It depends.
Most lawyers have lawsuits in several counties. I feel comfortable trying a case anywhere in Ohio within driving distance of Cincinnati.
I’ve been before judges in Hamilton, Clermont, Butler, and Warren Counties, and in a lot of other counties in Southwestern Ohio, as well as Kentucky.
So when do you need a local lawyer?
I will sometimes ask a local attorney to appear on lawsuits I have where I think I need someone to “vouch me in”. This may be because a judge is unpredictable, or because the opposing attorney is difficult to deal with.
I also sometimes get a local attorney where I am a very long drive from the courthouse.
A few years ago, I had a case in Southern Kentucky, a three and one half hour drive from my office. The other lawyer was extremely unpredictable (one local lawyer told me that word was polite), and, whatever his flaws, obviously knew the judge better than I did.
I settled the case on favorable terms – but if I were doing it again, I would think real hard about hiring someone local.
But if you – an accident victim – are hiring a lawyer, concentrate just on hiring the best lawyer you can. A good lawyer will tell you if he thinks the case is too far from his office for him to be effective.
And he may know an excellent lawyer in the town where the trial is.
I have been a lawyer over 30 years. I feel comfortable in every court that I appear in regularly, and I have hired lawyers hundreds of miles away to appear in the courtroom for me if I needed to. If you have a personal injury case in Cincinnati, or even if you live here and your accident happened far away, talk with an experienced Cincinnati injury lawyer> about the case. Call me, William Strubbe, at 513-621-4775.
Because all situations are different, and because there may be other facts pertaining to your case that I don’t know about, you should not rely on this answer for legal advice. I am not your attorney, and no lawyer client relationship has been formed.
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