UPDATE: The Ohio Supreme Court’s disciplinary counsel has just accused outgoing Cleveland Housing Court Judge W. Moná Scott of serious judicial misconduct, raising urgent concerns about her actions in office. A complaint filed on December 22, 2023 reveals Scott allegedly abused her authority, pressuring prosecutors to aggressively target landlords and delaying compliance with numerous higher court orders on eviction cases.
This developing story has immediate implications for Cleveland’s housing court, which addresses both criminal and civil eviction matters. Scott, who was recently voted out of her position, faces accusations of “abandoning judicial neutrality” while allegedly refusing to acknowledge the city’s legal department’s attempts to dismiss cases against landlords.
According to the complaint from Disciplinary Counsel Joseph Caligiuri, Scott threatened city Law Director Mark Griffin with judicial action if he did not pursue cases on her docket. In emails cited in the complaint, Scott expressed disapproval of the city’s trend toward plea agreements, insisting that the law department had no authority to cease prosecution at any point in the case.
In another email from October 2024, she warned Griffin about her intention to call witnesses to testify personally against defendants, raising questions about her impartiality. Scott’s interactions with city officials highlight a troubling pattern of behavior that has now come under scrutiny.
The complaint further details that Scott repeatedly ignored directives from the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals, failing to issue rulings or reverse dismissals in eviction cases throughout 2022 and 2023. Notably, in a significant case, the appeals court overturned her dismissal due to lack of necessary paperwork from a landlord, yet Scott only complied after the plaintiffs obtained additional court orders.
These actions have reportedly caused substantial delays, depriving landlords of property use and incurring unnecessary legal costs. “Scott repeatedly ignored Ohio law and the Eighth District’s directives,” the complaint states, indicating a severe violation of the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct.
Investigations by the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct are now underway. If misconduct is confirmed, the board will recommend actions to the Ohio Supreme Court, which could range from a public reprimand to revocation of Scott’s law license.
Scott is set to leave office on Thursday after losing last month’s general election to attorney Cheryl Wiltshire by a narrow margin of 705 votes in a race that saw over 38,000 votes cast. Both candidates are Democrats, although the housing court judge position is technically non-partisan.
Scott’s tenure, which began when she was elected in 2019 after defeating Republican incumbent Ronald J.H. O’Leary, is now overshadowed by these serious allegations. The community and legal observers are left questioning the future of Cleveland’s housing court and the implications of Scott’s actions on the broader judicial system.
As this story develops, authorities and concerned citizens will be watching closely for updates on the investigation and its potential ramifications.
Stay tuned for more urgent updates on this breaking news story as the investigation unfolds.
