The Ohio Senate passed House Bill 37 on December 18, 2024, and with the passage of HB 37, significant changes are anticipated for OVI’s in Ohio. Here are some of the changes that you need to be aware of: Oral Fluid Testing Under the new law, if police suspect a driver...
An OVI means “Operating a Vehicle Impaired,” and it’s the term used by Ohio instead of “Driving Under the Influence (DUI)” or “Driving While Intoxicated” (DWI). In essence, an OVI can involve operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs or a combination...
The short and most honest answer is: it depends. Sometimes, people assume if they just call a lawyer, they can automatically avoid an OVI charge by simply having their lawyer plead them out to a reduced offense, as though it is a given. Unfortunately, it is almost...
Can I buy Marijuana in Ohio Legally? Yes! As of August 6, 2024, Ohioans across the state are now able to buy recreational marijuana. After the passage of Issue 2 in November 2023, the state legislature made Ohio the 23rd state to legalize marijuana. However, since...
Now that Ohio has legalized marijuana, one question we are often asked is whether a person can still be charged with an OVI (Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence). The answer is yes. In Ohio a person can be charged with ORC for using marijuana under ORC 4511.19....
If you are convicted of an OVI in Ohio and are a first-time offender, your license will be suspended for one year. This is a mandatory minimum OVI penalty. You will, however, receive credit for any time served under the Administrative License Suspension, that was...
According to the Ohio Supreme Court, Yes. In State v. O’Malley, Slip Opinion No. 2022-Ohio-3207, the Court recently held that the forfeiture of one’s vehicle following multiple OVI convictions did not violate the Equal Protection Clause and was not an excessive fine...
What is an Administrative License Suspension (“ALS”)? Unfortunately, when an individual is charged with a first offense OVI, the law enforcement officer must place the person under a 90-day Administrative License Suspension (“ALS”) if the person submits to a chemical...
Clients often ask us what to do regarding their driver’s license after being arrested for OVI. In the vast majority of OVI cases, the arresting officer seizes a defendant’s license and serves them with paperwork that they are placed under an administrative license...
When a person tests over the legal limit for alcohol or drugs, most police officers charge under both the impairment subsection and the legal limit subsection. Under Ohio law, there are generally two types of OVI offenses. One is based upon being impaired (subjective...
