2006 Ohio Revised Code - 5721.37. Filing of request for foreclosure or notice of intent to foreclose; foreclosure proceedings.

§ 5721.37. Filing of request for foreclosure or notice of intent to foreclose; foreclosure proceedings.
 

(A) (1)  With respect to a tax certificate purchased under section 5721.32 of the Revised Code, or section 5721.42 of the Revised Code in counties to which section 5721.32 of the Revised Code applies, at any time after one year from the date shown on the tax certificate as the date the tax certificate was sold, and not later than three years after that date, the certificate holder may file with the county treasurer a request for foreclosure, or a private attorney on behalf of the certificate holder may file with the county treasurer a notice of intent to foreclose, on a form prescribed by the tax commissioner and provided by the county treasurer, provided the parcel has not yet been redeemed under division (A) or (C) of section 5721.38 of the Revised Code. 

(2) With respect to a tax certificate purchased under section 5721.33 of the Revised Code, or section 5721.42 of the Revised Code in counties to which section 5721.33 of the Revised Code applies, at any time after one year from the date shown on the tax certificate as the date the tax certificate was sold, and not later than six years after that date or any extension of that date pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 5721.38 of the Revised Code, a private attorney on behalf of the certificate holder may file with the county treasurer a notice of intent to foreclose on a form prescribed by the tax commissioner and provided by the county treasurer, provided the parcel has not yet been redeemed under division (A) or (C) of section 5721.38 of the Revised Code. 

(3) (a) With respect to a tax certificate purchased under section 5721.32 of the Revised Code or section 5721.42 of the Revised Code in counties to which section 5721.32 of the Revised Code applies, if, before the expiration of three years after the date a tax certificate was sold, the owner of property for which the certificate was sold files a petition in bankruptcy, the county treasurer shall notify the certificate holder by ordinary first-class or certified mail of the filing of the petition. If the owner of the property files a petition in bankruptcy, the last day on which the certificate holder may file a request for foreclosure is the later of three years after the date the certificate was sold or one hundred eighty days after the bankruptcy case is closed; however, the three-year period being measured from the date that the certificate was sold is tolled while the owner of the property's petition in bankruptcy is being heard and remains open. 

(b) With respect to a tax certificate purchased under section 5721.33 of the Revised Code or section 5721.42 of the Revised Code in counties to which section 5721.33 of the Revised Code applies, if, before the expiration of six years after the date a tax certificate was sold, the owner of the property files a petition in bankruptcy, the county treasurer shall notify the certificate holder by ordinary first-class or certified mail of the filing of the petition. If the owner of the property files a petition in bankruptcy, the last day on which the certificate holder may file a notice of intent to foreclose is the later of six years after the date that the tax certificate was sold or one hundred eighty days after the bankruptcy case is closed; however, the six-year period being measured after the date that the certificate was sold is tolled while the owner of the property's petition in bankruptcy is being heard and remains open. 

(4) If, before the expiration of three years from the date a tax certificate was sold, the owner of property for which the certificate was sold applies for an exemption under section 3735.67 or 5715.27 of the Revised Code or under any other section of the Revised Code under the jurisdiction of the director of environmental protection, the county treasurer shall notify the certificate holder by ordinary first-class or certified mail of the filing of the application. Once a determination has been made on the exemption application, the county treasurer shall notify the certificate holder of the determination by ordinary first-class or certified mail. The last day on which the certificate holder may file a request for foreclosure shall be the later of three years from the date the certificate was sold or forty-five days after notice of the determination was mailed. 

(B)  Along with a request for foreclosure or a notice of intent to foreclose filed under division (A)(1) of this section, or a notice of intent to foreclose filed under division (A)(2) of this section and prior to the transfer of title in connection with foreclosure proceedings filed under division (F) of this section, the certificate holder shall submit a payment to the county treasurer equal to the sum of the following: 

(1) The certificate redemption prices of all outstanding tax certificates that have been sold on the parcel, other than tax certificates held by the person requesting foreclosure; 

(2) Any delinquent taxes, assessments, penalties, interest, and charges that are charged against the certificate parcel that is the subject of the foreclosure proceedings and that are not covered by a tax certificate; 

(3) If the foreclosure proceedings are filed by the county prosecuting attorney pursuant to section 323.25, 5721.14, or 5721.18 of the Revised Code, a fee in the amount prescribed by the county prosecuting attorney to cover the prosecuting attorney's legal costs incurred in the foreclosure proceeding; 

(4) If the foreclosure proceedings are filed by a private attorney on behalf of the certificate holder pursuant to division (F) of this section, any other prior liens. 

(C) (1)  With respect to a certificate purchased under section 5721.32 or 5721.42 of the Revised Code, if the certificate parcel has not been redeemed, the county treasurer, within five days after receiving a foreclosure request, shall inform the county prosecuting attorney that the parcel has not been redeemed and shall provide a copy of the foreclosure request. The county treasurer also shall send notice by ordinary mail to all certificate holders other than the certificate holder requesting foreclosure that foreclosure has been requested by a certificate holder and that tax certificates for the certificate parcel may be redeemed. Within ninety days of receiving the copy of the foreclosure request, the prosecuting attorney shall commence a foreclosure proceeding in the name of the county treasurer in the manner provided under section 323.25, 5721.14, or 5721.18 of the Revised Code, to foreclose the lien vested in the certificate holder by the certificate. The prosecuting attorney shall attach to the complaint the county treasurer's certification that the parcel has not been redeemed. 

(2) With respect to a certificate purchased under section 5721.32, 5721.33, or 5721.42 of the Revised Code, if the certificate parcel has not been redeemed and a notice of intent to foreclose has been filed, the county treasurer shall provide certification to the private attorney that the parcel has not been redeemed. The county treasurer also shall send notice by ordinary mail to all certificate holders other than the certificate holder represented by the attorney that a notice of intent to foreclose has been filed and that tax certificates for the certificate parcel may be redeemed. After receipt of that certification, the private attorney may commence a foreclosure proceeding in the name of the certificate holder in the manner provided under division (F) of this section, to foreclose the lien vested in the certificate holder by the certificate. The private attorney shall attach to the complaint the county treasurer's certification that the parcel has not been redeemed. 

(D)  The county treasurer shall credit the amount received under division (B)(1) of this section to the tax certificate redemption fund. The tax certificates respecting the payment shall be redeemed as provided in division (E) of section 5721.38 of the Revised Code. The amount received under division (B)(2) of this section shall be distributed to the taxing districts to which the delinquencies are owed. The county treasurer shall deposit the fee received under division (B)(3) of this section in the county treasury to the credit of the delinquent tax and assessment collection fund. The amount received under division (B)(4) of this section shall be distributed to the holder of the prior lien. 

(E) (1)  If, in the case of a certificate purchased under section 5721.32 or 5721.42 of the Revised Code, the certificate holder does not file with the county treasurer a request for foreclosure or a notice of intent to foreclose along with the required payment within three years after the date shown on the tax certificate as the date the certificate was sold, and during that period the parcel is not redeemed or foreclosed upon, the certificate holder's lien against the parcel for the certificate redemption price is canceled. 

(2) (a) If, in the case of a certificate purchased under section 5721.33 of the Revised Code, the certificate holder does not file with the county treasurer a notice of intent to foreclose with respect to a certificate parcel within six years after the date shown on the tax certificate as the date the certificate was sold or any extension of that date pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 5721.38 of the Revised Code, and during that period the parcel is not redeemed, the certificate holder's lien against the parcel for the amount of delinquent taxes, assessments, penalties, interest, and charges that make up the certificate purchase price is canceled, subject to division (E)(2)(b) of this section. 

(b) In the case of any tax certificate purchased under section 5721.33 of the Revised Code prior to October 10, 2000, the county treasurer, upon application by the certificate holder, may sell to the certificate holder a new certificate extending the three-year period prescribed by division (E)(2) of this section, as that division existed prior to October 10, 2000, to six years after the date shown on the original certificate as the date it was sold or any extension of that date. The county treasurer and the certificate holder shall negotiate the premium, in cash, to be paid for the new certificate sold under this section. If the county treasurer and certificate holder do not negotiate a mutually acceptable premium, the county treasurer and certificate holder may agree to engage a person experienced in the valuation of financial assets to appraise a fair premium for the new certificate. The certificate holder has the option to purchase the new certificate for the fair premium so appraised. Not less than one-half of the fee of the person so engaged shall be paid by the certificate holder requesting the new certificate; the remainder of the fee shall be paid from the proceeds of the sale of the new certificate. If the certificate holder does not purchase the new certificate for the premium so appraised, the certificate holder shall pay the entire fee. The county treasurer shall credit the remaining proceeds from the sale to the items of taxes, assessments, penalties, interest, and charges in the order in which they became due. 

A certificate issued under this division vests in the certificate holder and its secured party, if any, the same rights, interests, privileges, and immunities as are vested by the original certificate under sections 5721.30 to 5721.43 of the Revised Code, except that interest payable under division (B) of section 5721.38 or division (B) of section 5721.39 of the Revised Code shall be subject to the amendments to those divisions by Sub. H.B. 533 of the 123rd general assembly. The certificate shall be issued in the same form as the form prescribed for the original certificate issued except for any modifications necessary, in the county treasurer's discretion, to reflect the extension under this division of the certificate holder's lien to six years after the date shown on the original certificate as the date it was sold or any extension of that date. The certificate holder may record a certificate issued under division (E)(2)(b) of this section or memorandum thereof as provided in division (B) of section 5721.35 of the Revised Code, and the county recorder shall index the certificate and record any subsequent cancellation of the lien as provided in that section. The sale of a certificate extending the lien under division (E)(2)(b) of this section does not impair the right of redemption of the owner of record of the certificate parcel or of any other person entitled to redeem the property. 

(F)  With respect to tax certificates purchased under section 5721.32, 5721.33, or 5721.42 of the Revised Code, upon the delivery to the certificate holder by the county treasurer of the certification provided for under division (C)(2) of this section, a private attorney may institute a foreclosure proceeding under this division in the name of the certificate holder to foreclose such holder's lien, in any court with jurisdiction, unless the certificate redemption price is paid prior to the time a complaint is filed. The attorney shall prosecute the proceeding to final judgment and satisfaction, whether through sale of the property or the vesting of title and possession in the certificate holder. 
 

The foreclosure proceedings under this division, except as otherwise provided in this division, shall be instituted and prosecuted in the same manner as is provided by law for the foreclosure of mortgages on land, except that, if service by publication is necessary, such publication shall be made once a week for three consecutive weeks and the service shall be complete at the expiration of three weeks after the date of the first publication. 
 

Any notice given under this division shall include the name of the owner of the parcel as last set forth in the records of the county recorder, the owner's last known mailing address, the address of the subject parcel if different from that of the owner, and a complete legal description of the subject parcel. In any county that has adopted a permanent parcel number system, such notice may include the permanent parcel number in addition to a complete legal description. 
 

It is sufficient, having been made a proper party to the foreclosure proceeding, for the certificate holder to allege in such holder's complaint that the tax certificate has been duly purchased by the certificate holder, that the certificate redemption price appearing to be due and unpaid is due and unpaid, and that there is a lien against the property described in the tax certificate, without setting forth in such holder's complaint any other special matter relating to the foreclosure proceeding. The prayer of the complaint shall be that the court issue an order that the property be sold by the sheriff or, if the action is in the municipal court, by the bailiff, in the manner provided in section 5721.19 of the Revised Code, unless the complaint includes an appraisal by an independent appraiser acceptable to the court that the value of the certificate parcel is less than the certificate purchase price. In that case, the prayer of the complaint shall be that fee simple title to the property be transferred to and vested in the certificate holder free and clear of all subordinate liens. 
 

In the foreclosure proceeding, the certificate holder may join in one action any number of tax certificates relating to the same owner, provided that all parties on each of the tax certificates are identical as to name and priority of interest. However, the decree for each tax certificate shall be rendered separately and any proceeding may be severed, in the discretion of the court, for the purpose of trial or appeal. The court shall order payment of all costs related directly or indirectly to the redemption of the tax certificate, including, without limitation, attorney's fees of the holder's attorney, as is considered proper. The tax certificate purchased by the certificate holder is presumptive evidence in all courts and in all proceedings, including, without limitation, at the trial of the foreclosure action, of the amount and validity of the taxes, assessments, charges, penalties by the court and added to such principal amount, and interest appearing due and unpaid and of their nonpayment. 

(G)  For the purposes of this section, "prior liens" means liens that are prior in right to the lien with respect to the tax certificate that is the subject of the foreclosure proceedings. 

(H)  If a parcel is sold under this section, the officer who conducted the sale shall collect the recording fee from the purchaser at the time of the sale and, following confirmation of the sale, shall prepare and record the deed conveying the title to the parcel to the purchaser. 
 

HISTORY: 147 v H 371 (Eff 2-25-98); 148 v H 533 (Eff 10-10-2000); 148 v H 493. Eff 10-27-2000; 150 v H 168, § 1, eff. 6-15-04.
 

The provisions of § 5 of H.B. 168 (150 v  - ) read as follows: 

SECTION 5. Sections 5721.37, 5721.38, and 5721.39 of the Revised Code are presented in this act as composites of the sections as amended by both Sub. H.B. 493 and Sub. H.B. 533 of the 123rd General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the composites are the resulting versions of the sections in effect prior to the effective date of the sections as presented in this act. 

 

Effect of Amendments

H.B. 168, Acts 2004, effective June 15, 2004, rewrote the section.