ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — A woman currently serving a prison sentence following a felony assault conviction involving a law enforcement officer is appealing that conviction while a separate case involving allegations of assaulting officers remains pending in Ross County Common Pleas Court.
Mariel B. Bernard was convicted in Ross County Common Pleas Court Case 25CR000319 of assault in violation of Ohio Revised Code 2903.13, a fourth-degree felony. According to court records, Judge Matthew S. Schmidt sentenced Bernard on August 18, 2026, to 12 months in prison, with credit for time already served.
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records show Bernard was admitted to state custody on August 20 and is currently incarcerated at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville. ODRC lists her expected release or parole eligibility date as July 16, 2027.
Bernard is now challenging the conviction. Court records show a notice of appeal was filed in September, with the appellate matter identified as 26 CA 28. Motions were subsequently filed seeking appointment of the Ohio Public Defender and preparation of a complete transcript of the proceedings at state expense. Both requests were granted by the court on September 17.
While that conviction moves into the appellate process, Bernard is also facing a separate criminal case involving allegations of assaulting law enforcement officers.
Ross County Common Pleas Court Case 25CR000374 originated with charges that included two counts of fourth-degree felony assault, aggravated menacing and two counts of resisting arrest. The case was filed in Common Pleas Court in August 2025, and an indictment followed the next month.
That second case remains unresolved. Court records show a jury trial previously scheduled for August was continued until December 8, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., with the court reserving two days for the proceedings. The case is currently listed as reopened.
Because Bernard is already in state custody, the docket also reflects an order for a warrant for removal, a process used to secure an incarcerated defendant’s presence for court proceedings.
Bernard’s first case has therefore moved into the appeals process while her second case continues toward a jury trial later this year.
The charges pending in the second case are allegations, and Bernard is presumed innocent of those charges unless and until proven guilty in court.
