Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 2953 | Appeals; Other Postconviction Remedies
Section 2953.31 | Sealing of Record of Conviction Definitions.

Effective: September 30, 2021
Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly
As used in sections 2953.31 to 2953.36 of the Revised Code:
(A)(1) "Eligible offender" means either of the following:
(a) Anyone who has been convicted of one or more offenses in this state or any other jurisdiction, if all of the offenses in this state are felonies of the fourth or fifth degree or misdemeanors and none of those offenses are an offense of violence or a felony sex offense and all of the offenses in another jurisdiction, if committed in this state, would be felonies of the fourth or fifth degree or misdemeanors and none of those offenses would be an offense of violence or a felony sex offense;
(b) Anyone who has been convicted of an offense in this state or any other jurisdiction, to whom division (A)(1)(a) of this section does not apply, and who has not more than two felony convictions, has not more than four misdemeanor convictions, or, if the person has exactly two felony convictions, has not more than those two felony convictions and two misdemeanor convictions in this state or any other jurisdiction. The conviction that is requested to be sealed shall be a conviction that is eligible for sealing as provided in section 2953.36 of the Revised Code. When two or more convictions result from or are connected with the same act or result from offenses committed at the same time, they shall be counted as one conviction. When two or three convictions result from the same indictment, information, or complaint, from the same plea of guilty, or from the same official proceeding, and result from related criminal acts that were committed within a three-month period but do not result from the same act or from offenses committed at the same time, they shall be counted as one conviction, provided that a court may decide as provided in division (C)(1)(a) of section 2953.32 of the Revised Code that it is not in the public interest for the two or three convictions to be counted as one conviction.
(2) For purposes of, and except as otherwise provided in, division (A)(1)(b) of this section, a conviction for a minor misdemeanor, for a violation of any section in Chapter 4507., 4510., 4511., 4513., or 4549. of the Revised Code, or for a violation of a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar to any section in those chapters is not a conviction. However, a conviction for a violation of section 4511.19, 4511.251, 4549.02, 4549.021, 4549.03, 4549.042, or 4549.62 or sections 4549.41 to 4549.46 of the Revised Code, for a violation of section 4510.11 or 4510.14 of the Revised Code that is based upon the offender's operation of a vehicle during a suspension imposed under section 4511.191 or 4511.196 of the Revised Code, for a violation of a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, for a felony violation of Title XLV of the Revised Code, or for a violation of a substantially equivalent former law of this state or former municipal ordinance shall be considered a conviction.
(B) "Prosecutor" means the county prosecuting attorney, city director of law, village solicitor, or similar chief legal officer, who has the authority to prosecute a criminal case in the court in which the case is filed.
(C) "Bail forfeiture" means the forfeiture of bail by a defendant who is arrested for the commission of a misdemeanor, other than a defendant in a traffic case as defined in Traffic Rule 2, if the forfeiture is pursuant to an agreement with the court and prosecutor in the case.
(D) "Official records" has the same meaning as in division (D) of section 2953.51 of the Revised Code, except that it also includes all records that are possessed by any public office or agency that relate to an application for, or the issuance or denial of, a certificate of qualification for employment under section 2953.25 of the Revised Code.
(E) "Official proceeding" has the same meaning as in section 2921.01 of the Revised Code.
(F) "Community control sanction" has the same meaning as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.
(G) "Post-release control" and "post-release control sanction" have the same meanings as in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code.
(H) "DNA database," "DNA record," and "law enforcement agency" have the same meanings as in section 109.573 of the Revised Code.
(I) "Fingerprints filed for record" means any fingerprints obtained by the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation pursuant to sections 109.57 and 109.571 of the Revised Code.
Last updated July 30, 2021 at 4:02 PM

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