As the New Year begins, judges and lawyers should take note of several new rules that took effect Wednesday, January 1.

• Attorneys and judges will benefit from significant continuing legal education (CLE) changes. The Supreme Court adopted changes in October 2012 to double the number of online credit hours attorneys could earn, to allow attorneys to earn a portion of their CLE hours by engaging in approved pro bono activities, and to eliminate the requirement to file final reporting transcripts. View the text of the CLE changes.
• The annual registration fee for out-of-state attorneys seeking to register for pro hac vice in Ohio increases from $100 to $150, and the admission without examination fee for out-of-state attorneys increases from $1,250 to $1,500. The increased fees for out-of-state attorneys do not affect the current biennial attorney registration fee paid by Ohio attorneys. The rule changes also provide that all revenue from the pro hac vice registration fee will go into the Admissions Fund instead of the Attorney Services Fund where the monies were previously deposited. View the text of the amendments.
• The Supreme Court adopted a new rule and form to implement a new statutory requirement that Ohio’s courts notify police about violent offenders with a mental illness. Rule 95 and Form 95 to the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio were recommended by a workgroup of law enforcement and judicial representatives convened by the Supreme Court after a change in Ohio law that requires judges to report to law enforcement when they order a mental-health evaluation or treatment for a person convicted of an offense of violence, or if they approve a conditional release for someone found incompetent to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity. Access the text of the rule and form.
• Amendments adopted to the Ohio Traffic Rules would facilitate the use of electronic tickets by law enforcement. Traf.R. 3 (F) also would clarify that a defendant’s signature isn’t necessary on an electronically produced ticket. Access the text of the amendment.

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