2012 Ohio Revised Code
Title [29] XXIX CRIMES - PROCEDURE
Chapter 2953 - APPEALS; OTHER POSTCONVICTION REMEDIES
Section 2953.31 - Sealing of record of conviction definitions.

As used in sections 2953.31 to 2953.36 of the Revised Code:

(A) " Eligible offender" means anyone who has been convicted of an offense in this state or any other jurisdiction and who has not more than one felony conviction, not more than two misdemeanor convictions if the convictions are not of the same offense, or not more than one felony conviction and one misdemeanor conviction in this state or any other jurisdiction. 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.

For purposes of, and except as otherwise provided in, this division, 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.

(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.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.131,SB 337, §1, eff. 9/28/2012.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.30,SB 77, §1, eff. 7/6/2010.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004