An Ohio judge temporarily blocked Ohio from transferring unclaimed funds to pay for a Cleveland Browns stadium and other projects.
Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Bill Sperlazza granted a 14-day temporary restraining order to block Ohio from moving at least $1.7 billion in unclaimed utility payments, deposits and other funds into a new pot for sports and cultural projects on Jan. 1.
About $600 million of that money is earmarked for the Cleveland Browns’ new domed stadium project.
Former state Representative Jeff Crossman and former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann speak to the media outside the Ohio Statehouse on June 25, 2025 about their plan to sue over the state’s use of unclaimed funds for the new Browns stadium.
“My role is to protect the state of Ohio, and as I see it, the best way to protect the plaintiff’s rights in this case is to put this transaction on pause,” Sperlazza said.
The decision came after a federal judge said Ohio could move forward. That decision is being appealed.
In the meantime, two individuals with unclaimed funds filed a lawsuit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, challenging the use of unclaimed funds for sports stadiums under state law.
The lawsuit, filed by former Democratic lawmakers Marc Dann and Jeff Crossman, accused the state of stripping Ohioans of their property without proper notice or compensation. They also say the law violates Ohio’s rule prohibiting cramming multiple, unrelated policies into one bill.
Crossman called Ohio’s plan to use unclaimed funds for a new stadium theft and embezzlement.
“There’s no harm to hit the pause button here,” he said during a Dec. 23 hearing.
The lawsuit also accused lawmakers of making a deal with the Browns’ owners, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, to bankroll opposition to redistricting reform in exchange for stadium funding.
“It appears that the Speaker’s support for public funding for the Haslams’ private project is the reward for the Haslams’ direct support on defeating Issue 1,” according to the lawsuit.
Attorneys representing the state argued that Ohioans can still claim these funds through 2036 − even if some are transferred to the new fund.
“You can absolutely unring this bell,” attorney Aneca Lasley said. “There’s no emergency here.”
Even so, Sperlazza, a Democrat, asked if Ohio was robbing Peter to pay Paul by using other unclaimed funds to pay those whose money was given away to sports and cultural projects.
“It sounds to me like you’re going to be taking money from other people who are owed money and giving it to me,” the judge said.
State government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@usatodayco.com or @jbalmert on X.
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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Judge temporarily blocks Ohio from using unclaimed funds for Cleveland Browns