Section 2953.33 | [Former R.C. 2953.52, amended and renumbered by S.B. 288, 134th General Assembly, effective 4/4/2023] Sealing of official records after not guilty finding, dismissal of proceedings, grand jury no bill, or pardon.

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

(A)(1) Any person, who is found not guilty of an offense by a jury or a court or who is the defendant named in a dismissed complaint, indictment, or information, may apply to the court for an order to seal or, except as provided in division (C) of this section, expunge the person's official records in the case. Except as provided in section 2953.61 of the Revised Code, the application may be filed at any time after the finding of not guilty or the dismissal of the complaint, indictment, or information is entered upon the minutes of the court or the journal, whichever entry occurs first.

(2) Any person, against whom a no bill is entered by a grand jury, may apply to the court for an order to seal or, except as provided in division (C) of this section, expunge the person's official records in the case. Except as provided in section 2953.61 of the Revised Code, the application may be filed at any time after the expiration of two years after the date on which the foreperson or deputy foreperson of the grand jury reports to the court that the grand jury has reported a no bill.

(3) Any person who is granted by the governor under division (B) of section 2967.02 of the Revised Code an absolute and entire pardon, a partial pardon, or a pardon upon conditions precedent or subsequent may apply to the court for an order to seal the person's official records in the case in which the person was convicted of the offense for which any of those types of pardons are granted. The application may be filed at any time after an absolute and entire pardon or a partial pardon is granted or at any time after all of the conditions precedent or subsequent to the pardon are met.

(B)(1) Upon the filing of an application pursuant to division (A) of this section, the court shall set a date for a hearing and shall notify the prosecutor in the case of the hearing on the application. The court shall hold the hearing not less than forty-five days and not more than ninety days from the date of the filing of the application. The prosecutor may object to the granting of the application by filing a written objection with the court not later than thirty days prior to the date set for the hearing. The prosecutor shall specify in the objection the reasons the prosecutor believes justify a denial of the application.

(2) The court shall do each of the following, except as provided in division (B)(3) of this section:

(a)(i) Determine whether the person was found not guilty in the case, or the complaint, indictment, or information in the case was dismissed, or a no bill was returned in the case and a period of two years or a longer period as required by section 2953.61 of the Revised Code has expired from the date of the report to the court of that no bill by the foreperson or deputy foreperson of the grand jury;

(ii) If the complaint, indictment, or information in the case was dismissed, determine whether it was dismissed with prejudice or without prejudice and, if it was dismissed without prejudice, determine whether the relevant statute of limitations has expired;

(b) Determine whether criminal proceedings are pending against the person;

(c) If the prosecutor has filed an objection in accordance with division (B)(1) of this section, consider the reasons against granting the application specified by the prosecutor in the objection;

(d) If the person was granted a pardon upon conditions precedent or subsequent for the offense for which the person was convicted, determine whether all of those conditions have been met;

(e) Weigh the interests of the person in having the official records pertaining to the case sealed or expunged, as applicable, against the legitimate needs, if any, of the government to maintain those records.

(3) If the court determines after complying with division (B)(2)(a) of this section that the person was found not guilty in the case, that the complaint, indictment, or information in the case was dismissed with prejudice, that the complaint, indictment, or information in the case was dismissed without prejudice and that the relevant statute of limitations has expired, or the individual was granted by the governor an absolute and entire pardon, a partial pardon, or a pardon upon conditions precedent or subsequent that have been met, the court shall issue an order to the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation directing that the superintendent expunge or seal or cause to be sealed, as applicable, the official records in the case consisting of DNA specimens that are in the possession of the bureau and all DNA records and DNA profiles. The determinations and considerations described in divisions (B)(2)(b), (c), and (e) of this section do not apply with respect to a determination of the court described in this division.

(4) The determinations described in this division are separate from the determination described in division (B)(3) of this section. If the court determines, after complying with division (B)(2) of this section, that the person was found not guilty in the case, that the complaint, indictment, or information in the case was dismissed, the individual was granted by the governor an absolute and entire pardon, a partial pardon, or a pardon upon conditions precedent or subsequent that have been met, or that a no bill was returned in the case and that the appropriate period of time has expired from the date of the report to the court of the no bill by the foreperson or deputy foreperson of the grand jury; that no criminal proceedings are pending against the person; and the interests of the person in having the records pertaining to the case sealed or expunged, as applicable, are not outweighed by any legitimate governmental needs to maintain such records, or if division (E)(2)(b) of section 4301.69 of the Revised Code applies, in addition to the order required under division (B)(3) of this section, the court shall issue an order directing that all official records pertaining to the case be sealed or expunged, as applicable, and that, except as provided in section 2953.34 of the Revised Code, the proceedings in the case be deemed not to have occurred.

(5) Any DNA specimens, DNA records, and DNA profiles ordered to be sealed or expunged under this section shall not be sealed or expunged if the person with respect to whom the order applies is otherwise eligible to have DNA records or a DNA profile in the national DNA index system.

(C)(1) A person who is the defendant named in a dismissed complaint, indictment, or information or against whom a no bill is entered by a grand jury is not entitled to have records of the case expunged under this section if the case involves any of the following offenses:

(a) A violation of any section contained in Chapter 4506., 4507., 4510., 4511., or 4549. of the Revised Code, or a violation of a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar to any section contained in any of those chapters;

(b) A felony offense of violence that is not a sexually oriented offense;

(c) A sexually oriented offense when the offender is subject to the requirements of Chapter 2950. of the Revised Code or Chapter 2950. of the Revised Code as it existed prior to January 1, 2008;

(d) An offense involving a victim who is less than thirteen years of age, except for an offense under section 2919.21 of the Revised Code;

(e) A felony of the first or second degree;

(f) A violation of section 2919.25 or 2919.27 of the Revised Code or a violation of a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar to either section;

(g) A violation that is a felony of the third degree if the person has more than one prior conviction of any felony or, if the person has exactly one prior conviction of a felony of the third degree, the person has more prior convictions in total than a third degree felony conviction and two misdemeanor convictions.

(2) As used in division (C) of this section, "sexually oriented offense" has the same meaning as in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 12, 2024 at 12:46 PM

Available Versions of this Section

• September 30, 2011 – Senate Bill 17 - 129th General Assembly
• September 30, 2021 – Amended by House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly
• April 4, 2023 – Senate Bill 288 - 134th General Assembly
• October 3, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly