Rule 12.Defenses and Objections—When and How Presented—by Pleading or Motion—Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings

Last amended July 1, 1983 · Last verified July 1, 2026

In one sentenceRule 12 gives a defendant twenty-eight days to answer or move against a complaint, lists seven defenses that may be raised by motion before any further pleading, and sets strict waiver rules under which a party who leaves certain defenses out of an initial motion or answer loses the right to raise them later.

Full Text of Rule 12

Text sizeJump to: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G) (H)

(A) When answer presented

(1) Generally

The defendant shall serve his answer within twenty-eight days after service of the summons and complaint upon him; if service of notice has been made by publication, he shall serve his answer within twenty-eight days after the completion of service by publication.

(2) Other responses and motions

A party served with a pleading stating a cross-claim against him shall serve an answer thereto within twenty-eight days after the service upon him. The plaintiff shall serve his reply to a counterclaim in the answer within twenty-eight days after service of the answer or, if a reply is ordered by the court, within twenty-eight days after service of the order, unless the order otherwise directs. The service of a motion permitted under this rule alters these periods of time as follows, unless a different time is fixed by order of the court: (a) if the court denies the motion, a responsive pleading, delayed because of service of the motion, shall be served within fourteen days after notice of the court's action; (b) if the court grants a motion, a responsive pleading, delayed because of service of the motion, shall be served within fourteen days after service of the pleading which complies with the court's order.

(B) How presented

Every defense, in law or fact, to a claim for relief in any pleading, whether a claim, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim, shall be asserted in the responsive pleading thereto if one is required, except that the following defenses may at the option of the pleader be made by motion:

(1) Lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter;

(2) Lack of jurisdiction over the person;

(3) Improper venue;

(4) Insufficiency of process;

(5) Insufficiency of service of process;

(6) Failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted;

(7) Failure to join a party under Rule 19 or Rule 19.1.

A motion making any of these defenses shall be made before pleading if a further pleading is permitted. No defense or objection is waived by being joined with one or more other defenses or objections in a responsive pleading or motion. If a pleading sets forth a claim for relief to which the adverse party is not required to serve a responsive pleading, he may assert at the trial any defense in law or fact to that claim for relief. When a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted presents matters outside the pleading and such matters are not excluded by the court, the motion shall be treated as a motion for summary judgment and disposed of as provided in Rule 56. Provided however, that the court shall consider only such matters outside the pleadings as are specifically enumerated in Rule 56. All parties shall be given reasonable opportunity to present all materials made pertinent to such a motion by Rule 56.

After the pleadings are closed but within such time as not to delay the trial, any party may move for judgment on the pleadings.

(D) Preliminary hearings

The defenses specifically enumerated (1) to (7) in subdivision (B) of this rule, whether made in a pleading or by motion, and the motion for judgment mentioned in subdivision (C) of this rule shall be heard and determined before trial on application of any party.

(E) Motion for definite statement

If a pleading to which a responsive pleading is permitted is so vague or ambiguous that a party cannot reasonably be required to frame a responsive pleading, he may move for a definite statement before interposing his responsive pleading. The motion shall point out the defects complained of and the details desired. If the motion is granted and the order of the court is not obeyed within fourteen days after notice of the order or within such other time as the court may fix, the court may strike the pleading to which the motion was directed or make such order as it deems just.

(F) Motion to strike

Upon motion made by a party before responding to a pleading or, if no responsive pleading is permitted by these rules, upon motion made by a party within twenty-eight days after the service of the pleading upon him or upon the court's own initiative at any time, the court may order stricken from any pleading any insufficient claim or defense or any redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter.

(G) Consolidation of defenses and objections

A party who makes a motion under this rule must join with it the other motions herein provided for and then available to him. If a party makes a motion under this rule and does not include therein all defenses and objections then available to him which this rule permits to be raised by motion, he shall not thereafter assert by motion or responsive pleading, any of the defenses or objections so omitted, except as provided in subdivision (H) of this rule.

(H) Waiver of defenses and objections

(1) A defense of lack of jurisdiction over the person, improper venue, insufficiency of process, or insufficiency of service of process is waived (a) if omitted from a motion in the circumstances described in subdivision (G), or (b) if it is neither made by motion under this rule nor included in a responsive pleading or an amendment thereof permitted by Rule 15(A) to be made as a matter of course.

(2) A defense of failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, a defense of failure to join a party indispensable under Rule 19, and an objection of failure to state a legal defense to a claim may be made in any pleading permitted or ordered under Rule 7(A), or by motion for judgment on the pleadings, or at the trial on the merits.

(3) Whenever it appears by suggestion of the parties or otherwise that the court lacks jurisdiction on the subject matter, the court shall dismiss the action.

End

Amendment History

Effective Date: July 1, 1970

Amended: July 1, 1983

Plain-English Summary

Division (A) requires an answer within twenty-eight days after service of the summons and complaint, or twenty-eight days after service by publication is complete, with adjusted deadlines when a motion has been filed and denied or when the court orders an amended pleading. Division (B) lists seven defenses a party may raise by motion instead of by answer: lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter, lack of jurisdiction over the person, improper venue, insufficiency of process, insufficiency of service of process, failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, and failure to join a party under Rule 19 or 19.1. A motion asserting any of these must be made before pleading if a further pleading is allowed, and no defense is waived by being joined with others in the same motion.

Division (C) allows a motion for judgment on the pleadings once the pleadings are closed but before the motion would delay trial. Division (D) requires that motions to dismiss and motions for judgment on the pleadings be heard and decided before trial whenever any party asks. Division (E) lets a party move for a more definite statement when a pleading is so vague that a responsive pleading cannot reasonably be framed, and division (F) lets a court strike redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter from a pleading, on motion or on its own initiative.

Division (G) requires a party who moves under this rule to join every other available motion in the same filing. Division (H) then sets the waiver consequences: the defenses of personal jurisdiction, improper venue, insufficiency of process, and insufficiency of service of process are waived if omitted from an initial motion, or if not included in a responsive pleading or its permitted amendment when no motion is made. Failure to state a claim, failure to join a party under Rule 19, and an objection that a pleading fails to state a legal defense may be raised later — in a later pleading if one is allowed, in a motion for judgment on the pleadings, or at trial. Lack of subject matter jurisdiction can never be waived, and the court must dismiss the action whenever it appears, by any party’s suggestion or otherwise, that subject matter jurisdiction is lacking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the seven defenses a defendant may raise by motion under Rule 12?

Lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter, lack of jurisdiction over the person, improper venue, insufficiency of process, insufficiency of service of process, failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, and failure to join a party under Rule 19 or 19.1.

Can a defendant lose the right to challenge personal jurisdiction or venue?

Yes. Rule 12(H) waives the defenses of personal jurisdiction, improper venue, insufficiency of process, and insufficiency of service of process if they are left out of an initial motion, or out of the answer when no motion is filed first.

Can a case be dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction at any point in the case?

Yes. Rule 12(H)(3) makes lack of subject matter jurisdiction a defense that is never waived, and the court must dismiss the action whenever the lack of jurisdiction appears, even late in the case or on the court’s own initiative.

Source & verification. The rule text, Effective Date, Amended dates, and Staff Notes are reproduced verbatim from the official Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure (Ohio R. Civ. P. 12). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Ohio (Ohio Constitution, Art. IV, § 5(B)). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: motion to dismissMTDdefenses and objectionsjudgment on the pleadingswaiver of defenses12(b)(6) motion