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Criminal Law

14 Articles

State v. Singleton, 2025-Ohio-4849

Defendant appealed the imposition of a no-contact order accompanying a prison sentence following guilty pleas to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and strangulation. The appellate court vacated the no-contact order, finding it constituted an unauthorized hybrid sentence under Ohio law.

In re J.T., 2025-Ohio-4846

The Court of Appeals affirmed a juvenile court’s decision classifying a minor as a Tier I juvenile sex offender following his adjudication for gross sexual imposition. The appellate court held that the juvenile court properly considered all relevant statutory factors and did not abuse its discretion in imposing the classification.

State v. Carter-El, 2025-Ohio-4842

Defendant-Appellant, a juvenile at the time of the offense, was convicted of aggravated murder, felonious assault, and related firearm specifications stemming from a fatal shooting during an attempted robbery. The appellate court affirmed the convictions and sentence, finding sufficient evidence and proper consideration of the defendant’s age under statutory and constitutional sentencing requirements.

State v. Kenney, 2025-Ohio-4841

The Court of Appeals of Ohio affirmed the denial of Defendant-Appellant’s successive and untimely petition for postconviction relief, holding that the trial court lacked jurisdiction because the defendant failed to establish that he was unavoidably prevented from discovering the evidence or that the State suppressed it in violation of Brady.

State v. Starcher, 2025-Ohio-4777

The Fifth District Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s imposition of a prison sentence for aggravated drug possession, finding it was supported by the record and not contrary to law, despite the defendant’s argument that community control would have been appropriate.

Lowe v. Smith, 2025-Ohio-4541

The Supreme Court of Ohio affirmed the dismissal of a habeas corpus petition filed by an inmate who alleged that his conviction was void due to a procedural irregularity in the assignment of a visiting judge, holding that any such irregularity rendered the judgment voidable, not void, and that the inmate waived the issue by not raising it earlier.

State ex rel. Hawkins v. Frederick, 2025-Ohio-4540

The Supreme Court of Ohio affirmed the dismissal of a habeas corpus petition filed by an inmate whose death sentence was commuted to life without parole, holding that the governor’s clemency did not create a void sentence and that the inmate had not shown his sentence had expired or that the trial court lacked jurisdiction.

State v. Armstrong, 2025-Ohio-2609

The Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction of the Defendant for assault on a peace officer, rejecting claims that the State’s failure to preserve additional surveillance footage violated Brady or Crim.R. 16 and concluding that the trial court did not err in excluding irrelevant evidence through motions in limine.

State v. Russell, 2025-Ohio-2612

The Court of Appeals of Ohio affirmed the conviction of the Defendant for aggravated possession of methamphetamine, holding that the trial court properly advised the Defendant of post-release control during sentencing. The case clarifies compliance with statutory requirements for notifying offenders about post-release control.