[Cite as State ex rel. Woodard v. Ambrose, 2013-Ohio-4049.]

Court of Appeals of Ohio

EIGHTH APPELLATE DISTRICT 

COUNTY OF CUYAHOGA 

JOURNAL ENTRY AND OPINION 

No. 100083 

STATE EX REL. RENO WOODARD 

 

RELATOR

vs. 

 CUYAHOGA COUNTY JUDGE AMBROSE 

 RESPONDENT 

JUDGMENT: 

WRIT DENIED 

Writ of Mandamus 

Motion No. 466936 

Order No. 467552 

RELEASE DATE: September 16, 2013 
FOR RELATOR

Reno Woodard, Pro se 

Inmate No. 461-073 

Grafton Correctional Institution 

2500 South Avon Belden Road 

Grafton, Ohio 44044 

ATTORNEYS FOR RESPONDENT

Timothy J. McGinty 

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor 

BY: James E. Moss 

Assistant County Prosecutor 

The Justice Center, 9th Floor 

1200 Ontario Street 

Cleveland, Ohio 44113 
LARRY A. JONES, SR., J.: 

{¶1} Reno Woodard has filed a complaint for a writ of mandamus. Woodward 

seeks an order from this court, which requires Judge Dick Ambrose to conduct a hearing 

and render a ruling with regard to a “motion to correct illegal sentence” filed in State v. 

Woodard, Cuyahoga C.P. No. CR-100083. For the following reasons, we decline to 

issue a writ of mandamus on behalf of Woodard. 

{¶2} Initially, we find that Woodard has failed to comply with Loc.App.R. 

45(B)(1)(a), which mandates that a complaint for a writ of mandamus must be supported 

by a sworn affidavit that specifies the details of his claim for relief. State ex rel. Leon v. 

Cuyahoga Cty. Court of Common Pleas, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 92826, 2009-Ohio-1612; 

State ex rel. Santos v. McDonnell, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 90659, 2008-Ohio-214; Turner 

v. Russo, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 87852, 2006-Ohio-4490; Barry v. Galvin, 8th Dist. 

Cuyahoga No. 85990, 2005-Ohio-2324. 

{¶3} Woodard has also failed to comply with R.C. 2969.25(C), which requires that 

an inmate, who files a complaint against a government entity or government employee, 

must support the complaint with a statement that: 1) sets forth the balance in the inmate’s 

account for the preceding six months, as certified by the institutional cashier; and 2) a 

statement that sets forth all other cash and items of value as owned by the inmate. The 

failure of Woodard to comply with R.C. 2969.25(C) warrants dismissal of his complaint 

for a writ of mandamus. Martin v. Woods, 121 Ohio St.3d 609, 2009-Ohio-1928, 906 

N.E.2d 1113; State ex rel. Marshall v. Cuyahoga Cty. Court of Common Pleas, 8th Dist. 
Cuyahoga No. 99114, 2013-Ohio-705; Gaston v. Reid, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 98192, 

2012-Ohio-2937. 

{¶4} Finally, Woodard’s request for a writ of mandamus is moot. Attached to 

Judge Ambrose’s motion for summary judgment is a copy of a journal entry (journalized 

on July 8, 2013), that demonstrates that a ruling has been rendered with regard to the 

motion to correct illegal sentence. Thus, Woodard is not entitled to a writ of mandamus.

 State ex rel. Jerninghan v. Cuyahoga Cty. Court of Common Pleas, 74 Ohio St.3d 278, 

1996-Ohio-117, 658 N.E.2d 723; State ex rel. Gantt v. Coleman, 6 Ohio St.3d 5, 450 

N.E.2d 1163 (1983). In addition, Woodard has failed to establish that there exists a duty, 

on the part of Judge Ambrose, to conduct a hearing with regard to Woodard’s motion to 

correct illegal sentence. 

{¶5} Accordingly, we grant Judge Ambrose’s motion for summary judgment. 

Costs to Judge Ambrose. Costs waived. The court directs the clerk of court to serve all 

parties with notice of this judgment and its date of entry upon the journal as required by 

Civ.R. 58(B). 

{¶6} Writ denied. 

 

LARRY A. JONES, SR., PRESIDING JUDGE 

SEAN C. GALLAGHER, J., and 

KENNETH A. ROCCO, J., CONCUR