On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, Anthony D. Ship filed a complaint for a writ of mandamus in the Ohio Supreme Court, case number 26-0061. Ship, incarcerated at the London Correctional Institution, is acting as his own legal representation. The filing seeks to compel Judge William S. Matthews, or his successor, of the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, to issue a final appealable order on a pending motion related to his sentence.
Ship’s motion, originally submitted on June 23, 2025, pertains to R.C. 2953.08, concerning the correction of a void sentence. He claims the motion has been pending for approximately 18 months without any objection from the prosecutor. Ship argues that this delay infringes upon his rights to due process and equal protection under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
In his application, Ship states that the Hamilton County Common Pleas Clerk of Courts acknowledged receipt of his motion on June 25, 2025. He cites Ohio Supreme Court Rule 40(A)(3), which suggests motions should be ruled on within 120 days of filing. Ship contends that the extended lack of response violates this obligation.
Ship further claims that his conviction and sentence, which are over 40 years old, contain an error. He alleges a member of the Ohio Parole Board incorrectly stated that he was incarcerated for three separate murders, when the case involved only one death. Ship acknowledges that the original sentencing judge is no longer on the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court bench, but argues that the successor is still obligated to issue a judgment entry on the matter.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
