Chapter 3797 | Childhood Sexual Abuse Registration and Community Notification

Section 3797.01 | Childhood sexual abuse registration and community notification definitions.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

As used in sections 3797.01 to 3797.12 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Employed" means employed for more than fourteen days or for an aggregate of thirty days in a calendar year.

(B) "Registrant" means a person against whom a court has entered a declaratory judgment under section 2721.21 of the Revised Code and issued an order that the person be listed on the civil registry maintained by the attorney general pursuant to section 3797.08 of the Revised Code.

(C) "Reside" includes temporarily reside.

(D) "Sheriff" includes a person designated by a sheriff to carry out functions that the sheriff is required to perform under sections 3797.02 to 3797.12 of the Revised Code.

(E) "Temporarily reside" means live in a county in this state, other than as a permanent resident, for a period of five or more consecutive days.

Section 3797.02 | Personal registration required in counties of residence and employment.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

(A)(1) A registrant shall register personally with the sheriff of the county in which the registrant resides and with the sheriff of any county in which the registrant is employed.

(2) A registrant who is registered in one or more counties and who establishes a new residence or place of employment in a county in which the registrant is not registered shall register personally with the sheriff of the county in which the new residence or place of employment is located immediately upon coming into that county.

(B) A registrant shall obtain from the sheriff a registration form prescribed by the attorney general pursuant to section 3797.07 of the Revised Code, complete and sign the form, and return the form to the sheriff. The sheriff shall sign the form and indicate on the form the date on which it is returned. The registration required under this division is complete when the registrant returns the form, containing the requisite information, signature, and date, to the sheriff.

(C) The duty to register pursuant to division (A) of this section commences on the date a declaratory judgment against the registrant is entered and continues unless and until the registrant is removed pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code from the civil registry established under section 3797.08 of the Revised Code.

Section 3797.03 | Notice of change in residence or employment required.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

(A) A registrant who establishes a new residence or place of employment within a county in which the registrant is registered shall promptly send the sheriff written notice of the address of the new residence or place of employment.

(B) A registrant who intends to reside in a county other than the one in which the registrant has registered a residence address shall send the sheriff of the county in which the registrant intends to reside written notice of the registrant's intent to reside in that county. The registrant shall send the notice at least twenty days before the date the registrant begins to reside in the county. The notice shall include the registrant's name and the address or addresses at which the registrant intends to reside. If the change of address is not to a fixed address, the registrant shall include in the notice a detailed description of the place or places at which the registrant intends to stay and, not later than the end of the first business day immediately following the day on which the registrant obtains a fixed residence address, shall provide the sheriff written notice of the fixed residence address. If a registrant whose residence address change is not to a fixed address describes in a notice under this division the place or places at which the registrant intends to stay, the place or places so described in the notice shall be considered the registrant's residence address until the registrant provides the written notice of a fixed residence address as described in this division.

Section 3797.04 | Annual verification of residence and employment address.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

(A) A registrant shall verify the registrant's current residence address and employment address on each anniversary of the registrant's initial registration date by personally appearing before the sheriff of the county in which the registrant is registered not earlier than ten days before the anniversary date and not later than the anniversary date and completing and signing a copy of a verification form provided by the sheriff. The sheriff shall sign the completed form and indicate on the form the date on which it is completed. The verification is complete when the registrant personally appears before the sheriff and completes and signs the form.

(B) To facilitate the verification of a registrant's current residence or employment address, the sheriff with whom the registrant most recently registered the address may mail a nonforwardable verification form to the registrant's last reported residence address or employment address, as applicable, with a notice that conspicuously states that the registrant must personally appear before the sheriff to complete the form and the date by which the form must be completed. Regardless of whether a sheriff mails a form to a registrant, each registrant shall personally appear before the sheriff to verify the address.

(C)(1) If a registrant fails to verify a current residence address or employment address by the date required for the verification, the sheriff with whom the registrant is required to verify the current address shall send on the day following that date required for the verification and at the registrant's last known residence or place of employment, as applicable, a written warning to the registrant regarding the registrant's duty to verify the registrant's current address.

The written warning shall do all of the following:

(a) Identify the sheriff who sends it and the date on which it is sent;

(b) State conspicuously that the registrant has failed to verify the registrant's current residence address or employment address, as applicable, by the date required for the verification;

(c) Conspicuously state that the registrant has seven days from the date on which the warning is sent to verify the current residence address or employment address, as applicable, with the sheriff who sent the warning;

(d) Conspicuously state that a failure to timely verify the specified current address or addresses is a felony offense;

(e) Conspicuously state that the registrant will not be prosecuted for a failure to timely verify a current address if the registrant verifies the current address with that sheriff within that seven-day period;

(f) Conspicuously state that the registrant will be arrested or taken into custody, as appropriate, and prosecuted for a failure to timely verify a current address if the registrant does not verify the current address with that sheriff within that seven-day period.

(2) If a registrant fails to verify a current address as required by this section by the date required for the verification, the registrant shall not be prosecuted for a violation of division (A) of section 3797.10 of the Revised Code unless the seven-day period subsequent to that date that the registrant is provided under division (C)(1) of this section to verify the current address has expired and the registrant has not verified the current address prior to the expiration of that seven-day period. Upon the expiration of the seven-day period that the registrant is provided under division (C)(1) of this section to verify the current address, if the registrant has not verified the current address, all of the following apply:

(a) The sheriff with whom the registrant is required to verify the current address promptly shall notify the attorney general of the failure.

(b) The sheriff with whom the registrant is required to verify the current address, the sheriff of the county in which the registrant resides or is employed, or a deputy of the appropriate sheriff shall locate the registrant, promptly shall seek a warrant for the arrest or taking into custody, as appropriate, of the registrant for the violation of division (A) of section 3797.10 of the Revised Code, and shall arrest the registrant.

(c) The registrant is subject to prosecution for a violation of division (A) of section 3797.10 of the Revised Code.

(D) A registrant who is required to verify a current address pursuant to division (A) of this section shall do so unless and until the registrant is removed from the civil registry pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code.

Section 3797.05 | Confirmation of registered residence address by premises owner.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

(A) If a registrant registers a residence address, provides notice of a change of any residence address, or verifies a current residence address pursuant to section 3797.02, 3797.03, or 3797.04 of the Revised Code, all of the following apply:

(1) At any time after the registration, provision of the notice, or verification, the sheriff with whom the registrant so registered or to whom the registrant so provided the notice or verified the current address may contact a person who owns, leases, or otherwise has custody, control, or supervision of the premises at the address provided by the registrant in the registration, the notice, or the verification and request that the person confirm or deny that the registrant currently resides at that address.

(2) Upon receipt of a request under division (A)(1) of this section, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the person who owns, leases, or otherwise has custody, control, or supervision of the premises, or an agent of that person, shall comply with the request and inform the sheriff or designee who made the request whether or not the registrant currently resides at that address.

(3) Section 3797.12 of the Revised Code applies to a person who provides information of the type described in division (A)(2) of this section in accordance with that division.

(B) Division (A) of this section applies regarding any public or private residential premises, including, but not limited to, a private residence, a multi-unit residential facility, a halfway house, a homeless shelter, or any other type of residential premises.

(C) A sheriff may attempt to confirm that a registrant who registers a residence address, provides notice of a change of any residence address, or verifies a current residence address as described in division (A) of this section currently resides at the address in question in manners other than the manner provided in this section. A sheriff is not limited in the number of requests that may be made under this section regarding any registration, provision of notice, or verification or in the number of times that the sheriff may attempt to confirm in manners other than the manner provided in this section that a registrant currently resides at the address in question.

Section 3797.06 | Notice to be provided to neighbors of registrant - hearing.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "specified geographical notification area" means the geographic area or areas within which the attorney general requires by rule adopted under section 3797.08 of the Revised Code the notice described in division (B) of this section to be given to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If a court enters a declaratory judgment against a registrant under section 2721.21 of the Revised Code, the sheriff with whom the registrant has most recently registered under section 3797.02 or 3797.03 of the Revised Code and the sheriff to whom the registrant most recently sent a notice of intent to reside under section 3797.03 of the Revised Code shall provide within the period of time specified in division (C) of this section a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to all of the persons described in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If the sheriff has sent a notice to the persons described in those divisions as a result of receiving a notice of intent to reside and if the registrant registers a residence address that is the same residence address described in the notice of intent to reside, the sheriff is not required to send an additional notice when the registrant registers. The sheriff shall provide the notice to all of the following persons:

(1)(a) Any occupant of each residential unit that is located within one thousand feet of the registrant's residential premises, that is located within the county served by the sheriff, and that is not located in a multi-unit building. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.

(b) If the registrant resides in a multi-unit building, any occupant of each residential unit that is located in that multi-unit building and that shares a common hallway with the registrant. For purposes of this division, an occupant's unit shares a common hallway with the registrant if the entrance door into the occupant's unit is located on the same floor and opens into the same hallway as the entrance door to the unit the registrant occupies. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.

(c) The building manager, or the person the building owner or condominium unit owners association authorizes to exercise management and control, of each multi-unit building that is located within one thousand feet of the registrant's residential premises, including a multi-unit building in which the registrant resides, and that is located within the county served by the sheriff. In addition to notifying the building manager or the person authorized to exercise management and control in the multi-unit building under this division, the sheriff shall post a copy of the notice prominently in each common entryway in the building and any other location in the building the sheriff determines appropriate. The manager or person exercising management and control of the building shall permit the sheriff to post copies of the notice under this division as the sheriff determines appropriate. In lieu of posting copies of the notice as described in this division, a sheriff may provide notice to all occupants of the multi-unit building by mail or personal contact. If the sheriff so notifies all the occupants, the sheriff is not required to post copies of the notice in the common entryways to the building. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.

(d) All additional persons who are within any category of neighbors of the registrant that the attorney general by rule adopted under section 3797.08 of the Revised Code requires to be provided the notice and who reside within the county served by the sheriff.

(2) The executive director of the public children services agency that has jurisdiction within the specified geographical notification area and that is located within the county served by the sheriff;

(3) The superintendent of each board of education of a school district that has schools within the specified geographical notification area and that is located within the county served by the sheriff;

(4) The appointing or hiring officer of each nonpublic school located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff or of each other school located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff and that is not operated by a board of education described in division (A)(3) of this section;

(5) The director, head teacher, elementary principal, or site administrator of each preschool program governed by Chapter 3301. of the Revised Code that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff;

(6) The administrator of each child care center or type A family child care home that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff, and each holder of a license to operate a type B family child care home that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff. As used in this division, "child care center," "type A family child care home," and "type B family child care home" have the same meanings as in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code.

(7) The president or other chief administrative officer of each institution of higher education, as defined in section 2907.03 of the Revised Code, that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff and the chief law enforcement officer of any state university law enforcement agency or campus police department established under section 3345.04 or 1713.50 of the Revised Code that serves that institution;

(8) The sheriff of each county that includes any portion of the specified geographical notification area;

(9) If the registrant resides within the county served by the sheriff, the chief of police, marshal, or other chief law enforcement officer of the municipal corporation in which the registrant resides or, if the registrant resides in an unincorporated area, the constable or chief of the police department or police district police force of the township in which the registrant resides.

(B) The notice required under division (A) of this section shall include the registrant's name, residence or employment address, as applicable, and a statement that the registrant has been found liable for childhood sexual abuse in a civil action and is listed on the civil registry established by the attorney general pursuant to section 3797.08 of the Revised Code.

(C) If a sheriff with whom a registrant registers under section 3797.02 or 3797.03 of the Revised Code or to whom the registrant most recently sent a notice of intent to reside under section 3797.03 of the Revised Code is required by division (A) of this section to provide notices regarding a registrant and if the sheriff provides a notice pursuant to that requirement the sheriff provides a notice to a sheriff of one or more other counties in accordance with division (A)(8) of this section, the sheriff of each of the other counties who is provided notice under division (A)(8) of this section shall provide the notices described in divisions (A)(1) to (7) and (A)(9) of this section to each person or entity identified within those divisions that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff in question.

(D)(1) A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section to provide notices regarding a registrant shall provide the notice to the neighbors that are described in division (A)(1) of this section and the notices to law enforcement personnel that are described in divisions (A)(8) and (9) of this section as soon as practicable, but not later than five days after the registrant sends the notice of intent to reside to the sheriff, and again not later than five days after the registrant registers with the sheriff or, if the sheriff is required by division (C) to provide the notices, not later than five days after the sheriff is provided the notice described in division (A)(8) of this section.

A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section to provide notices regarding a registrant shall provide the notices to all other specified persons that are described in divisions (A)(2) to (7) of this section as soon as practicable, but not later than seven days after the registrant registers with the sheriff, or, if the sheriff is required by division (C) to provide the notices, not later than five days after the sheriff is provided the notice described in division (A)(8) of this section.

(2) If a registrant in relation to whom division (A) of this section applies verifies the registrant's current residence address with a sheriff pursuant to section 3797.04 of the Revised Code, the sheriff may provide a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If a sheriff provides a notice pursuant to this division to the sheriff of one or more other counties in accordance with division (A)(8) of this section, the sheriff of each of the other counties who is provided the notice under division (A)(8) of this section may provide, but is not required to provide, a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (7) and (A)(9) of this section.

(3) A sheriff may provide notice under division (A)(1)(a) or (b) of this section, and may provide notice under division (A)(1)(c) of this section to a building manager or person authorized to exercise management and control of a building, by mail, by personal contact, or by leaving the notice at or under the entry door to a residential unit. For purposes of divisions (A)(1)(a) and (b) of this section and of the portion of division (A)(1)(c) of this section relating to the provision of notice to occupants of a multi-unit building by mail or personal contact, the provision of one written notice per unit is deemed providing notice to all occupants of that unit.

(E) All information that a sheriff possesses regarding a registrant that is described in division (B) of this section and that must be provided in a notice required under division (A) or (C) of this section or that may be provided in a notice authorized under division (D)(2) of this section is a public record that is open to inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(F) A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section, or authorized by division (D)(2) of this section, to provide notices regarding a registrant may request the department of job and family services, department of education, or department of higher education, by telephone, in registrant, or by mail, to provide the sheriff with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the appropriate persons and entities to whom the notices described in divisions (A)(2) to (7) of this section are to be provided. Upon receipt of a request, the department shall provide the requesting sheriff with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the appropriate persons and entities to whom those notices are to be provided.

(G)(1) Upon the motion of the registrant or the judge that entered a declaratory judgment pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code or that judge's successor in office, the judge may schedule a hearing to determine whether the interests of justice would be served by suspending the community notification requirement under this section in relation to the registrant. The judge may dismiss the motion without a hearing but may not issue an order suspending the community notification requirement without a hearing. At the hearing, all parties are entitled to be heard. If, at the conclusion of the hearing, the judge finds that the registrant has proven by clear and convincing evidence that the registrant is unlikely to commit childhood sexual abuse in the future and that suspending the community notification requirement is in the interests of justice, the judge may issue an order suspending the application of this section in relation to the registrant. The order shall contain both of these findings.

The judge promptly shall serve a copy of the order upon the sheriff with whom the registrant most recently registered a residence address and the sheriff with whom the registrant most recently registered an employment address under section 3797.02 of the Revised Code.

An order suspending the community notification requirement does not suspend or otherwise alter a registrant's duties to comply with sections 3797.02, 3797.03, and 3797.04 of the Revised Code.

(2) A registrant has the right to appeal an order denying a motion made under division (G)(1) of this section.

Last updated August 28, 2023 at 10:35 AM

Section 3797.07 | Attorney general to prescribe forms.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

(A) The attorney general shall prescribe forms to be used for registration, notice of intent to reside, and verification of current address under sections 3797.02, 3797.03, and 3797.04 of the Revised Code. The forms shall comply with the following:

(1) The registration form to be used under section 3797.02 of the Revised Code shall include the registrant's name, the registrant's current residence and employment addresses, a photograph of the registrant, the name of the court that rendered a declaratory judgment against the registrant pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code and the date the judgment was entered, and any other information required by the attorney general.

(2) The notice of intent to reside form to be used under section 3797.03 of the Revised Code shall include the registrant's name, the registrant's current residence and employment addresses, a statement that a court has entered a declaratory judgment against the registrant pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code, the address of the place where the registrant intends to reside, and any other information required by the attorney general.

(3) The verification form to be used under section 3797.04 of the Revised Code shall contain the registrant's current residence or employment address, as applicable, and any other information required by the attorney general.

(B) Upon completion of a registration, notice of intent to reside, or verification of current address form by a registrant, the sheriff shall promptly forward a copy of the form to the attorney general in accordance with procedures established by the attorney general. Upon receiving from a registrant a notice of a change of the registrant's residence address, if the new address is in another county in this state, the sheriff promptly shall forward the new address to the sheriff of that county.

Section 3797.08 | Attorney general to adopt rules - internet civil registry.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

The attorney general shall do all of the following:

(A) In consultation with county sheriffs and not later than July 1, 2006, adopt rules that do all of the following:

(1) Contain guidelines necessary for the implementation of this chapter;

(2) Prescribe the registration, notice of intent to reside, and verification of current address forms to be used by registrants and sheriffs under sections 3797.02, 3797.03, and 3797.04 of the Revised Code;

(3) Establish procedures for the forwarding of forms by the sheriff to the attorney general;

(4) Designate a geographic area or areas within which the notice described in division (B) of section 3797.06 of the Revised Code must be given to the persons identified in divisions (A)(2) to (8) of that section;

(5) At the attorney general's discretion, establish one or more categories of neighbors of a registrant who, in addition to the occupants of residential premises and other persons specified in division (A) of section 3797.06 of the Revised Code, must be given the notice described in division (B) of that section.

(B) Make copies of the forms described in division (A)(2) of this section available to sheriffs and judges;

(C) Not later than January 1, 2007, establish and operate on the internet a civil registry of persons against whom a court has entered a declaratory judgment under section 2721.21 of the Revised Code that contains information for each of those persons who registers in any county in this state pursuant to section 3797.02 of the Revised Code. The attorney general shall determine the information to be provided on the registry for each registrant. The information provided for each registrant shall include at least the name, current residential and employment addresses, and photograph of the registrant, the name of the court that entered a declaratory judgment against the registrant pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code, and the date on which the judgment was entered. The registry shall be a public record open for inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code, and it shall be searchable by registrant name, by county, by zip code, and by school district. The registry shall provide a link to the web site of each sheriff of a county who has established and operates on the internet a database that contains information for registrants who register in that county pursuant to section 3797.02 or 3797.03 of the Revised Code.

(D) Upon the request of any sheriff, provide technical guidance to the requesting sheriff in establishing on the internet a database of registrants for the public dissemination of information that relates to registrants who are registered in the sheriff's county and that is a public record.

Section 3797.09 | Materials supplied by registrants are public records.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

Any statements, information, or photographs that are required to be provided, and that are provided, by a registrant pursuant to section 3797.02, 3797.03, or 3797.04 of the Revised Code and that are in the possession of a county sheriff are public records open to public inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

Section 3797.10 | Failure to comply a felony - affirmative defense.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

(A) No registrant who is required to register pursuant to section 3797.02 of the Revised Code, send a sheriff a written notice of a new residence or employment address or of an intent to reside in a county pursuant to section 3797.03 of the Revised Code, or verify a current address pursuant to section 3797.05 of the Revised Code shall fail to register, send the notice, or verify the address as required by those sections.

(B) It is an affirmative defense to a charge of a violation of division (A) of this section by failing to send written notice of a change of residence or employment address or notice of intent to reside in a county as required by section 3797.03 of the Revised Code that both of the following apply:

(1) It was impossible for the registrant to provide the notice to the sheriff because of a lack of knowledge on the date specified for the provision of the notice of an address change or of the new address.

(2) The registrant provided notice of the address change or the new address to the sheriff as soon as possible, but not later than the end of the first business day, after learning of the address change or of the new address by providing notice of the address change or the new address to the sheriff by telephone immediately upon learning of the address change or new address or, if the registrant did not have reasonable access to a telephone at that time, as soon as possible, but not later than the end of the first business day, after learning of the address change and having reasonable access to a telephone.

(3) As soon as possible, but not later than the end of the first business day, after providing notice of the address change to the sheriff by telephone, the registrant provided written notice of the address change to the sheriff.

(C) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.

Section 3797.11 | Registrant not to reside within 1000 feet of school premises.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

(A) No person against whom a court has entered a declaratory judgment under section 2721.21 of the Revised Code and who has not been removed from the civil registry pursuant to that section shall establish a residence or occupy residential premises within one thousand feet of any school premises.

(B) If a person to whom division (A) of this section applies violates division (A) of this section by establishing a residence or occupying residential premises within one thousand feet of any school premises, an owner or lessee of real property that is located within one thousand feet of those school premises, or the prosecuting attorney, village solicitor, city or township director of law, similar chief legal officer of a municipal corporation or township, or official designated as a prosecutor in a municipal corporation that has jurisdiction over the place at which the person establishes the residence or occupies the residential premises in question, has a cause of action for injunctive relief against the person. The plaintiff shall not be required to prove irreparable harm in order to obtain the relief.

Section 3797.12 | Persons immune from civil liability for acts or omissions.

• Effective: August 3, 2006
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 17 - 126th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, any of the following persons shall be immune from liability in a civil action to recover damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property allegedly caused by an act or omission in connection with a power, duty, responsibility, or authorization under sections 3797.01 to 3797.11 of the Revised Code or under rules adopted under authority of those sections:

(1) The attorney general, a deputy, officer, or employee of the office of the attorney general, a sheriff, or a deputy, officer, or employee of the office of the sheriff;

(2) A prosecutor and an officer or employee of the office of a prosecutor;

(3) A person identified in division (A)(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), or (7) of section 3797.06 of the Revised Code or the agent of that person;

(4) A person identified in division (A)(2) of section 3797.05 of the Revised Code, regarding the person's provision of information pursuant to that division to a sheriff.

(B) The immunity described in division (A) of this section does not apply to a person described in divisions (A)(1) to (4) of this section if, in relation to the act or omission in question, any of the following applies:

(1) The act or omission was manifestly outside the scope of the person's employment or official responsibilities.

(2) The act or omission was with malicious purpose, in bad faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner.

(3) Liability for the act or omission is expressly imposed by a section of the Revised Code.