On Friday, December 26, 2025, Adrian Williams, an Ohio Incarcerated Person, filed a complaint for a writ of mandamus in the Ohio Supreme Court against Judge Robert A. Goering of the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. Williams, acting in pro se capacity, seeks to compel Judge Goering to issue a final appealable order on a pending motion filed on July 26, 2024, pursuant to R.C. 2929.20, regarding judicial release.
The complaint alleges that Judge Goering, as successor to Judge Robert S. Kraft, has failed to comply with his lawful duty by not ruling on Williams’ motion for judicial release, which has been pending for approximately 18 months. Williams asserts that this delay infringes upon his rights to due process and equal protection under the law, violating the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
According to the filing, Williams submitted the motion for judicial release on or about July 26, 2024, and received a stamped “FILED” copy from the Hamilton County Common Pleas Clerk of Courts. On April 17, 2025, Williams inquired about the status of his filing and was informed that there had been no response to the motion.
Williams argues that the court’s inaction violates Sup. R. 40(A)(3), which generally guides courts to rule on motions within 120 days of filing. He contends that the 18-month delay constitutes a violation of this obligation.
Williams is requesting that the Ohio Supreme Court consider the facts and grant a writ of mandamus, ordering Judge Goering to provide the requested material and award statutory damages and court costs for the delay.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
