For certain misdemeanor offenses, you may have to appear in mayor's court. It is different from other courts in a few important ways. A mayor's court occurs in city hall or another location that is not a typical courtroom. When you go, you will be present with many...

In Ohio, you cannot expunge your criminal records, You can request to have the state seal them, which is similar. According to the Cuyahoga County Officer of the Prosecutor, if you have misdemeanors, you can request that the state seals them in most cases. Keep in...

In general, offenses fall into one of three categories. Misdemeanors fall in the middle with regards to seriousness and penalties. They may result in jail time and/or fines. Felonies are the most grievous, with more severe consequences. Infractions, the least extreme...

Ohio law defines disorderly conduct as an “offense against the public peace.” FindLaw explains that, in general, disorderly conduct refers to any unruly or obnoxious public behaviors in which you engage that likely will lead to a disturbance or other non-peaceful...

Over the past few years, federal and state laws have come under fire for failing to address America’s growing drug problem. The laws also seem to disproportionately target minorities. Because of this, reforms at the federal, state and local levels have involved...

Being convicted of a drug crime in Ohio may compromise your ability to continue college if you rely on federal aid to fund your education. Understanding the impact of your misdemeanor on your ability to acquire and maintain financial aid may give you direction as to...

Not all crimes are the same. Likewise, not all potential penalties for crimes are the same either. It is important to understand how the law uses different classifications of crime if you are working through the criminal justice system.  The three major divisions of...

Many renters count on their returned security deposit to use as a security deposit on their future home, so when a landlord withholds said money, it can be financially devastating. If this happens to you, you may wonder if your landlord is in the right, or if you have...

If you find out you have a driver’s license suspension, it can be a real blow. It can be tough to do anything, from going to the grocery store to making it to work, if you cannot drive, and driving under suspension is a huge mistake since the penalties can be stiff. ...

With as much as police departments across the country, including those here in Ohio, use portable breath-testing machines in order to establish probable cause for an OVI arrest, you may think they provide accurate results. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. In fact,...