MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW) — What’s good for the gander turned out great for the goose today in Marion County Common Pleas Court. Heidi Ratliff was facing charges including child endangerment and obstructing justice. Her ruling comes on the (somewhat delayed) acquittal of her husband, Ayer’s Ratliff, in January under that same Rule 29.
In a significant development in the case, the Ratliff law firm presented a motion under Ohio Criminal Rule 29 early today, requesting a judgment of acquittal based on the legal insufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence.
A Rule 29 motion asks the court to dismiss one or more criminal charges when the evidence presented by the prosecution is insufficient as a matter of law to support a conviction.
Visiting retired Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Daniel Hogan agreed and dismissed the charges.
The saga began in August of 2025 when Marion County Prosecutor Ray Grogan splashed his intentions across the Marion County Prosecutor’s Facebook page. “We know the public wants to know more about this important case,” Grogan said in his announcement. Marion County Now has reached out for comments from both parties, as this is a breaking news story.
Marion County Now will provide additional details as they become available.