Full title: Anthony Vidal et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. The Garratt by Cortland et…
Court: Court of Appeals of Ohio, Tenth District
CASE NO: 22AP-704
Date published: Jul 6, 2023
Fact:
Plaintiffs-appellants, Anthony Vidal and Maliah Vidal, entered into a lease agreement with The Garratt. Maliah Vidal lost her job due to the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in her inability to pay rent. The Garratt initiated an eviction proceeding in the Franklin County Municipal Court, which resulted in an eviction judgment against the Vidals. Subsequently, the Vidals filed a pro se lawsuit against The Garratt, the Willis Law Firm, LLC, National Credit Systems, Inc., and the Franklin County Municipal Court, alleging denial of due process and seeking monetary damages.
Issue:
Whether the trial court erred in dismissing the Vidals’ pro se lawsuit against the defendants-appellees, and whether the Vidals’ complaint stated valid claims for relief against any of the defendants.
Decision:
The trial court’s decision to dismiss the Vidals’ complaint was affirmed. The court found that the Vidals failed to state valid legal claims for relief against any of the defendants. The issues raised by the Vidals were either not recognized as valid claims under Ohio law or were improperly raised in a separate lawsuit rather than as counterclaims in the original eviction case. The court also noted that the claims against the Franklin County Municipal Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction and were immune from suit for actions taken in a judicial capacity. Therefore, the trial court’s dismissal of the Vidals’ case was upheld.