Section 2903.213 | Motion for and hearing on protection order.

• Effective: July 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 16 (GA 135), House Bill 191 (GA 135)

(A) Except when the complaint or indictment involves a person who is a family or household member as defined in section 2919.25 of the Revised Code, upon the filing of a complaint or indictment that alleges a violation of section 2903.11, 2903.12, 2903.13, 2903.21, 2903.211, 2903.22, or 2911.211 of the Revised Code, a violation of a municipal ordinance substantially similar to section 2903.13, 2903.21, 2903.211, 2903.22, or 2911.211 of the Revised Code, or the commission of a sexually oriented offense, the complainant, the prosecutor, the alleged victim, or a family or household member of an alleged victim may file a motion that requests the issuance of a protection order as a pretrial condition of release of the alleged offender, in addition to any bail set by the court. The motion shall be filed with the clerk of the court that has jurisdiction of the case at any time after the filing of the complaint or indictment. If the complaint or indictment involves a person who is a family or household member, the complainant, the alleged victim, or the family or household member may file a motion for a temporary protection order pursuant to section 2919.26 of the Revised Code.

(B) A motion for a protection order under this section shall be prepared on a form that is provided by the clerk of the court, and the form shall be substantially as follows:

"Motion for Protection Order

______________________________

Name and address of court

State of Ohio

v. No. __________

_____________________________

Name of Defendant

(Name of person), moves the court to issue a protection order containing terms designed to ensure the safety and protection of the complainant or the alleged victim in the above-captioned case, in relation to the named defendant, pursuant to its authority to issue a protection order under section 2903.213 of the Revised Code.

A complaint or indictment, a copy of which has been attached to this motion, has been filed in this court charging the named defendant with a violation of section 2903.11, 2903.12, 2903.13, 2903.21, 2903.211, 2903.22, or 2911.211 of the Revised Code, a violation of a municipal ordinance substantially similar to section 2903.13, 2903.21, 2903.211, 2903.22, or 2911.211 of the Revised Code, or the commission of a sexually oriented offense.

I understand that I must appear before the court, at a time set by the court not later than the next day that the court is in session after the filing of this motion, for a hearing on the motion, and that any protection order granted pursuant to this motion is a pretrial condition of release and is effective only until the disposition of the criminal proceeding arising out of the attached complaint or indictment or until the issuance under section 2903.214 of the Revised Code of a protection order arising out of the same activities as those that were the basis of the attached complaint or indictment.

____________________________________

Signature of person

_____________________________________

Address of person"

(C)(1) As soon as possible after the filing of a motion that requests the issuance of a protection order under this section, but not later than the next day that the court is in session after the filing of the motion, the court shall conduct a hearing to determine whether to issue the order. The person who requested the order shall appear before the court and provide the court with the information that it requests concerning the basis of the motion. If the court finds that the safety and protection of the complainant or the alleged victim may be impaired by the continued presence of the alleged offender, the court may issue a protection order under this section, as a pretrial condition of release, that contains terms designed to ensure the safety and protection of the complainant or the alleged victim, including a requirement that the alleged offender refrain from entering the residence, school, business, or place of employment of the complainant or the alleged victim. The court may include within a protection order issued under this section a term requiring that the alleged offender not remove, damage, hide, harm, or dispose of any companion animal owned or possessed by the complainant or the alleged victim, and may include within the order a term authorizing the complainant or the alleged victim to remove a companion animal owned by the complainant or the alleged victim from the possession of the alleged offender.

(2)(a) If the court issues a protection order under this section that includes a requirement that the alleged offender refrain from entering the residence, school, business, or place of employment of the complainant or the alleged victim, the order shall clearly state that the order cannot be waived or nullified by an invitation to the alleged offender from the complainant, the alleged victim, or a family or household member to enter the residence, school, business, or place of employment or by the alleged offender's entry into one of those places otherwise upon the consent of the complainant, the alleged victim, or a family or household member.

(b) Division (C)(2)(a) of this section does not limit any discretion of a court to determine that an alleged offender charged with a violation of section 2919.27 of the Revised Code, with a violation of a municipal ordinance substantially equivalent to that section, or with contempt of court, which charge is based on an alleged violation of a protection order issued under this section, did not commit the violation or was not in contempt of court.

(D)(1) Except when the complaint or indictment involves a person who is a family or household member as defined in section 2919.25 of the Revised Code, upon the filing of a complaint or indictment that alleges a violation specified in division (A) of this section, the court, upon its own motion, may issue a protection order under this section as a pretrial condition of release of the alleged offender if it finds that the safety and protection of the complainant or the alleged victim may be impaired by the continued presence of the alleged offender.

(2) If the court issues a protection order under this section as an ex parte order, it shall conduct, as soon as possible after the issuance of the order but not later than the next day that the court is in session after its issuance, a hearing to determine whether the order should remain in effect, be modified, or be revoked. The hearing shall be conducted under the standards set forth in division (C) of this section.

(3) If a municipal court or a county court issues a protection order under this section and if, subsequent to the issuance of the order, the alleged offender who is the subject of the order is bound over to the court of common pleas for prosecution of a felony arising out of the same activities as those that were the basis of the complaint upon which the order is based, notwithstanding the fact that the order was issued by a municipal court or county court, the order shall remain in effect, as though it were an order of the court of common pleas, while the charges against the alleged offender are pending in the court of common pleas, for the period of time described in division (E)(2) of this section, and the court of common pleas has exclusive jurisdiction to modify the order issued by the municipal court or county court. This division applies when the alleged offender is bound over to the court of common pleas as a result of the person waiving a preliminary hearing on the felony charge, as a result of the municipal court or county court having determined at a preliminary hearing that there is probable cause to believe that the felony has been committed and that the alleged offender committed it, as a result of the alleged offender having been indicted for the felony, or in any other manner.

(E) A protection order that is issued as a pretrial condition of release under this section:

(1) Is in addition to, but shall not be construed as a part of, any bail set by the court;

(2) Is effective only until the disposition, by the court that issued the order or, in the circumstances described in division (D)(3) of this section, by the court of common pleas to which the alleged offender is bound over for prosecution, of the criminal proceeding arising out of the complaint or indictment upon which the order is based or until the issuance under section 2903.214 of the Revised Code of a protection order arising out of the same activities as those that were the basis of the complaint or indictment filed under this section;

(3) Shall not be construed as a finding that the alleged offender committed the alleged offense and shall not be introduced as evidence of the commission of the offense at the trial of the alleged offender on the complaint or indictment upon which the order is based.

(F) A person who meets the criteria for bail under section 2937.011 of the Revised code and who, if required to do so pursuant to that section, executes or posts bond or deposits cash or securities as bail, shall not be held in custody pending a hearing before the court on a motion requesting a protection order under this section.

(G)(1) A copy of a protection order that is issued under this section shall be issued by the court to the complainant, to the alleged victim, to the person who requested the order, to the defendant, and to all law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction to enforce the order. The court shall direct that a copy of the order be delivered to the defendant on the same day that the order is entered. If a municipal court or a county court issues a protection order under this section and if, subsequent to the issuance of the order, the defendant who is the subject of the order is bound over to the court of common pleas for prosecution as described in division (D)(3) of this section, the municipal court or county court shall direct that a copy of the order be delivered to the court of common pleas to which the defendant is bound over.

(2) All law enforcement agencies shall establish and maintain an index for the protection orders delivered to the agencies pursuant to division (G)(1) of this section. With respect to each order delivered, each agency shall note on the index the date and time of the agency's receipt of the order.

(3) Regardless of whether the petitioner has registered the protection order in the county in which the officer's agency has jurisdiction, any officer of a law enforcement agency shall enforce a protection order issued pursuant to this section in accordance with the provisions of the order.

(H) Upon a violation of a protection order issued pursuant to this section, the court may issue another protection order under this section, as a pretrial condition of release, that modifies the terms of the order that was violated.

(I)(1) Subject to division (I)(2) of this section and regardless of whether a protection order is issued or a consent agreement is approved by a court of another county or by a court of another state, no court or unit of state or local government shall charge the movant any fee, cost, deposit, or money in connection with the filing of a motion pursuant to this section, in connection with the filing, issuance, registration, modification, enforcement, dismissal, withdrawal, or service of a protection order, consent agreement, or witness subpoena or for obtaining certified copies of a protection order or consent agreement.

(2) Regardless of whether a protection order is issued or a consent agreement is approved pursuant to this section, if the defendant is convicted the court may assess costs against the defendant in connection with the filing, issuance, registration, modification, enforcement, dismissal, withdrawal, or service of a protection order, consent agreement, or witness subpoena or for obtaining a certified copy of a protection order or consent agreement.

(J) At the time of termination of a protection order issued under this section, the court shall inform all law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction to enforce the order that the order is no longer effective.

(K) As used in this section:

(1) "Sexually oriented offense" has the same meaning as in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Companion animal" has the same meaning as in section 959.131 of the Revised Code.

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.

Last updated July 19, 2023 at 2:21 PM

Available Versions of this Section

• September 17, 2014 – House Bill 309 - 130th General Assembly
• March 23, 2015 – Senate Bill 177 - 130th General Assembly
• September 29, 2017 – Amended by House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly
• April 8, 2019 – Amended by House Bill 425 - 132nd General Assembly
• July 7, 2023 – Amended by Senate Bill 16 (GA 135), House Bill 191 (GA 135)