(A) As used in this section, "title insurance company" has the same meaning as in section 3953.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) In every action demanding the judicial sale of residential real estate consisting of one to four single-family units, the party seeking that judicial sale shall file with the clerk of the court of common pleas within fourteen days after filing the pleadings requesting relief a preliminary judicial report on a form that is approved by the department of insurance that is prepared and issued by a duly licensed title insurance agent on behalf of a licensed title insurance company or by a title insurance company that is authorized by the department of insurance to transact business in this state. The preliminary judicial report shall be effective within thirty days prior to the filing of the complaint or other pleading requesting a judicial sale and shall include at least all of the following:

(1) A legal description of each parcel of real estate to be sold at the judicial sale;

(2) The street address of the real estate or, if there is no street address, the name of the street or road upon which the real estate fronts together with the names of the streets or roads immediately to the north and south or east and west of the real estate;

(3) The county treasurer's permanent parcel number or other tax identification number of the real estate;

(4) The name of the owners of record of the real estate to be sold;

(5) A reference to the volume and page or instrument number of the recording by which the owners acquired title to the real estate;

(6) A description of the record title to the real estate; however, easements, restrictions, setback lines, declarations, conditions, covenants, reservations, and rights-of-way that were filed for record prior to the lien being foreclosed are not required to be included;

(7) The name and address of each lienholder and the name and address of each lienholder's attorney, if any, as shown on the recorded lien of the lienholder.

Prior to submitting any order or judgment entry to a court that would order the sale of the residential real estate, the party submitting the order or judgment entry shall file with the clerk of the court of common pleas a final judicial report that updates the state of the record title to that real estate from the effective date of the preliminary judicial report through the date of lis pendens and includes a copy of the court's docket for the case. The cost of the title examination necessary for the preparation of both the preliminary judicial report and the final judicial report together with the premiums for those reports computed as required by the department of insurance, based on the fair market value of the real estate, or in the case of a foreclosure, the principal balance of the mortgage or other lien being foreclosed on or any other additional amount as may be ordered by the court shall be taxed as costs in the case.

(C) In every action demanding the judicial sale of residential real estate consisting of more than four single-family units or of commercial real estate, the party seeking that judicial sale shall file with the clerk of the court of common pleas within fourteen days after filing the pleadings requesting relief either a preliminary judicial report or a commitment for an owner's fee policy of title insurance on the form approved by the department of insurance that is prepared and issued by a duly licensed title insurance agent on behalf of a licensed title insurance company. Division (B) of this section applies if the party seeking the judicial sale files a preliminary judicial report. If the party seeking the judicial sale files a commitment for an owner's fee policy of title insurance, the commitment shall have an effective date within fourteen days prior to the filing of the complaint or other pleading requesting a judicial sale and shall contain at least all of the information required in divisions (B)(1) to (7) of this section. The commitment shall cover each parcel of real estate to be sold, shall include the amount of the successful bid at the judicial sale, shall show the purchaser at the judicial sale as the proposed insured, and shall not expire until thirty days after the recordation of the deed by the officer who makes the sale to that purchaser. After the officer's return of the order of sale and prior to the confirmation of the sale, the party requesting the order of sale shall cause an invoice for the cost of the title insurance policy, commitment cost related expenses, and cancellation fees, if any, to be filed with the clerk of the court of common pleas. The amount of the invoice shall be taxed as costs in the case. The purchaser at the judicial sale may, by paying the premium for the title insurance policy, obtain the issuance of title insurance in accordance with the commitment.

Effective Date: 2008 HB138 09-11-2008 .