On Tuesday, August 12, 2025, Abdul Ismaiyl filed a complaint for a writ of prohibition in the Ohio Supreme Court against Judges Eileen A. Gallagher, Lisa B. Forbes, and Anita Laster Mays of the Eighth District Court of Appeals in Cleveland, Ohio. The filing seeks to halt the judges from proceeding with a scheduled oral argument on August 18, 2025, in Case No. CA-24-114477, claiming they lack jurisdiction due to alleged judicial misconduct.

Ismaiyl, a resident of Cuyahoga County, asserts that the case originates from a trial court’s fraudulent finding on July 18, 2022, which stated he did not appear for a trial despite his presence. According to the petition, this false claim led to the dismissal of his case with prejudice. Ismaiyl alleges that the Eighth District Court of Appeals has since engaged in a coordinated effort to uphold this dismissal through suppression of evidence and biased judicial actions.

The petition details a sequence of events starting with a trial court’s denial of a summary judgment motion on April 14, 2022, in Case No. CV-21-945693, where a dispute over funds held by U.S. Bank National Association was set for trial. Ismaiyl claims that despite his presence at the trial, the court recorded his absence, leading to the case’s dismissal. His subsequent motion to correct this record, supported by a sworn affidavit, was denied.

In the first appeal (Case No. 111851), a panel including Judge Gallagher affirmed the dismissal, allegedly ignoring evidence of Ismaiyl’s presence and suggesting he could refile. When he did so in Case No. 114334, the appeal was dismissed on res judicata grounds by a panel including Judge Gallagher, with Judge Keough, then Administrative Judge, leading the decision. Ismaiyl alleges this was a deliberate trap to prevent his claims from being heard.

As Administrative Judge, Gallagher later denied en banc review and assigned herself to the current appeal (Case No. 114477), where she also denied a motion for her recusal, prompting Ismaiyl’s claim of bias. The petition argues that these actions constitute a structural defect in the judicial process, violating due process and necessitating the Supreme Court’s intervention.

Ismaiyl requests the court to issue a writ prohibiting further proceedings, disqualify the current panel, transfer the case to another appellate district, and grant additional relief as deemed appropriate.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.