Ohio Criminal Defense Lawyers

If you are a first-time, low level offender, a new law could help you avoid prison time even when the judge would like nothing more than to lock you up. HB 86 has many judges and prosecutors upset because it takes away sentencing discretion from the judge and requires him to in essence ask for permission before incarcerating certain offenders. [read more...]

Judge Stacy Cook of the Lucas County Common Pleas court has a unique way of dealing with some of the offenders she sees on a daily basis. While many judges are quick to order a traditional term of probation or even jail time, Judge Cook seems to think a little further outside the box. She commonly requires offenders to write reports, 5 page reports, on topics related to their offenses. And it seems to have a positive effect. [read more...]

The Ohio Parole Board recommended Governor Kasich grant Shawn Hawkins clemency this week in a ruling of 7-0. Their issue, they say, isn’t necessarily with his guilt (he was convicted of shooting and killing two men) but with other aspects at trial. [read more...]

A package of sentencing reforms initially included in the Governor’s budget has passed the Ohio House and now heads to the Senate. There is bipartisan support on this bill that would make several significant changes that would both increase sentencing effectiveness and potentially save the state millions of dollars. [read more...]

By now, it seems, everyone has heard of Kelley Williams-Bolar, the single mother who sent her two daughters to a better school and was convicted on felony charges because of it. Activist groups and many people across the country are now calling on the Governor of the state of Ohio to pardon her. [read more...]

Ohio, unlike most states, has a county-centered probation system. Most states manage their probation system from the state level. Here, however, the counties are in charge of everything from funding to terms and conditions, making the system disjointed, or as a recent Associated Press story says, “a jumble of overlapping and fragmented agencies without common rules.” [read more...]

A 45 year old man who has an extensive history of drunk driving will be spending some time in the custody of the Ohio Department of Corrections after being sentenced to the maximum allowed penalty by Judge Michael J. Sage in Common Pleas Court of Butler County. [read more...]