Chapter 2969 | Recovery of Offender's Profits Fund; Crime Victims Recovery Fund

Section 2969.01 | Recovery of offender's profits fund definitions.

• Effective: November 15, 1995
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 91 - 121st General Assembly

As used in sections 2969.01 to 2969.06 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Offender" means a person who pleads guilty to, is convicted of, or is found not guilty by reason of insanity of an offense in this state or a person against whom a complaint or information has been filed or an indictment has been returned in this state.

(B) "Victim" means a person who suffers personal injury, death, or property loss as a result of any of the following, or the beneficiaries of an action for the wrongful death of any person killed as a result of any of the following:

(1) An offense;

(2) The good faith effort of a person to prevent an offense;

(3) The good faith effort of any person to apprehend a person suspected of engaging in an offense.

(C) "Member of the family of an offender" means an individual who is related by consanguinity or affinity to an offender.

Section 2969.02 | Payment of contract proceeds into recovery of offender's profits fund.

• Effective: November 15, 1995
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 91 - 121st General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in section 2969.05 of the Revised Code, a person that enters into a contract with an offender, an agent, assignee, conspirator, or accomplice of an offender, a member of the family of an offender, or an agent or assignee of a member of the family of an offender shall pay the money, and the monetary value of the property other than money, due under the contract to the clerk of the court of claims for deposit in the recovery of offender's profits fund, if the terms of the contract provide for any of the following:

(1) The reenactment or description by the offender or by a member of the family of the offender in any of the following of an offense that the offender committed:

(a) A movie, book, magazine, newspaper, article, or other form of literary expression;

(b) A program on television, radio, or another broadcasting medium;

(c) A play, speech, or another form of live entertainment, instruction, or presentation.

(2) The expression or description of the thoughts, feelings, opinions, or emotions of the offender or of a member of the family of the offender regarding or experienced during the offense in a material, performance, or program described in division (A)(1)(a), (b), or (c) of this section;

(3) The life story or a part of the life story of the offender or of a member of the family of the offender or an interview or a part of an interview with the offender, an agent, assignee, conspirator, or accomplice of the offender, a member of the family of the offender, or an agent or assignee of a member of the family of an offender that is to be used in a material, performance, or program described in division (A)(1)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, if the publication value of the story or interview results in part from the notoriety brought by the commission of an offense.

(B) An offender, an agent, assignee, conspirator, or accomplice of an offender, a member of the family of an offender, or an agent or assignee of a member of the family of an offender who enters into a contract described in division (A) of this section or a person who receives money or property other than money pursuant to a contract of that nature shall pay the money or the monetary value of the property received pursuant to the contract to the clerk of the court of claims for deposit in the recovery of offender's profits fund. If a person receives money or property pursuant to a contract described in division (A) of this section and fails to pay it or its monetary value to the clerk of the court of claims for deposit in the fund as required by this division, the state has a lien upon the money or property and upon property that is purchased or otherwise obtained with the money or property. The attorney general shall enforce the lien in the same manner as a judgment lien may be enforced by a private individual.

(C)(1) A person who fails to pay money or the monetary value of property other than money to the clerk of the court of claims for deposit as required by this section is liable to the state for the money or the monetary value of the property.

(2) If a person who is required by this section to pay money or the monetary value of property other than money to the clerk of the court of claims for deposit in the recovery of offender's profits fund fails to do so, the attorney general shall bring an action to recover the money or the monetary value of the property against the person who has possession, custody, or control of the money or property or against the person who failed to pay the money or the monetary value of the property to the clerk for deposit in the fund as required by this section. The action shall be brought in the appropriate court. If the court determines in an action brought pursuant to this division that money or the monetary value of property is to be paid to the clerk for deposit in the fund, it shall order that the money be paid to the clerk for deposit in the fund and that the property be sold and the money received from the sale be paid to the clerk for deposit in the fund.

Section 2969.03 | Declaratory judgment.

• Effective: September 26, 1984
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 172 - 115th General Assembly

Any person may bring an action for a declaratory judgment to determine if section 2969.02 of the Revised Code applies to a particular contract. The action for a declaratory judgment shall be brought in the Franklin county court of common pleas.

Section 2969.04 | Administration and distribution of recovery of offender's profits fund by clerk of court of claims.

• Effective: November 15, 1995
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 91 - 121st General Assembly

(A) The clerk of the court of claims shall administer the recovery of offender's profits fund created by section 2969.06 of the Revised Code and shall maintain in the fund in the name of each offender a separate account for money received, or money received from the sale or other disposition of property, pursuant to section 2969.02 or 2969.03 of the Revised Code. The clerk shall distribute the money in each account in accordance with division (C) of this section.

If money is deposited in the fund and maintained in a separate account in the name of an offender and if the offender is found not guilty of all of the charges against the offender in this state, all of the charges against the offender in this state are dismissed, or the offender is found not guilty of some of the charges against the offender in this state and the remaining charges against the offender in this state are dismissed, the clerk shall return all of the money in the separate account plus the interest earned on the money to the persons from whom it was obtained.

(B) Notwithstanding a contrary provision of any section of the Revised Code that deals with the limitation of actions, a victim of an offense committed by an offender in whose name a separate account is maintained in the recovery of offender's profits fund may bring a civil action against the offender or the representatives of the offender, and, if money in the separate account was obtained from a member of the family of the offender or an agent or assignee of a member of the family of the offender, against the family member, agent, or assignee at any time within three years after the establishment of the separate account.

In order to recover from a separate account maintained in the fund in the name of an offender, a victim of that offender shall do all of the following:

(1) Within the three-year period or, if the action was initiated before the separate account was established, within ninety days after the separate account is established, notify the clerk of the court of claims that a civil action has been brought against the offender or the representatives of the offender and, if money in the separate account was obtained from a member of the family of the offender or an agent or assignee of a member of the family of the offender, against the family member, agent, or assignee;

(2) Notify the clerk of the court of claims of the entry of any judgment in the civil action;

(3) Within ninety days after the judgment in the civil action is final or, if the judgment was obtained before the separate account was established, within ninety days after the separate account is established, request the clerk of the court of claims to pay from the separate account the judgment that the victim is awarded in the civil action.

If a civil action is brought against an offender or the representatives of the offender and, if money in the separate account was obtained from a member of the family of the offender or an agent or assignee of a member of the family of the offender, against the family member, agent, or assignee and if the civil action is brought after the expiration of the statute of limitations that would apply to the civil action but for this division, the court shall state in a judgment in favor of the victim that the judgment may be enforced only against the separate account maintained in the name of that offender in the recovery of offender's profits fund.

(C)(1) The clerk of the court of claims shall not make a payment from the separate account maintained in the name of an offender in the recovery of offender's profits fund to a victim of the offender until the expiration of the later of the following periods:

(a) The expiration of three years after the establishment of the separate account, provided that no action of which the clerk was notified under division (B)(1) of this section is pending;

(b) If three years has elapsed since the establishment of the separate account and if one or more actions of which the clerk was notified under division (B)(1) of this section is pending at the expiration of that three-year period, the date of the final disposition of the last of those pending actions.

(2) Upon the expiration of the applicable period of time set forth in division (C)(1) of this section, the clerk of the court of claims shall make payments from the separate account maintained in the name of an offender in the recovery of offender's profits fund to any victim of the offender who has obtained a judgment against the offender or the representatives of the offender and, if money in the separate account was obtained from a member of the family of the offender or an agent or assignee of a member of the family of the offender, against the family member, agent, or assignee for damages resulting from an offense committed by the offender. The payments shall be made as provided in this division.

After an offender in whose name a separate account is maintained in the recovery of offender's profits fund is convicted of or found not guilty by reason of insanity of any offense in this state, the clerk of the court of claims shall determine on the second day of January and the first day of April, July, and October of each year the amount of money in that separate account. After the expiration of the applicable period of time set forth in division (C)(1) of this section, the clerk shall pay from that separate account any judgment for which a victim of that offender has requested payment pursuant to division (B)(3) of this section and has requested payment prior to the date of the most recent quarterly determination described in this division. If, at a time that payments would be made from that separate account, there are insufficient funds in that separate account to pay all of the applicable judgments against the offender or the representatives of the offender and, if money in the separate account was obtained from a member of the family of the offender or an agent or asignee of a member of the family of the offender, against the family member, agent, or assignee, the clerk of the court of claims shall pay the judgments on a pro rata basis.

Section 2969.05 | Payment of money remaining in separate account of recovery of offender's profits fund.

• Effective: November 15, 1995
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 91 - 121st General Assembly

If a separate account has been maintained in the recovery of offender's profits fund and if there is no further requirement to pay money or the monetary value of property into the fund pursuant to section 2969.02 of the Revised Code, unless otherwise ordered by a court of record in which a judgment has been rendered against the offender or the representatives of the offender and, if money in the separate account was obtained from a member of the family of the offender or an agent or assignee of a member of the family of the offender, against the family member, agent, or assignee, the clerk of the court of claims shall pay the money remaining in the separate account to the persons from whom the money was obtained, if all of the following apply:

(A) The applicable period of time that governs the making of payments from the separate account, as set forth in division (C)(1) of section 2969.04 of the Revised Code, has elapsed.

(B) None of the civil actions against the offender or the representatives of the offender and, if money in the separate account was obtained from a member of the family of the offender or an agent or assignee of a member of the family of the offender, against the family member, agent, or assignee of which the clerk of the court of claims has been notified pursuant to division (B)(1) of section 2969.04 of the Revised Code is pending.

(C) All judgments for which payment was requested pursuant to division (B)(3) of section 2969.04 of the Revised Code have been paid.

Section 2969.06 | Recovery of offender's profits fund.

• Effective: July 1, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 201 - 116th General Assembly

All moneys collected pursuant to sections 2969.02 and 2969.03 of the Revised Code shall be credited by the treasurer of state to the recovery of offender's profits fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. Except as provided in division (A) of section 2969.04 of the Revised Code, any interest earned on the money in the fund shall be credited to the fund.

Section 2969.11 | Crime victims recovery fund definitions.

• Effective: January 1, 2004
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 490 - 124th General Assembly

As used in sections 2969.11 to 2969.14 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Crime victims recovery fund" means the fund created by division (D) of section 2929.32 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Victim" means a person who suffers personal injury, death, or property loss as a result of any of the following, or the beneficiaries of an action for the wrongful death of any person killed as a result of any of the following:

(1) An offense committed by an offender in whose name a separate account is maintained in the crime victims recovery fund pursuant to section 2969.12 of the Revised Code;

(2) The good faith effort of a person to prevent an offense committed by an offender in whose name a separate account is maintained in the crime victims recovery fund pursuant to section 2969.12 of the Revised Code;

(3) The good faith effort of a person to apprehend a person suspected of engaging in an offense committed by an offender in whose name a separate account is maintained in the crime victims recovery fund pursuant to section 2969.12 of the Revised Code.

Section 2969.12 | Administration and distribution of crime victims recovery fund by clerk of court of claims.

• Effective: January 1, 2004
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 490 - 124th General Assembly

(A) The clerk of the court of claims shall administer the crime victims recovery fund and shall maintain in the fund in the name of each offender a separate account for money received, or money received from the sale or other disposition of property, pursuant to section 2929.32 of the Revised Code in connection with that offender. The clerk shall distribute the money in that separate account in accordance with division (C) of this section.

(B) Notwithstanding a contrary provision of any section of the Revised Code that deals with the limitation of actions, a victim of an offense committed by an offender in whose name a separate account is maintained in the crime victims recovery fund may bring a civil action against the offender or the representatives of the offender at any time within three years after the establishment of the separate account.

In order to recover from a separate account maintained in the fund in the name of an offender, a victim of that offender shall do all of the following:

(1) Within the three-year period or, if the action was initiated before the separate account was established, within ninety days after the separate account is established, notify the clerk of the court of claims that a civil action has been brought against the offender or the representatives of the offender;

(2) Notify the clerk of the court of claims of the entry of any judgment in the civil action;

(3) Within ninety days after the judgment in the civil action is final or, if the judgment was obtained before the separate account was established, within ninety days after the separate account is established, request the clerk of the court of claims to pay from the separate account the judgment that the victim is awarded in the civil action.

If a civil action is brought against an offender or the representatives of the offender after the expiration of the statute of limitations that would apply to the civil action but for this division, the court shall state in a judgment in favor of the victim that the judgment may be enforced only against the separate account maintained in the name of that offender in the crime victims recovery fund.

(C)(1) The clerk of the court of claims shall not make a payment from the separate account maintained in the name of an offender in the crime victims recovery fund to a victim of the offender until the expiration of the later of the following periods:

(a) The expiration of three years after the establishment of the separate account, provided that no action of which the clerk was notified under division (B)(1) of this section is pending;

(b) If three years has elapsed since the establishment of the separate account and if one or more actions of which the clerk was notified under division (B)(1) of this section is pending at the expiration of that three-year period, the date of the final disposition of the last of those pending actions.

(2) Upon the expiration of the applicable period of time set forth in division (C)(1) of this section, the clerk of the court of claims shall make payments from the separate account maintained in the name of the offender in the crime victims recovery fund to the victims of the offender who obtained a judgment against the offender or the representatives of the offender for damages resulting from the offense committed by the offender. The payments shall be made as provided in this division.

When a separate account is maintained in the name of an offender in the crime victims recovery fund, the clerk of the court of claims shall determine on the second day of January and the first day of April, July, and October of each year the amount of money in that separate account. After the expiration of the applicable period of time set forth in division (C)(1) of this section, the clerk shall pay from that separate account any judgment for which a victim of that offender has requested payment pursuant to division (B)(3) of this section and has requested payment prior to the date of the most recent quarterly determination described in this division. If at a time that payments would be made from that separate account there are insufficient funds in that separate account to pay all of the applicable judgments against the offender or the representatives of the offender, the clerk of the court of claims shall pay the judgments on a pro rata basis.

Section 2969.13 | Money and interest credited to crime victims recovery fund.

• Effective: January 1, 2004
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 490 - 124th General Assembly

All moneys that are collected pursuant to section 2929.32 of the Revised Code and required to be deposited in the crime victims recovery fund shall be credited by the treasurer of state to the fund. Any interest earned on the money in the fund shall be credited to the fund.

Section 2969.14 | Payment of money remaining in separate account of crime victims recovery fund.

• Effective: September 29, 2015
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 64 - 131st General Assembly

(A) If a separate account has been maintained in the name of an offender in the crime victims recovery fund and if there is no further requirement to pay into the fund money, or the monetary value of property, pursuant to section 2929.32 of the Revised Code, unless otherwise ordered by a court of record in which a judgment has been rendered against the offender or the representatives of the offender, the clerk of the court of claims shall pay the money remaining in the separate account in accordance with division (B) of this section, if all of the following apply:

(1) The applicable period of time that governs the making of payments from the separate account, as set forth in division (C)(1) of section 2969.12 of the Revised Code, has elapsed.

(2) None of the civil actions against the offender or the representatives of the offender of which the clerk of the court of claims has been notified pursuant to division (B)(1) of section 2969.12 of the Revised Code is pending.

(3) All judgments for which payment was requested pursuant to division (B)(3) of section 2969.12 of the Revised Code have been paid.

(B) If the clerk of the court of claims is required by division (A) of this section to pay the money remaining in the separate account established in the name of an offender in accordance with this division, the clerk shall pay the money as follows:

(1) If the offender was confined for a felony in a facility operated by a county or a municipal corporation, the clerk shall pay the money to the treasurer of the county or of the municipal corporation that operated the facility, in accordance with division (C)(1) or (2) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code, to cover the costs of the confinement. If more than one county or municipal corporation operated a facility in which the offender was confined, the clerk shall equitably apportion the money among each of those counties and municipal corporations. If any money remains in the separate account after the payment of the costs of the confinement pursuant to this division, the clerk shall pay the remaining money in accordance with divisions (B)(2) and (4) of this section.

(2) If the offender was sentenced for a felony to any community control sanction other than a sanction described in division (B)(1) of this section, after payment of any costs required to be paid under division (B)(1) of this section, the clerk shall pay the money to the treasurer of the county or of the municipal corporation that incurred costs pursuant to the sanction, in accordance with division (C)(1) or (2) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code, to cover the costs so incurred. If more than one county or municipal corporation incurred costs pursuant to the sanction, the clerk shall equitably apportion the money among each of those counties and municipal corporations. If any money remains in the separate account after the payment of the costs of the sanction pursuant to this division, the clerk shall pay the remaining money in accordance with division (B)(4) of this section.

(3) If the offender was imprisoned or incarcerated for a misdemeanor, to the treasurer of the political subdivision that operates the facility in which the offender was imprisoned or incarcerated, to cover the costs of the imprisonment or incarceration. If more than one political subdivision operated a facility in which the offender was confined, the clerk shall equitably apportion the money among each of those political subdivisions. If any money remains in the separate account after the payment of the costs of the imprisonment or incarceration under this division, the clerk shall pay the remaining money in accordance with division (B)(4) of this section.

(4) If any money remains in the separate account after payment of any costs required to be paid under division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, or if no provision of division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section applies, the clerk shall distribute the amount of the money remaining in the separate account as otherwise provided by law for the distribution of money paid in satisfaction of a fine, as if that amount was a fine paid by the offender.

Section 2969.21 | Civil actions by inmate against governmental entity or employee definitions.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 411 - 132nd General Assembly

As used in sections 2969.21 to 2969.27 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Clerk" means the elected or appointed clerk of any court in this state, except the court of claims or the supreme court, in which an inmate has commenced a civil action against a government entity or employee or has filed an appeal of the judgment or order in a civil action of that nature.

(B)(1) "Civil action or appeal against a government entity or employee" means any of the following:

(a) A civil action that an inmate commences against the state, a political subdivision, or an employee of the state or a political subdivision in a court of common pleas, court of appeals, county court, or municipal court;

(b) An appeal of the judgment or order in a civil action of the type described in division (B)(1)(a) of this section that an inmate files in a court of appeals.

(2) "Civil action or appeal against a governmental entity or employee" does not include any civil action that an inmate commences against the state, a political subdivision, or an employee of the state or a political subdivision in the court of claims or the supreme court or an appeal of the judgment or order entered by the court of claims in a civil action of that nature, that an inmate files in a court of appeals or the supreme court.

(C) "Employee" means an officer or employee of the state or of a political subdivision who is acting under color of state law.

(D) "Inmate" means a person who is in actual confinement in a state correctional institution or in a county, multicounty, municipal, municipal-county, or multicounty-municipal jail or workhouse or a releasee who is serving a sanction in a violation sanction center.

(E) "Inmate account" means an account maintained by the department of rehabilitation and correction under rules adopted by the director of rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.01 of the Revised Code or a similar account maintained by a sheriff or any other administrator of a jail or workhouse or by the administrator of a violation sanction center.

(F) "Political subdivision" means a county, township, city, or village; the office of an elected officer of a county, township, city, or village; or a department, board, office, commission, agency, institution, or other instrumentality of a county, township, city, or village.

(G) "State" has the same meaning as in section 2743.01 of the Revised Code.

(H) "State correctional institution" has the same meaning as in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code.

(I) "Violation sanction center" means a prison that houses releasees who have violated a post-release control sanction or the terms and conditions of parole or of a conditional pardon and that is operated pursuant to section 2967.141 of the Revised Code.

Section 2969.22 | Deductions and procedures when inmate commences civil action or appeal against government entity or employee.

• Effective: June 28, 2002
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 168 - 124th General Assembly

(A)(1) Whenever an inmate commences a civil action or appeal against a government entity or employee on or after October 17, 1996, all of the following apply:

(a) The clerk of the court in which the civil action or appeal is filed shall notify the inmate and either the department of rehabilitation and correction, the sheriff or other administrator of the jail or workhouse, or the administrator of the violation sanction center, whichever has physical custody of the inmate, of the deductions and procedures required by divisions (A) to (D) of this section, and shall identify in the notice the civil action or appeal by case name, case number, name of each party, and the court in which the civil action or appeal was brought.

(b) The clerk of the court in which the civil action or appeal is filed shall charge to the inmate either the total payment of the requisite fees that are described in section 2303.20 of the Revised Code or that otherwise are applicable to actions or appeals filed in that court or, if the inmate has submitted an affidavit of indigency, all funds in the inmate account of that inmate in excess of ten dollars, and shall notify the inmate of the charge.

(c) Unless the amount charged under division (A)(1)(b) of this section constitutes the total amount of the requisite fees, all income in the inmate account of the inmate shall be forwarded to the clerk of the court during each calendar month following the month in which the inmate filed the civil action or appeal until the total payment of the requisite fees occurs. The first ten dollars in the inmate account of the inmate each month shall be excluded from that forwarding requirement. If multiple charges are assessed to an inmate account under this division, charges shall be calculated on the basis of the inmate's total income and shall be paid as described in this division until the charges exceed one hundred per cent of nonexcluded funds in the inmate account; thereafter, all unpaid fees shall be paid simultaneously from the inmate account of the inmate to the appropriate court or courts pro rata.

(d) Upon receipt of the notice of the requisite fees payable pursuant to divisions (A)(1)(a) to (c) of this section, the department, sheriff or other administrator of the jail or workhouse, or the administrator of the violation sanction center shall deduct from the inmate account of the inmate and transmit to the clerk of the appropriate court the appropriate amounts of the requisite fees as described in divisions (A)(1)(b) and (c) of this section.

(2) The procedures described in this section apply notwithstanding any contrary court rule or the filing of a poverty affidavit.

(3) This section does not limit the clerk of a court of common pleas, court of appeals, county court, or municipal court from considering any other inmate resources separate and apart from an inmate account of an inmate in evaluating the inmate's ability to pay court costs, fees, awards, or other amounts.

(B) An inmate who commences a civil action or appeal against a governmental entity or employee on or after October 17, 1996, shall be considered to have authorized payment as the plaintiff in the civil action or the appellant in the appeal of the requisite fees that are described in section 2303.20 of the Revised Code or that otherwise are applicable to actions or appeals filed in the court in which the action or appeal is filed, using the procedures set forth in this section, until total payment of the requisite fees.

(C)(1) If an inmate files a civil action or appeal against a government entity or employee on or after October 17, 1996, upon the termination of the civil action or appeal, the clerk of the court in which the action or appeal was filed shall notify the department of rehabilitation and correction, the sheriff or other administrator of the jail or workhouse, or the administrator of the violation sanction center of the outcome of the civil action or appeal and shall identify the civil action or appeal by case name, case number, name of each party, and the court in which the civil action or appeal was brought.

(2) The department of rehabilitation and correction, the sheriff or other administrator of a jail or workhouse, or the administrator of the violation sanction center shall keep in the inmate's file a record of the information supplied by the clerk of the appropriate court under division (C)(1) of this section.

(D) If an inmate is to be released from confinement prior to the total payment of the requisite fees as provided in divisions (A) and (B) of this section, the department of rehabilitation and correction, the sheriff or other administrator of the jail or workhouse, or the administrator of the violation sanction center, whichever has physical custody of the inmate, shall inform the clerk of the court of common pleas, court of appeals, county court, or municipal court of the release. The department, sheriff or other administrator of the jail or workhouse, or administrator of the violation sanction center shall deduct from the inmate account of the inmate in the month of the inmate's release from custody an amount sufficient to pay the remainder of the requisite fees owed and transmit that amount to the clerk. If there are insufficient funds in the inmate account of the inmate to totally pay the requisite fees, the department, sheriff or other administrator of the jail or workhouse, or administrator of the violation sanction center shall deduct the balance of the account and transmit that amount to the clerk. The clerk shall inform the court of the amount of the requisite fees still owed.

Section 2969.23 | Costs, fees, and expenses paid from inmate's account.

• Effective: October 17, 1996
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 455 - 121st General Assembly

If an inmate files a civil action or appeal against a government entity or employee on or after the effective date of this section and if the inmate is ordered to pay court costs, an award of reasonable attorney's fees, or any other fees or expenses the clerk of the court in which the action or appeal is filed shall collect the court costs, reasonable attorney's fees, and other fees or expenses from the inmate using the procedures set forth in section 2969.22 of the Revised Code regarding the collection of fees.

Section 2969.24 | Dismissal of inmate's action or appeal.

• Effective: March 17, 1998
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 111 - 122nd General Assembly

(A) If an inmate files a civil action or appeal against a government entity or employee, the court in which the action or appeal is filed, on its own motion or on the motion of a party, may dismiss the civil action or appeal at any stage in the proceedings if the court finds any of the following:

(1) The allegation of indigency in a poverty affidavit filed by the inmate is false.

(2) The claim that is the basis of the civil action or the issues of law that are the basis of the appeal are frivolous or malicious.

(3) The inmate filed an affidavit required by section 2969.25 or 2969.26 of the Revised Code that was materially false.

(B) For the purposes of this section, in determining whether a claim that is the basis of the civil action or the issues of law that are the basis of the appeal are frivolous or malicious, the court may consider whether any of the following applies:

(1) The claim fails to state a claim or the issues of law fail to state any issues of law.

(2) The claim has no arguable basis in law or fact or the issues of law have no arguable basis in law.

(3) It is clear that the inmate cannot prove material facts in support of the claim or in support of the issues of law.

(4) The claim that is the basis of the civil action is substantially similar to a claim in a previous civil action filed by the inmate or the issues of law that are the basis of the appeal are substantially similar to issues of law raised in a previous appeal filed by the inmate, in that the claim that is the basis of the current civil action or the issues of law that are the basis of the current appeal involve the same parties or arise from the same operative facts as the claim or issues of law in the previous civil action or appeal.

(C) If a party files a motion requesting the dismissal of a civil action or appeal under division (A) of this section, the court shall hold a hearing on the motion. If the court raises the issue of the dismissal of a civil action or appeal under division (A) of this section by its own motion, the court may hold a hearing on the motion. If practicable, the court may hold the hearing described in this division by telephone or, in the alternative, at the state correctional institution, jail, workhouse, or violation sanction center in which the inmate is confined.

(D) On the filing of a motion for dismissal of a civil action under division (A) of this section, the court may suspend discovery relating to the civil action pending the determination of the motion.

(E) Divisions (A) to (D) of this section do not limit the authority of the court in which the civil action or appeal is filed to otherwise dismiss the civil action or appeal.

Section 2969.25 | Affidavit of inmate of prior actions.

• Effective: June 28, 2002
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 168 - 124th General Assembly

(A) At the time that an inmate commences a civil action or appeal against a government entity or employee, the inmate shall file with the court an affidavit that contains a description of each civil action or appeal of a civil action that the inmate has filed in the previous five years in any state or federal court. The affidavit shall include all of the following for each of those civil actions or appeals:

(1) A brief description of the nature of the civil action or appeal;

(2) The case name, case number, and the court in which the civil action or appeal was brought;

(3) The name of each party to the civil action or appeal;

(4) The outcome of the civil action or appeal, including whether the court dismissed the civil action or appeal as frivolous or malicious under state or federal law or rule of court, whether the court made an award against the inmate or the inmate's counsel of record for frivolous conduct under section 2323.51 of the Revised Code, another statute, or a rule of court, and, if the court so dismissed the action or appeal or made an award of that nature, the date of the final order affirming the dismissal or award.

(B) If an inmate who files a civil action in a court of common pleas, court of appeals, county court, or municipal court or an inmate who files an appeal from a judgment or order in a civil action in any of those courts has filed three or more civil actions or appeals of civil actions in a court of record in this state in the preceding twelve months or previously has been subject to the review procedure described in this division, the court may appoint a member of the bar to review the claim that is the basis of the civil action or the issues of law that are the basis of the appeal and to make a recommendation regarding whether the claim asserted in the action or the issues of law raised in the appeal are frivolous or malicious under section 2969.24 of the Revised Code, any other provision of law, or rule of court.

(C) If an inmate who files a civil action or appeal against a government entity or employee seeks a waiver of the prepayment of the full filing fees assessed by the court in which the action or appeal is filed, the inmate shall file with the complaint or notice of appeal an affidavit that the inmate is seeking a waiver of the prepayment of the court's full filing fees and an affidavit of indigency. The affidavit of waiver and the affidavit of indigency shall contain all of the following:

(1) A statement that sets forth the balance in the inmate account of the inmate for each of the preceding six months, as certified by the institutional cashier;

(2) A statement that sets forth all other cash and things of value owned by the inmate at that time.

Section 2969.26 | Claim or appeal subject to grievance system of confining institution.

• Effective: March 17, 1998
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 111 - 122nd General Assembly

(A) If an inmate commences a civil action or appeal against a government entity or employee and if the inmate's claim in the civil action or the inmate's claim in the civil action that is being appealed is subject to the grievance system for the state correctional institution, jail, workhouse, or violation sanction center in which the inmate is confined, the inmate shall file both of the following with the court:

(1) An affidavit stating that the grievance was filed and the date on which the inmate received the decision regarding the grievance.

(2) A copy of any written decision regarding the grievance from the grievance system.

(B) If the civil action or appeal is commenced before the grievance system process is complete, the court shall stay the civil action or appeal for a period not to exceed one hundred eighty days to permit the completion of the grievance system process.

Section 2969.27 | Deductions to be made before judgment for damages paid to inmate or inmate's attorney.

• Effective: October 17, 1996
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 455 - 121st General Assembly

If an inmate commences a civil action or appeal against a government entity or employee and is granted a judgment for damages in the civil action or appeal, the court shall order that the following be deducted and paid from the award on a pro rata basis before any payment is made to the inmate or the inmate's counsel:

(A) Any fine, court costs, or court-ordered restitution imposed upon the inmate for an offense for which the inmate is confined or for any previous offense committed by the inmate;

(B) The amount of an award of reparations made under sections 2743.51 to 2743.71 of the Revised Code to a victim of the inmate relative to the offense for which the inmate is confined or any previous offense committed by the inmate;

(C) Any other award ordered by a court against the inmate in any other criminal or civil action or proceeding in any court in this state.