State ex rel. Kirtz v. Corrigan

3 Ohio App. Unrep. 201
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 22, 1990
DocketCase No. 55598
StatusPublished

This text of 3 Ohio App. Unrep. 201 (State ex rel. Kirtz v. Corrigan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Kirtz v. Corrigan, 3 Ohio App. Unrep. 201 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990).

Opinion

KRUPANSKY, P. J.

In this action in mandamus and prohibition, relator avers in his complaint as follows:

He is an attorney admitted to practice law in Ohio and respondent is a judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Cuyahoga County. Complaint, pars. 1 and 2. For approximately three years preceding the filing of the complaint, relator had also been on the list of approved trial counsel maintained by the Administrative Judge pursuant to Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Loa R. 33. Complaint, par. 7. Common Pleas Loa R. 33 establishes a list of approved attorneys [202]*202from among whom assignmentsto criminal cases are ordinarily made.

On March 17, 1988, the arraignment room judge assigned relator to serve as defense counsel in State v. Linda Ezell, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Case No. CR-223752. Complaint, par. 8. On March 28, 1988, however, respondent's bailiff informed relator that respondent had removed relator as counsel for Ms. Ezell. Complaint, par. 10. Respondent had removed relator as counsel on two previous occasions within the previous two years. Complaint, par. 13. All of these removals were without explanation. Complaint, par. 13.

When respondent was arraignment room judge during August 1987, December 1986 and October 1985, respondent assigned from six to eleven cases to each of eight attorneys. Complaint, par. 15. Respondent assigned most of the other counsel on the list three times or less. Complaint, par. 16. Respondent did not assign relator as counsel for any indigent defendants while respondent was arraignment room judge during August 1987, December 1986 and October 1985. Complaint, par. 17.

Relator, in his prayer for relief, prays as follows:

"A. That a [sic] Alternative Writ be issued, directing Respondent to assign Relator as attorney for defendant in State v. Linda Ezell, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas case number CR 223752, forthwith, or appear before this Court at a specified time and show cause why Respondent has not done so.

"B. That a Writ of Mandamus be issued, directing Respondent to assign Relator as attorney for defendant in State v. Linda Ezell, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas case number CR 223752.

"C. That a Writ of Prohibition be issued, restraining Respondent from removing Relator as assigned counsel for indigent defendants who appear in Respondent's court, except 'in the interest of justice and on special occassion' [sic] as that term is used in Local Rule 33.

"D. That a Writ of Prohibition be issued, restraining Respondent when Respondent is Arrignment [sic] Judge, from assigning attorneys to represent indigent defendants, except by the procedures set forth in Local Rule 33.

"E. Award costa" (Underlying in original.)

By entry dated May 4,1988, this court sua sponte dismissed this action for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. In State, ex rel. Kirtz, v. Corrigan (1989), 47 Ohio St. 3d 45, however, the Supreme Court found that relator had stated a claim for relief and both reversed this court's judgment and remanded this action to this court for further proceedinga

Respondent has filed a Motion to Dismiss, or in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment. As was noted above, the Supreme Court reversed this court's sua sponte dismissal of this action and reached the conclusion that relator's complaint stated a claim for relief. State, ex rel. Kirtz, v. Corrigan (1989), 47 Ohio St. 3d 45. However, the Supreme Court in its opinion failed to elucidate or establish any guidelines in its remand. Therefore, we must deny respondent's Motion to Dismiss, but respectfully submit the following opinion in accordance with stare decisis.

In support of his Motion for Summary Judgment, respondent has submitted a copy of the docket in the Ezell case, in which the defendant pled guilty to one count and was sentenced by respondent. Respondent has also filed various affidavits which state that relator exhibited unprofessional conduct in March, 1987 during pretrial proceedings in a criminal matter (State v. Janet L. Baron, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Case No. CR-212692B) assigned to respondent. Relator through his own affidavit contradicts the assertions that he was "loud," "belligerent," "obnoxious," etc.

Relator also has filed copies of what purport to be portions of the treasurer's report of the 1984 campaign committee formed on respondent's behalf. Relator contends that these reports, in conjunction with information regarding attorneys whom respondent had repeatedly assigned, demonstrate that respondent "trade[d] cases for cash." Relator's Brief in Support of Motion to Continue Ruling on Respondent's Motion for Summary Judgment, at page 1. Respondent argues, however, that relator has excluded from the copies of reports the names of other attorneys who did not receive assignments Respondent has also filed copies of reports from the 1986 campaign committee of a former member of the court of common pleas who had assigned relator as counsel on at least five occasions between April, 1986 and August, 1986. Respondent also submitted along with this information financial reports of the former judge showing relator had contributed to that judge's campaign for election both in the primary and general election.

Lou App. R. 1(B) provides:

"The Rules of Civil Procedure, and applicable statute^ including costs, as supplemented by [203]*203these rules, shall govern procedure in original actions filed in this court." See also Log App. R. 8Q3X1). Clearly, the Rules of Civil Procedure apply in original actions in mandamus and prohibition which are filed in this court.

Civ. R. 56(C) sets forth the standard for determining motionsfor summary judgment and provides, in part:

"Summary judgment shall be rendered forthwith if the pleading, depositions, answers to interrogatories, written admissions, affidavits, transcripts of evidence in the pending case, and written stipulations of fact, if any, timely filed in the action, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. No evidence or stipulation may be considered except as stated in this rula A summary judgment shall not be rendered unless it appears from such evidence or stipulation and only therefrom, that reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion and that conclusion is adverse to the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made, such party being entitled to have the evidence or stipulation construed most strongly in his favor."

Admittedly, the evidence presented by relator and respondent is patently conflicting with regard to the propriety of relator's conduct during pretrial proceedings in Baron. These facts are not, however, material as required by Civ. R. 56(C), since the controversy herein is whether a writ of mandamus and/or prohibition should issue.

The fundamental criteria for issuing a writ of mandamus are well-established:

"In order to be entitled to a writ of mandamus, relator must show (1) that he has a clear legal right to the relief prayed for, (2) that respondents are under a clear legal duty to perform the acts, and (3) that relator has no plain and adequate remedy in the ordinary course of the law." State, ex rel. National City Bank, v. Bd. of Education

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Bluebook (online)
3 Ohio App. Unrep. 201, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-kirtz-v-corrigan-ohioctapp-1990.