Opinion ID: 4676662
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Claims Against Judge O’Donnell

Text: {¶ 8} To be entitled to a writ of prohibition, State Farm must establish that (1) Judge O’Donnell is about to or has exercised judicial power, (2) his exercise of that power is unauthorized by law, and (3) denying the writ would result in injury for which no other adequate remedy exists in the ordinary course of law. State ex rel. Shumaker v. Nichols, 137 Ohio St.3d 391, 2013-Ohio-4732, 999 N.E.2d 630, 3 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO ¶ 9. If the first two requirements are present, State Farm need not satisfy the third requirement if Judge O’Donnell “patently and unambiguously” lacks jurisdiction. Sapp at ¶ 15. In addition, when jurisdiction is patently and unambiguously lacking, “ ‘prohibition and mandamus will issue to prevent any future unauthorized exercise of jurisdiction and to correct the results of prior jurisdictionally unauthorized actions.’ ” (Emphasis added.) Id., quoting State ex rel. Mayer v. Henson, 97 Ohio St.3d 276, 2002-Ohio-6323, 779 N.E.2d 223, ¶ 12. {¶ 9} There is no dispute that Judge O’Donnell has exercised judicial power and will continue to do so as the judge presiding over the Burke case. In most cases, we will not grant a writ of prohibition when a respondent judge has general subjectmatter jurisdiction. State ex rel. Sponaugle v. Hein, 153 Ohio St.3d 560, 2018Ohio-3155, 108 N.E.3d 1089, ¶ 24. And because a court of common pleas has general subject-matter jurisdiction over all civil cases, R.C. 2305.01, Judge O’Donnell contends that subject-matter jurisdiction cannot be patently and unambiguously lacking in this case. While Judge O’Donnell’s contention is generally true, the issue whether he has jurisdiction over the Burke case must be evaluated through the lens of our decision in Natl. Emp. Benefit Servs., Inc. v. Cuyahoga Cty. Court of Common Pleas, 49 Ohio St.3d 49, 550 N.E.2d 941 (1990). {¶ 10} In Natl. Emp. Benefit Servs., the plaintiff’s original complaint in a municipal-court action sought $10,000 in damages, then the jurisdictional limit of the municipal court under R.C. 1901.17. Id. at 49. The plaintiff later filed a supplemental complaint alleging total damages exceeding the municipal court’s subject-matter jurisdiction. Id. Rather than dismiss the case, the municipal court transferred it to the court of common pleas, purportedly under Civ.R. 13(J).1 Id. The defendant sought writs of prohibition, mandamus, and procedendo in the court 1. Civ.R. 13(J) provides: “In the event that a counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim exceeds the jurisdiction of the court, the court shall certify the proceedings in the case to the court of common pleas.” 4 January Term, 2021 of appeals to prevent the common pleas court from proceeding, to compel the case’s return to the municipal court, and to compel the municipal court to dismiss the case. Id. {¶ 11} In a unanimous decision, we reversed the court of appeals’ dismissal of the defendant’s writ action and granted the writs. Id. at 50-51. Civ.R. 13(J) requires the transfer of a case to the court of common pleas when a party’s counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim causes the case to exceed a court’s jurisdictional limit. Id. Because the case did not exceed the jurisdictional limits as a result of a counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim, we found that the municipal court lacked authority under Civ.R. 13(J) to transfer the case. And because the municipal court lacked authority to transfer the case, “the common pleas court had no basis upon which to assume jurisdiction.” Id. at 50. {¶ 12} Our decision in Natl. Emp. Benefit Servs. informs our determination of this case. Because Judge Coletta has not responded to State Farm’s complaint, the averred facts relating to the proceedings before him in the municipal court are accepted as true. See State ex rel. Spirko v. Judges of the Court of Appeals, Third Appellate Dist., 27 Ohio St.3d 13, 15, 501 N.E.2d 625 (1986). In particular, it is established that (1) Burke filed a motion to transfer the case to the common pleas court on the basis that her claim exceeded the municipal court’s $15,000 jurisdictional limit and (2) Judge Coletta granted Burke’s motion. These uncontroverted facts establish that the municipal court lacked a valid basis for transferring the Burke matter and that the common pleas court had no basis on which to assume jurisdiction. Natl. Emp. Benefit Servs., 49 Ohio St.3d at 50, 550 N.E.2d 941. We therefore grant peremptory writs of prohibition and mandamus prohibiting Judge O’Donnell from exercising jurisdiction over the Burke case and ordering him to return the case to the municipal court. 5 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO