(A) Civil actions against the state for ten thousand dollars or less shall be determined administratively by the clerk of the court of claims, except that the clerk is not required to administratively determine a civil action of that nature if the civil action was commenced by a person who has been found to be a vexatious litigator under section 2323.52 of the Revised Code and who has failed to obtain leave to proceed under that section and if the clerk refused pursuant to division (D) of section 2743.09 of the Revised Code to accept for filing any pleading or paper that relates to the civil action and that was submitted for filing by that person and except that all civil actions against the state that have been removed to the court of claims shall be heard and determined by a judge of the court of claims.

(B) Civil actions covered by division (A) of this section shall be commenced by filing with the clerk on complaint forms prescribed by the supreme court. The clerk shall forward copies of the form complaint to the attorney general and the state department, board, office, commission, agency, institution, or other instrumentality whose actions or failure to act are the subject of complaint. The latter shall investigate the allegations made in the form complaint and report the results of its investigation to the clerk within sixty days of receipt of a copy of the form complaint. The clerk shall forward a copy of the report to the claimant and give the claimant an opportunity to respond to the report either in writing or by appearing before the clerk.

(C) The clerk shall determine the civil action covered by division (A) of this section and make a report of the decision, together with findings of fact and conclusions of law, copies of which shall be mailed to the claimant and the state instrumentality. Except as otherwise provided in this division, the determination shall be based upon principles of law applicable in the court of claims, including, but not limited to, section 3345.40 of the Revised Code if a state university or college is a defendant in the court of claims.

Rules of evidence shall not be applicable in the determination. Procedures shall be governed by rules promulgated by the clerk, shall be informal, and shall be designed to accommodate persons who are not skilled in the law.

(D) Upon the motion of a party, the court of claims shall review the determination of the clerk upon the clerk's report and papers filed in the action and shall enter judgment consistent with its findings. The judgment shall not be the subject of further appeal. No civil action arising out of the same transaction or set of facts may be commenced by the claimant in the court of claims.

(E) The determination of the clerk pursuant to division (C) of this section shall be processed pursuant to section 2743.19 of the Revised Code as if it were a judgment.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.

Effective Date: 03-18-1997 .