Process service and court filing in Cuyahoga County, Ohio
4 Cuyahoga County courthouses
- E-filing required
- Mandatory for attorneys (Local Rule 39.0, eff. 10/10/2018, most case types; self-represented may but not required; excluded: cognovit, foreign judgment, replevin, CSPO, CQE)
- E-filing system
- Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts E-Filing System / Attorney Portal (county-operated; support (216) 698-8682, Efile_support@cuyahogacounty.gov)
- E-filing portal
- Court e-filing page
- New civil complaint fee
- $250.00 deposit (civil complaint, General Division, Local Rule 7.0(A) eff. 8/24/2020); foreclosure $475.00; counterclaim/cross-claim $75.00
- Small claims fee
- $37.00 one defendant + $7.00 each additional (Cleveland Municipal Court Schedule C, eff. 9/28/2016, may be outdated)
- Family law petition fee
- Domestic Relations deposits: divorce with children $300.00, without $200.00; dissolution with children $200.00, without $150.00 (domestic.cuyahogacounty.gov)
- Fee schedule
- Court fee schedule
- Case lookup
- Court case search
Court information from 1Court, our partner company, verified July 26, 2026. Cuyahoga County court information on 1Court
What we do and how fast
Nationwide Legal supports Cleveland-area law firms across Cuyahoga County, Ohio with full litigation support service. Our team handles process service, court filing, e-filing, court reporting, subpoenas, and records retrieval at the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas (Justice Center), the Probate and Domestic Relations Courts, the Carl B. Stokes federal courthouse, and the Cleveland bankruptcy court. Same-day service across the Cleveland metro, named coordinators on every order, and live status updates.
Pricing: quoted per order. Request a quote
How to start an order
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Common questions
Is e-filing required in Cuyahoga County?
1Court lists e-filing in Cuyahoga County as: Mandatory for attorneys (Local Rule 39.0, eff. 10/10/2018, most case types; self-represented may but not required; excluded: cognovit, foreign judgment, replevin, CSPO, CQE). We file electronically or at the counter, whichever the court requires.
Which Cuyahoga County courthouses hear civil cases?
Cuyahoga County Courthouse, Cleveland Municipal Court. We file and serve for cases at each of them.
What is the filing fee for a new civil complaint in Cuyahoga County?
$250.00 deposit (civil complaint, General Division, Local Rule 7.0(A) eff. 8/24/2020); foreclosure $475.00; counterclaim/cross-claim $75.00, per 1Court. The court's fee is separate from our service charge.
How fast can you serve papers in Cuyahoga County?
Same-day service attempts are available on rush orders. Standard orders complete in 1 to 3 business days, with a proof of service or non-service affidavit on every order.
How is Cuyahoga County service priced?
We quote each order. Request a quote with the documents and addresses and we reply with the price.