On Monday, May 11, 2026, Thomas Jones filed a notice of appeal in the Supreme Court of Ohio regarding a case involving Judge Lisa L. Sadler from the Court of Claims of Ohio. The notice of appeal stems from a decision rendered on April 14, 2026, by the Franklin County Court of Appeals.
Jones, acting as his own legal representative (pro se), is currently housed at the Richland Connection Institution. He is appealing a judgment from the Franklin County Court of Appeals, Tenth Appellate District. The filing asserts that the case involves a substantial constitutional question, a felony, and an issue of significant public interest.
The underlying case involves a writ of mandamus sought by Jones against Judge Lisa L. Sadler. Jones had sought to compel Judge Sadler to provide him with an entry of dismissal and to rescind a bill for court costs related to a personal injury action he filed in October 2024. This initial action, Jones v. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, Ct. of Cl. No. 2024-00763JD, was allegedly dismissed “without prejudice” on April 7, 2025, by Judge Sadler.
The Court of Appeals’ decision on April 14, 2026, overruled Jones’ objections to a magistrate’s decision, granted the respondent’s motion to dismiss, and dismissed the complaint for a writ of mandamus. The court found that Jones had not established that Judge Sadler had a clear legal duty to provide the requested relief or that he lacked an adequate remedy at law.
The motion to dismiss that was granted was filed on August 25, 2025. Jones filed a memorandum opposing the motion on September 8, 2025, and the respondent filed a reply supporting the motion on September 15, 2025.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
