On Monday, August 4, 2025, Monica G. Justice filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the Supreme Court of Ohio, naming Judge David C. Young and Sheriff Dallas L. Baldwin as respondents.
The petition alleges that Justice, currently incarcerated, has been subjected to restrictive conditions that hinder her ability to pursue legal appeals. According to the filing, Justice has been placed in restricted lockdown for 22 hours a day, limiting her access to writing materials, legal research tools, communication, and a television. The petition also claims that she is on a restrictive diet without receiving necessary dietary accommodations.
The document asserts that these conditions appear retaliatory and are intended to obstruct Justice’s due process rights. It argues that the restrictive measures constitute excessive force under the Fourth Amendment’s objective reasonableness standard and violate her Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
The petition cites Black’s Law Dictionary, defining excessive force as actions beyond what is necessary for the circumstances. It further alleges that the treatment lacks justification, suggesting it is a retaliatory act against Justice.
The petition requests specific relief, including an order from Judge David C. Young of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court to transfer Justice back to the Dayton Correctional Institution. It also seeks an order to Sheriff Dallas L. Baldwin to immediately release Justice from restrictive incarceration and facilitate her transfer to the Dayton facility.
The filing emphasizes the role of habeas corpus as a safeguard against arbitrary state actions, referencing Supreme Court precedent that underscores its importance in protecting individual freedoms and addressing violations of federal constitutional rights.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
