MUNICIPAL & CIVIL RIGHTS LAW

Overview

If your local government in Northeast Ohio, whether it be a charter city, township, county, village, school board, electoral board, or watershed conservancy is giving you problems, acting corruptly, or abusing its power, then the municipal law attorneys at The Law Offices of Warner Mendenhall, Inc. will use and have used a variety of legal tools to force compliance with the law and punish local governments that act wrongfully.

This section will provide a list and description of legal tools available to you as a client to not only be a watchdog of local corruption but fight city hall as well.

Sunshine Laws

The Open Meetings Act (R.C. 121.22) and the Public Records Act (R.C. 149.43) collectively known as the Ohio Sunshine Laws allow citizens to obtain information from local governments and in some cases, enforce transparency requirements. If your local government refuses to comply with a public records request, to give proper notice of public meetings, to take minutes of their meetings, or to hold executive sessions for legitimate reasons, then schedule a free consultation with us. We have years of experience in enforcing Ohio Sunshine Laws all over the state of Ohio.

Mandamus Actions

A mandamus is a judicial writ issued as a command ordering a person to perform a public or statutory duty. If a local government official or public body refuses to abide by their own laws, charter, or state law, then schedule a free consultation with us.We have years of experience in bringing mandamus actions against local governments all over the state of Ohio.

Declaratory Judgment Actions

A declaratory judgment is a binding judgment from a court defining the legal relationship between parties and their rights in a matter before the court. If your local government wrongfully passed an ordinance, tax, levy, or entered a contract that violates their own law, charter, or state law, then schedule a free consultation with us. We have years of experience in bringing declaratory judgment actions against local governments all over the state of Ohio.

Electoral Law

Election lawsuits are a special type of mandamus actions against the Board of Elections which are litigated at the Ohio Supreme Court on an expedited basis. If you are seeking election to a local office or circulating a petition to put an issue on the ballet, but were wrongfully denied your place on the ballot, then schedule a free consultation with us. We have years of experience in bringing electoral mandamus actions against local governments all over the state of Ohio.

Civil Rights Lawsuits

Civil rights lawsuits arise from 42 U.S.C. § 1983, which allows people to sue the government for civil rights violations including freedom of speech retaliation, excessive use of force, invasion of privacy, malicious prosecution, and discrimination based on disability, age, race, or gender. If you believe your local government is violating your civil rights or your local school is violating your child’s civil rights, then schedule a free consultation with us. We have years of experience in bringing civil rights actions against local governments and school districts all over the state of Ohio.

Government Employees

Government employees are subject to unique laws and regulations that differ from private employees. We have represented government employees in administrative hearings, union arbitrations, and employment related lawsuits. If you have a dispute as a government employee, then schedule a free consultation with us.

Legal Advice

Mendenhall Law Group believes in keeping local officials informed of the law, and helping community activists and watchdogs fight City Hall. We provide legal advice to political parties and local officials throughout Northeast Ohio on municipal law issues.