Ohio § 3929.06

§ 3929.06.

(A)(1) If a court in a civil action enters a final judgment that awards damages to a plaintiff

for injury, death, or loss to the person or property of the plaintiff or another person

for whom the plaintiff is a legal representative and if, at the time that the cause

of action accrued against the judgment debtor, the judgment debtor was insured against

liability for that injury, death, or loss, the plaintiff or the plaintiff's successor

in interest is entitled as judgment creditor to have an amount up to the remaining

limit of liability coverage provided in the judgment debtor's policy of liability

insurance applied to the satisfaction of the final judgment. (2) If, within thirty days after the entry of the final judgment referred to in division

(A)(1) of this section, the insurer that issued the policy of liability insurance

has not paid the judgment creditor an amount equal to the remaining limit of liability

coverage provided in that policy, the judgment creditor may file in the court that

entered the final judgment a supplemental complaint against the insurer seeking the

entry of a judgment ordering the insurer to pay the judgment creditor the requisite

amount.  Subject to division (C) of this section, the civil action based on the supplemental

complaint shall proceed against the insurer in the same manner as the original civil

action against the judgment debtor. (B) Division (A)(2) of this section does not authorize the commencement of a civil action

against an insurer until a court enters the final judgment described in division (A)(1)

of this section in the distinct civil action for damages between the plaintiff and

an insured tortfeasor and until the expiration of the thirty-day period referred to

in division (A)(2) of this section. (C)(1) In a civil action that a judgment creditor commences in accordance with divisions

(A)(2) and (B) of this section against an insurer that issued a particular policy

of liability insurance, the insurer has and may assert as an affirmative defense against

the judgment creditor any coverage defenses that the insurer possesses and could assert

against the holder of the policy in a declaratory judgment action or proceeding under

Chapter 2721. of the Revised Code between the holder and the insurer. (2) If, prior to the judgment creditor's commencement of the civil action against the

insurer in accordance with divisions (A)(2) and (B) of this section, the holder of

the policy commences a declaratory judgment action or proceeding under Chapter 2721.

of the Revised Code against the insurer for a determination as to whether the policy's

coverage provisions extend to the injury, death, or loss to person or property underlying

the judgment creditor's judgment, and if the court involved in that action or proceeding

enters a final judgment with respect to the policy's coverage or noncoverage of that

injury, death, or loss, that final judgment shall be deemed to have binding legal

effect upon the judgment creditor for purposes of the judgment creditor's civil action

against the insurer under divisions (A)(2) and (B) of this section.  This division shall apply notwithstanding any contrary common law principles of

res judicata or adjunct principles of collateral estoppel.