordance with section 1923.061 of the Revised Code. (C) No continuances of an action under this chapter as described in division (A) of this section shall be permitted under section 1923.08 of the Revised Code, and if the tenant in the action does not appear at the trial and the summons in the action was properly served in accordance with division (A)(1) of this section, then the court shall try the action in accordance with section 1923.07 of the Revised Code. (D) All provisions of this chapter that are not inconsistent with this section shall apply to an action under this chapter as described in division (A) of this section.
Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.051 establishes an expedited court process for eviction cases where a landlord alleges drug-related offenses occurred at the rental property. Under this provision, the summons must be served as quickly as possible—ideally within three working days of the complaint being filed—and the trial must be scheduled no later than thirty calendar days after the tenant receives the summons. The tenant is not required to file a written answer before trial and may raise any available defenses at the hearing itself, but continuances are generally not permitted under this accelerated timeline.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Landlords pursuing eviction under Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.051 on drug-offense grounds should be aware that the court process moves on a compressed schedule, with service targeted within three working days and trial set within thirty days of service. Compliant operators typically ensure their complaint clearly states the drug-offense grounds specified in § 1923.02(A)(6)(a) and (b), so the clerk can properly trigger the expedited procedures. Maintaining thorough documentation of the alleged offenses and prompt communication with the court clerk are practices generally associated with keeping the accelerated case on track.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants facing an eviction action under Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.051 should know that the timeline is significantly shorter than in a standard eviction—trial can be set as soon as thirty days after they receive the summons. Importantly, the law does not require tenants to file a written answer before the trial date; any defenses may be presented at the hearing itself under § 1923.061. Tenants in this situation may benefit from contacting a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office promptly, given the compressed schedule and the fact that continuances are generally unavailable.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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