Local Rule 24 does more
than set a deadline.
The Lucas County Domestic Relations local rules took effect January 1, 2026 and superseded the 2021 rules. Rule 24 fixes the default substantive terms of a defined benefit and a defined contribution order, and dictates language that must appear in the order and in the judgment entry.
The bench is Judge Karen K. Connelly and Judge Lisa D. McGowan.
Six provisions that decide the order before you draft it
24.01(A) The alternate payee pays
The party entitled to the pension is responsible for preparation and payment. That tells you who your buyer is, and it is not both parties.
24.01(D) Ninety days, stated in the entry
The final judgment entry must contain a date certain, not to exceed ninety days from filing. Miss it and you are filing a motion.
24.02(A) Defined benefit defaults
Separate interest, division per Hoyt v. Hoyt, valuation at the final hearing, all early retirement subsidies to the alternate payee, and the alternate payee deemed surviving spouse for QPSA purposes.
24.02(B) Defined contribution defaults
Valuation at the final hearing, earnings and losses credited, immediate lump sum permitted. New in 2026: a marital-period loan is charged to the participant but the divided benefit is reduced by the loan first.
24.03 Language for the entry, not the order
Retained jurisdiction and anti-circumvention paragraphs are mandatory in the judgment entry. This is the clause most often omitted, because it lives in a different document.
Rule 31 Artificial intelligence disclosure
New for 2026. Any document prepared with AI assistance requires a certification describing the technology, its role, and the filer's review and approval. We supply one with every order so you are not left composing it.
Send it early, not at the end
Most of what goes wrong in a retirement division order is fixed by choosing the right instrument before the decree is drafted, not after the plan rejects the order. Ask before you file.
Contact QDROflowAttorney advertising. This page states general information as of its date and is current to the Lucas County Domestic Relations local rules effective January 1, 2026. It is not legal advice, it is not a substitute for reading the governing plan document or the controlling statute, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship.