The team of attorneys who filed suit in Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court to force Governor Mike DeWine and Matt Damschroeder, Director of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services to rescind their decision to terminate federally-funded supplemental unemployment benefits announced today that they have refiled the action in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. The decision comes after Judge Michael Shaughnessy granted the state’s motion for a change of venue. The case has been assigned to Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook.
Former Ohio AG Marc Dann and Brian Flick of DannLaw and Andrew Engel of Advocate Attorneys LLP said they are refiling in Franklin County because battling over venue would have delayed hearings on the substantive issues raised in the case and their motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would compel the state to restore the benefits. They hope to have an initial hearing on or before July 21.
“We want to get to a hearing before a judge as quickly as possible because, as the emails and phone calls we’ve received since we filed the suit clearly demonstrate, many, many Ohioans are being hurt by the governor’s callous and illegal decision to cut off these essential benefits,” Dann said.
The Mandamus complaint may be viewed here: Bowling Candy 2021 07 15 TS Franklin County Complaint1
The motion for a TRO and preliminary injunction may be viewed here: Bowling Candy 2021 07 15 TS Motion for TRO Franklin1
DannLaw’s response to the State’s motion may be viewed here: Bowling Candy 2021 07 21 Reply in Response to Memorandum in Opp