Effective: September 26, 2003
Latest Legislation: House Bill 95 - 125th General Assembly
(A)(1) Any nonresident or foreign nonparticipating manufacturer that has not registered to do business in the state as a foreign corporation or business entity, as a condition precedent to having its brand families included or retained in the directory developed and published by the attorney general under section 1346.05 of the Revised Code, shall appoint, and continually engage without interruption the services of, an agent in the state to act as agent for the service, in any manner authorized by law, of all process pertaining to any action or proceeding in the courts of this state against the manufacturer concerning or arising out of the enforcement of this chapter.
(2) Service on a nonparticipating manufacturer's agent shall constitute legal and valid service of process on the manufacturer.
(3) A nonparticipating manufacturer shall provide the attorney general, to the satisfaction of the attorney general, with proof of the appointment of, and notice of the name, address, telephone number, and availability of, the manufacturer's agent.
(B)(1) If a nonparticipating manufacturer decides to terminate its agent's appointment, the manufacturer shall provide notice of the termination to the attorney general thirty calendar days prior to the termination and shall provide proof, to the satisfaction of the attorney general, of the appointment of a new agent not less than five calendar days prior to the termination.
(2) If a nonparticipating manufacturer's agent terminates the agent's appointment, the manufacturer shall provide notice of the termination to the attorney general and include proof, to the satisfaction of the attorney general, of the appointment of a new agent within five calendar days of the termination.
(C)(1) Any nonparticipating manufacturer whose cigarettes are sold in the state and who has not appointed and continually engaged an agent in accordance with divisions (A) and (B) of this section shall be deemed to have appointed the secretary of state as the manufacturer's agent and may be proceeded against in any action or proceeding in the courts of the state described in division (A) of this section by service of process on the secretary of state.
(2) The deemed appointment of the secretary of state as a nonparticipating manufacturer's agent does not satisfy the requirements of divisions (A)(3)(b) and (B)(1) of section 1346.05 of the Revised Code that a nonparticipating manufacturer that has not registered to do business in the state shall appoint an agent for service of process as a condition precedent to the existence of an accurate certification permitting the manufacturer's brand families to be included or retained in the directory.