Overview
- Franklin County Magistrate Jennifer D. Hunt granted a preliminary injunction after finding the plaintiffs substantially likely to succeed on their claims.
- The pause extends beyond the Browns to pending grant requests from other teams, including the Guardians, Cavaliers and Columbus Clippers.
- Former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann and former state Rep. Jeffrey Crossman filed the class action on behalf of individuals whose unclaimed property was held by the state as of June 30, 2025.
- The lawsuit challenges budget provisions that shifted more than $1 billion from the Unclaimed Funds Account into a cultural and sports grant fund, including a $600 million designation for the Browns.
- State lawyers can object to the magistrate’s decision, a judge will review whether to adopt it, and subsequent appeals remain possible.