Civil Information
The Civil Division of the Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court handles cases in which the amount of money in dispute does not exceed $15,000.00. An action in the civil division begins with the filing of a complaint with the court, usually by an attorney. Complaints involving landlord tenant disputes, rent escrows and appeals to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles are filed with this division. It is important to keep in mind that the civil division is separate from the small claims division, which handles monetary claims of $6,000.00 or less.
To file a civil case in the Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court, the action must have occurred or the defendant must reside within the geographic jurisdiction of this court. The jurisdiction of the Tiffin location includes the City of Tiffin, the villages of Attica, Bettsville, Bloomville, Green Springs, New Riegel, and Republic and the townships of Adams, Big Spring, Bloom, Clinton, Eden, Hopewell, Liberty, Reed, Scipio, Seneca, Thompson, Pleasant or Venice Townships in Seneca County, Ohio. The jurisdiction of the Fostoria Location is the City of Fostoria, Jackson and Loudon Townships in Seneca County. Someone filing a trusteeship must reside within the geographic jurisdiction.
The court cannot offer legal advice or assistance in completing 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 need an attorney and feel that you cannot afford one, you may contact Legal Aid Services of Northwest Ohio at 1-800-837-8908.
Forcible Entry & Detainer (Eviction)
This type of complaint is filed by a landlord (or their 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 service. If service cannot be obtained by personal service, the complaint is served upon tenant(s) by certified mail.
After a landlord has received judgment for restitution of the premises, the tenant(s) should voluntarily move out as soon as possible. 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 movers to be at the eviction site on the date and time specified by the court. The bailiff does not make such arrangements, handle keys or monies or direct any party to a specific moving company. The landlord will need to make arrangements to 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 clerkâs office or may be downloaded from the "Forms" section of this web site.
Civil Forms
Below you will find various forms useful for civil cases. To download a form, right-click the appropriate link below and click "Save Target As..." (exact wording may vary).
| Form Name | Pages | Size | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12pt Appeal Petition | 1 | 8KB | Download |
| Affidavit for Garnishment of Other than Personal Belongings | 1 | 12KB | Download |
| Complaint in Forcible Entry & Detainer | 1 | 12KB | Download |
| Notice to Leave Premises | 1 | 9KB | Download |
| Motion to Continue | 1 | 41KB | Download |
Filing Fees
(Effective July 25th, 2025)| Description | Fee |
|---|---|
| Appeal of Civil or Small Claims Judgment | $150.00 |
| BMV Appeals (12-Point, Non-Compliance) | $110.00 |
| Authenticated Copy/Exemplified | $5.00 |
| Certified Mail Per Defendant | $20.00 |
| Certificate of Judgment | $10.00 |
| Certificate of Mailing Per Defendant | $4.00 |
| Certified Copies (per page) | $3.00 |
| Copies (per page) | $0.25 |