State v. Zuniga, L-06-1067 (7-13-2007)
State v. Zuniga, L-06-1067 (7-13-2007)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} Appellant was convicted, in the year 2000, of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, conspiracy to engage in a corrupt activity, money laundering, possession of marijuana, and conspiracy to traffic in marijuana. Appellant directly appealed his *Page 2
conviction with the assistance of court-appointed counsel. This court affirmed the judgment of the trial court. State v. Zuniga, 6th Dist. No. L-00-1265, 2002-Ohio-5902. The Ohio Supreme Court twice denied review.State v. Zuniga,
{¶ 3} Appellant then filed, pursuant to App.R. 26(B), an application to reopen his appeal to this court, alleging ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. We denied that application on April 3, 2003, and denied reconsideration of that judgment on May 5, 2003. On June 9, 2004, appellant filed a petition for postconviction relief in the trial court. The trial court dismissed the petition as being untimely. We subsequently dismissed appellant's appeal of the trial court's judgment because appellant failed to file a proper brief. State v. Zuniga (Jan. 10, 2007), 6th Dist. No. L-06-1032.
{¶ 4} The judgment at issue in the instant appeal is the trial court's order barring appellant from filing any motions or correspondence in Lucas County trial court Nos. CR99-1535, CR98-2203 and CR99-1317. Appellant was not a party to, i.e., was not a defendant, in either No. CR99-1535 or No. CR98-2203. Appellant was indicted in No. CR99-1317, however, that charge was nolled at the request of the state of Ohio. *Page 3
{¶ 5} Appellant asserts two assignments of error:
{¶ 6} "The trial court erred to the prejudice of Mr. Zuniga when it sua sponte barred him and/or and third party from requesting vital records, files and materials via motions and/or correspondence from the trial court in the catalyst case numbers CR98-2203, CR99-1317, CR99-1535, in violation of Mr. Zuniga's rights to equal protection under the law and his due process rights, both of which are guaranteed by the
{¶ 7} "The trial court's bad behavior in combining its efforts to further the law enforcement personnel's and the state's interests of concealing their crimes, that ultimately led to the creation ofState v. Ohio/City of Toledo v. David A. Garcia, Jr. and Jesus E.Ochoa [sic], Case Numbers CRA98-09964 and CRA98-09965, and subsequentlyState of Ohio v. Garcia, Jr. and Ochoa [sic], case number CR98-2203, and subsequently the fabrication of State of Ohio v. Garcia, Jr., Ochoa
[sic], Zuniga, and Pickard [sic], case number CR99-1317, and subsequently State of Ohio v. Pickard [sic], case number CR99-1535, and finally the fabrication of State of Ohio v. Garcia, Jr., Ochoa, Zuniga,and Pickard [sic], case number CR99-2433, is in violation of Article III, Section 1 if the United States Constitution, and in violation of Mr. Zuniga's rights to equal protection under the law and his due process rights, both of which are guaranteed by the
{¶ 8} In his first assignment of error, appellant asks this court to find that his constitutional rights were violated when the trial court denied him the right to file motions and correspondence in criminal cases in which he was not a defendant and in a case in which the charge against him was nolled.
{¶ 9} An Ohio court cannot consider the merits of a legal claim unless the person seeking relief establishes standing to bring that claim.Ohio Contrs. Assn. v. Bicking (1994),
{¶ 10} Appellant's second assignment of error claims that the judge who issued the order is not holding office "during good behavior," as required by Article
{¶ 11} The judgment of the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed. Appellant is ordered to pay the cost of this appeal pursuant to App.R. 24. Judgment for the clerk's expense incurred in the preparation of the record, fees allowed by law, and the fee for filing the appeal is awarded to Lucas County.
*Page 1JUDGMENT AFFIRMED.
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