LibGuides: FIling a Lawsuit in Ohio: Elements and Statutes of Limitation

Introduction

You can't successfully file a lawsuit unless you have a "cause of action". This means that the law spells out a law that was broken, and a remedy that you can ask for. "Elements" of a civil action are what the plaintiff needs to prove to prevail upon a specific cause of action, such as breach of contract or defamation.

Sources for Elements of an Action

Anderson's Ohio Civil Practice
Call Number: KFO 530 .A8
Includes forms for complaint pleadings, which include the elements of the action. Also available as an ebook from the Library's website, for Central Ohio attorneys with a Franklin County Law Library Card. Also available on Lexis on the Franklin County Law Library's public computers.
Katz & Giannelli Criminal Law
Call Number: KFO 561 .K38
Helpful for finding the elements of crimes.
Ohio Jurisprudence 3rd
Call Number: KFO 65 .O3543
An encyclopedia of Ohio law. Also available from Lexis on the Franklin County Law Library's public computers.
Ohio Jury Instructions by Ohio Judicial Conference
Call Number: KFO 542 .A65 O37. Also available as an ebook from https://lawlibrary.franklincountyohio.gov/, for Central Ohio attorneys who have a Franklin County Law Library card
The Ohio Jury Instructions (OJI) Committee drafts Ohio Jury Instructions for newly enacted legislation and updates existing instructions as needed and required by intervening legal opinions or events. Also available Lexis Advance. Lexis Advance also has archived OJIs going back to 2007 a database of OJIs that have been retired due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

The Franklin County Law Library has two print copies of each of these books. One is for Library use only. The other can be checked out by attorneys with a Franklin County Law Library card.

Ohio Revised Code

Oh. Rev. Code Chapter. 2305
Provides the time limits or statute of limitations for how long you have to bring different kinds of lawsuits.

Link

Ohio Civil Statute of Limitations Laws
From Findlaw, current as of 1/17/23.