On Wednesday, December 31, 2025, Cleveland.com reported that outgoing Cleveland Housing Court Judge W. Moná Scott is facing accusations of judicial misconduct stemming from alleged anti-landlord bias. The Ohio Supreme Court’s disciplinary counsel filed a formal complaint with the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct on December 22, 2025, alleging that Scott abused her authority during her tenure.

The complaint, brought forth by Disciplinary Counsel Joseph Caligiuri, accuses Scott of abandoning judicial neutrality in criminal cases involving landlords. Specifically, she is accused of pressuring city prosecutors to pursue cases more aggressively and obstructing attempts by the city’s law department to dismiss or not prosecute certain cases.

The accusations detail instances where Scott allegedly overstepped her judicial bounds. In one instance last year, Scott reportedly threatened Law Director Mark Griffin with a judicial order against all city housing code prosecutors if his office did not actively pursue cases on her docket. Furthermore, she suggested that she might directly question city witnesses in a particular case against a landlord, bypassing the typical prosecutorial process.

Emails included in the complaint reveal Scott’s discontent with what she perceived as a growing trend of the city reaching plea agreements with defendants, agreements that often involved the city agreeing not to present evidence or call witnesses. In an October 2024 email to Griffin, Scott asserted that the city’s belief that they had sole authority to halt prosecution at any point was “not valid and is unfounded in law.”

Prior to that, in September 2024, Scott communicated to David Roberts, the city’s chief assistant law director, that she would no longer approve case dismissal requests unless there was insufficient evidence. She also reportedly dictated requirements for prosecutors to subpoena all witnesses and offered unsolicited advice on motion writing, discovery procedures, and plea bargaining strategies.

The complaint also highlights an instance in August 2024 where a housing court employee, acting on Scott’s suggestion, inquired about pursuing a property owner, 36 Eight LLC, individually for a probation violation.

Beyond the allegations of prosecutorial interference, the complaint also accuses Scott of disregarding orders from the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals in numerous eviction cases during 2022 and 2023. These orders directed her to either issue rulings or reverse her previous dismissals. One specific case cited involved Scott’s dismissal of an eviction case due to the landlord’s failure to file paperwork certifying the property was lead-free, a decision that the appeals court overturned. The complaint states that Scott only complied with the higher court’s rulings after the plaintiffs obtained a second appellate court order demanding action or justification for inaction.

The disciplinary counsel argues that Scott’s actions violated the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct, causing harmful delays that deprived landlords of property use and incurred unnecessary legal fees.

In response to the complaint, Cleveland spokesman Tyler Sinclair stated that the city “continues to aggressively pursue negligent landlords who profit while tenants suffer.” He also emphasized that the city’s law department avoided ex parte conversations with Judge Scott, adhering to Ohio ethics rules. Sinclair cited examples of settlements reached by the city, including one involving the Shaker Apartments, where taxpayers were reimbursed over $2.1 million, and a new owner committed to investing over $5 million in repairs and upgrades.

The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct will now hold a hearing on the allegations. If misconduct is found, the board will submit its findings and recommendations to the Ohio Supreme Court, which will determine any disciplinary action. Potential penalties range from a public reprimand to the revocation of Scott’s law license.

Scott’s term as housing court judge is set to end on Thursday, following her defeat in last month’s general election to lawyer Cheryl Wiltshire.

 

 

Source: Cleveland.com