On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, Matthew Streeter filed a petition for a writ of procedendo in the Supreme Court of Ohio. Streeter, an inmate at Belmont Correctional Institution in St. Clairsville, is the relator in the case against Judge Patrick Lang of Athens, Ohio.
The petition stems from a motion Streeter placed before Judge Lang on September 4, 2025, seeking to vacate or set aside the judgment of conviction or sentence in case number 23CR0465. Streeter claims that Judge Lang is solely responsible for ruling on the motion. A response was filed by the opposing party on March 3, 2026.
Streeter argues that a writ of procedendo is necessary to ensure a decision is reached, citing an excessive delay in the respondent’s ruling. The filing references Ohio Criminal Rule 35, section “C,” which states that a trial court shall file a ruling on a petition for post-conviction relief no later than 180 days after the petition is filed. Streeter contends that more than 180 days have passed since the petition was filed on March 3, 2026, making a writ of procedendo appropriate.
The petition asserts that Streeter has a clear legal right to require the respondent to issue a ruling and that there is no adequate remedy at law other than the requested writ. Streeter requests that the Supreme Court direct Judge Lang to issue a final ruling on the matter within five business days.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
