Anita P. Berding
Chief Magistrate
Hamilton County Courthouse
1000 Main Street
Room 585
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Margaret Rentz
Administrator/Magistrate
Phone: 513-946-5820
Fax: 513-946-5824
Meghan-Anne Ryan
Law Clerk
Phone: 513-946-5821
Fax: 513-946-5824
David M. Kothman
Staff Attorney/Magistrate
Hamilton County Courthouse
1000 Main Street
Room 413
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Common Pleas Magistrates
Chief Magistrate Anita P. Berding is the primary magistrate serving the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, General Division, pursuant to Local Rule 23 Cases/matters are referred by Local Rule, General Order of Reference (M9600400), Individual Order of Reference, and Special Order of Reference.
Those matters referred by General Order of Reference include all foreclosure cases; administrative appeal cases assigned to all judges with the exception of Hon. Robert P. Ruehlman; all forfeiture cases not resulting in indictment; all sex offender removal cases; all environmental cases filed by the County Prosecutor's Office. All general orders of reference refer cases to the magistrate until judgment, including a magistrate's decision on all cases wherein a jury demand has not been made and in those cases where a jury demand has been made and the parties consent to a trial by jury with the magistrate presiding.
All hearings for default, attachments/replevin, executions and evictions, are referred by Local Rule 23 and are scheduled at dates and times designated by the Assignment Commissioner, (513) 946-5939.
The magistrate handles arraignment and extraditions pursuant to Local Rule 7.
Pursuant to Local Rule 37, the magistrate presides over all hearings required under R.C. §2903.214, Civil Stalking Protection Orders.
Chief Magistrate Anita P. Berding’s daily calendar generally begins at 8:15 a.m. with Forfeiture cases. Case management hearings, defaults, extraditions are heard at 9:00 a.m.; motions for summary judgment at 9:15 a.m.; oral arguments on Administrative Appeal cases at 9:30 a.m.; and trials at 10:00 a.m. For Instructions on Preparing a Magistrate's Decision please click here.
Magistrate David M. Kothman hears all proceedings in aid of execution, garnishment hearings, judgment debtor examinations, uncontested applications to confirm arbitration awards, and any matters referred by Individual Orders of Reference. Magistrate Kothman's hearing calendar begins at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 305.
Plaintiffs and petitioners are required to attend all hearings. No faxes will be accepted and no telephone call-ins will be permitted except through leave of the court.