Ohio · Franklin County

Home inspection expert witness for Franklin County, Ohio

Franklin County is home to Columbus, the county seat and state capital, and appeals from its common pleas court go to the Tenth District Court of Appeals. Grove City, Upper Arlington, Whitehall, and Bexley are in the county too, and Columbus has a large rental market around Ohio State University.

Examples of matters

These are general illustrations, not real cases.

• A buyer finds a leaking plumbing line under the house after closing and asks whether the inspector should have flagged it. What the inspector could see and reach on inspection day, and what the agreement included, are often the first issues.
• A landlord and tenant disagree about water damage in a rental bathroom. The inspector can describe the damage and the visible signs of where water traveled.
• A homeowner questions structural changes made during a past remodel, such as a removed wall. A home inspector can note what is observed and recommend a structural engineer; the inspector does not give the engineering opinion.

Before the expert is retained

Columbus-area sales often include optional add-on services. In a Franklin County Common Pleas dispute, whether the buyer declined any extra service is usually written in the agreement and should be pulled early. Pull any reinspection letters too, since buyers sometimes ask the inspector back before closing.

What the expert does here

In a Franklin County matter, the expert first checks which services the buyer ordered or declined. The expert then compares the written report with the scope the client actually agreed to. When a reinspection happened, the expert also reads what changed between the first visit and the second.

Where Franklin County cases are heard

The trial court for larger claims of this kind is the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General Division (Columbus). The Tenth District Court of Appeals reviews its decisions, and the county is part of the federal Southern District of Ohio. Which court is proper depends on the claim and its amount; ask your attorney.

Court names are given for general information only. Home Inspection Expert Witness is not affiliated with or endorsed by any court.

Getting in touch

Attorneys handling a Franklin County matter can reach Shaun Atkinson through the intake form, or see the expert directory.

Home Inspection Expert Witness is run by Shaun Atkinson, Ohio licensed home inspector OHI.2019006734. It currently lists one expert. It is a directory, not a law firm, expert-placement agency, or referral service. Listed inspectors are independent professionals, not employees or agents of the directory or its operator. We don't endorse or recommend any listed inspector, and we make no promise about any opinion or case outcome. Attorneys and parties choose, contract with, and pay experts directly. The directory isn't a party to those engagements and takes no share of any expert's fees. When Shaun Atkinson is retained as an expert, he is paid under his own engagement agreement, like any listed expert, and never on a contingent basis. Listed inspectors pay a flat monthly fee to appear here, and that fee doesn't depend on whether they are hired or how a case turns out. Shaun Atkinson is also a listed inspector.

Shaun Atkinson is not an attorney, and Home Inspection Expert Witness does not give legal advice. Please talk with a licensed attorney about your legal rights and options.