Criminal Defense

On March 22nd of this year, indefinite sentencing returned to Ohio through Senate Bill 201 known as the "Reagan Tokes Law." Indefinite sentencing is where a defendant is sentenced to an indefinite range or term of years, with release determinations made by the Parole...

Ohio Revised Code § 2941.148 outlines Ohio's sexually violent predator specification. It can be applied to sexually violent offenses-namely homicide, assault, and kidnapping. This specification can be used to add onto or enhance sentences. The exact enhancement...

Many Ohio drivers find themselves charged with "driving under suspension" after a routine traffic stop. Many of those same drivers had no knowledge that their license was even suspended until they were informed of the suspension by a police officer.There are many...

The attorneys at frequently represent people accused of crimes in Eaton Municipal Court. It is not uncommon for John R. Bernans and Neal Schuett to each have numerous cases pending in Eaton Municipal Court. Our Oxford office is quite close...

Despite Ohio being an open-carry State (meaning individuals do not need a license to carry a firearm openly in public if they are eligible to carry it), concealed carry (or "CCW") permits have become popular. These licenses permit individuals to possess a concealed...

If you have been exposed to the criminal justice system, you've likely witnessed the tremendous power of the prosecution. In a criminal case, the prosecutor has a substantial amount of influence, even before a trial begins.A current example of the prosecution's power...

Criminal charges are scary. A criminal conviction, even a misdemeanor, carries several collateral consequences including employment restrictions, incarceration, lost school opportunities, and reputational costs. Fighting criminal charges can be costly and stressful.If...

In Ohio, a person charged with murder is accused of killing another human being purposefully; in other words, "murder" is when someone intends to kill another person. If no intent to kill exists, then it's not "murder." Anyone that is convicted of murder must be...

Most people believe that they would "never confess to a crime that they didn't commit." And yet, 38% of juveniles who were later found to be not guilty involved false confessions1. The Innocence Project found that 25% of cases where a convicted defendant was later...

"But I have an eyewitness!" Criminal lawyers so often turn to this phrase thinking that it is the silver bullet in a negotiation or trial. A recent New York Times piece, however, cites the growing body of evidence that ""eyewitness testimony is the least reliable...