You may or may not have heard that Ohio passed a law allowing law enforcement to stop drivers for the use of a cell phone while driving. You may have also noticed that you have not heard of anyone getting a citation in this way. That is because, after the law...
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New Expungement Law Works!
We write many articles about Expungement in Ohio, and we have already addressed the change that made true expungement possible in many cases. Before 2023, almost no adult cases could be truly expunged. Many could be sealed - that is, hidden from the public record....
Ohio’s Recent Changes to Victim’s Rights Laws (Marcy’s Law)
Earlier this year, the Ohio Supreme Court instituted a new law that majorly impacted the way the Ohio legal system approaches victim's rights. One of the biggest changes was that victims now have the ability to hire counsel to represent them in their own cases. In...
New Laws in 2023 and Expungement in Ohio
For the past several years Expungement has been one of the most sought-after topics on our website. Not only can sealing or expunging a criminal record be beneficial to many individuals, but the laws governing expungement in Ohio have been shifting and changing,...
Practice Effects of Bruen on United States Firearms Cases
Last year, when the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling on New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, inc. v. Bruen, we wrote an article discussing how the new law could impact Ohio. On the surface, it does not appear that such a law would impact Ohio...
Proposed New Law Could Change Marijuana OVI in Ohio
Marijuana laws in Ohio have become rather complicated in recent years. When medical marijuana became legal, we wrote an article called "Medical Marijuana: an OVI Trap?" We saw medical marijuana as a potential OVI trap because marijuana, unlike alcohol, can stay in a...
DUI and OVI while Underage / Juveniles
As you are probably aware, you have to be 16 to obtain a driver's license, 18 to be considered an adult, and 21 to be considered of legal drinking age. Because these legal ages are all different, OVI is handled differently depending on how old you are. Most drivers...
Common Questions About DUI/OVI in Ohio
Is DUI/OVI in Ohio a Felony? Whether or not a DUI/OVI is a felony depends mainly your previous OVI record. An OVI becomes a felony if you have: 3 or more OVIs in 10 years 5 or more OVIs in 20 years Any felony OVI from any period of time We go into more detail about...
When Does a Civil Protection Order Case Become a Criminal Case?
Our article on Civil Protection Orders covered the topic in a broad way. We got into most of the details in that article, but in this one we will focus on one specific important detail. Specifically, when a CPO case becomes a criminal case. Quite simply, violating...
What is the Difference Between a Juvenile Adjudication and a Criminal Conviction
At Dearie, Fischer, and Martinson, we have handled thousands of juvenile court cases over the last twenty years. Most people know what it means to be convicted of a criminal offense as an adult, but things are a little bit different for juveniles. If your child is...