Cecil Mathews, Petitioner v. Michael D. Crews

Summary

The court dismissed Mathews's mandamus petition because he sought to use mandamus to review the First District's denial of habeas corpus relief and to obtain release based on a time-barred and meritless challenge to his conviction. The court clarified that mandamus may compel a lower court to act within its lawful jurisdiction but cannot control how the court exercises that jurisdiction or circumvent constitutional limits on discretionary review. The court warned that repeated misuse of extraordinary-writ jurisdiction may result in sanctions.