Title: State ex rel. Thomson v. Doneghy

State: ohio

Issuer: Ohio Supreme Court

Document:

[THE STATE EX REL.] THOMSON, APPELLANT, V. DONEGHY, JUDGE, ET AL., 
APPELLEES. 
[Cite as State ex rel. Thomson v. Doneghy (1997), ___ Ohio St.3d ___.] 
Public records — Production of records renders moot action for mandamus to 
compel such production. 
 
(No. 97-999 — Submitted September 9, 1997 — Decided November 5, 
1997.) 
 
APPEAL from the Court of Appeals for Lucas County, No. L-97-1079. 
 
In March 1997, appellant, Michael E. Thomson, filed a complaint for a writ 
of mandamus to compel appellees, Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge 
Charles Doneghy and Lucas County Clerk of Courts Harry Barlos, to provide him 
copies of (1) the February 1997 findings of fact and conclusions of law issued by 
Judge Doneghy dismissing his petition for postconviction relief, and (2) the last 
three pages of his criminal appearance docket.  Thomson alleged that he had 
previously requested the findings of fact and conclusions of law pursuant to R.C. 
149.43.  Appellees filed a motion to dismiss, attaching the requested documents, 
which indicated that they had previously been sent to Thomson.  The court of 
appeals dismissed Thomson’s complaint based on mootness. 
 
This cause is now before the court upon an appeal as of right. 
__________________ 
 
Michael E. Thomson, pro se. 
 
Damian M. P. Rodgers, Lucas County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for 
appellees. 
__________________ 
 
Per Curiam.  We affirm the judgment of the court of appeals for the reasons 
stated in its opinion.  State ex rel. Pennington v. Gundler (1996), 75 Ohio St.3d 
 
2
171, 661 N.E.2d 1049 (respondent’s production of records renders moot claim for 
mandamus to compel such production).  Further, Thomson had an adequate 
remedy to contend that he was entitled to an additional thirty days to perfect his 
appeal from Judge Doneghy’s judgment by his pending appeal from that judgment.  
Cf. Atkinson v. Grumman Ohio Corp. (1988), 37 Ohio St.3d 80, 523 N.E.2d 851. 
Judgment affirmed. 
 
MOYER, C.J., DOUGLAS, F.E. SWEENEY, PFEIFER, COOK and LUNDBERG 
STRATTON, JJ., concur. 
 
RESNICK, J., not participating.