Changes in Publication Costs/Procedures in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division:

Due to the closure of the Daily Reporter – the costs and procedures for service via publication are changing.  
Beginning December 12, 2025, the Columbus Dispatch is the default newspaper of general jurisdiction for legal publication in the Probate Court.

The Probate Court will arrange for service by publication for all name change and adoption cases.  The cost for publication of a name change is $60.  The cost for publication of an adoption is $680.
All other requests for publications will require the party to work directly with the Columbus Dispatch to arrange for publication, with proof being filed. 

In all cases where the parties are arranging for publication:
1.    the applicant shall file a motion with an accompanying affidavit, a copy of the proposed notice, and a proposed entry granting the request.  
2.    The applicant will then contact the Columbus Dispatch to arrange publication.  
3.    Withing ten days of the final publication, the applicant shall file proof of publication that includes a copy of the notice and the dates of publication.  Service shall be deemed complete on the last day of publication.  



The Civil Department dockets pleadings related to various types of litigation ancillary to the underlying estate, guardianship, or trust. Some examples of civil actions include will contests, will constructions, land sale proceedings, actions to determine heirship, actions for presumption of death, and actions for concealment of assets.

All civil actions must be e-filed through the Franklin County e-Filing System in the form of a complaint and must meet the requirements of the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure. The Court does not provide forms or formats for a civil complaint.