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An Ohio law challenged in the nation’s highest court helped solidify Fourth Amendment protections for those facing state criminal prosecution. Today, Ohio law also aims to protect its citizens through sex offender laws that impose restrictions on those found to have violated the law.

A 1961 case arising in the Buckeye State, Mapp v. Ohio, helped formally extend the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures to state court proceedings. In Mapp, the U.S. Supreme Court held that evidence seized in violation of the Fourth Amendment cannot be used in federal or state criminal prosecutions. More specifically, the Court found that the exclusionary rule, which makes illegally obtained evidence inadmissible in court, applies not only to federal court proceedings, but state proceedings as well. The Court reasoned that because the Fourth Amendment’s right of privacy is enforceable against states through the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, the exclusionary rule is too.

Ohio has enacted one of the nation’s toughest sex offender laws. Under Ohio Revised Code 2950.034, registered sex offenders cannot live within 1,000 feet from a daycare center, preschool, or other school. Moreover, county prosecutors have authority to evict sex offenders who violate this act. Ohio’s Electronic Sex Offender Registration and Notification program (eSORN) allows officials to easily locate and keep track of registered sex offenders. Ohioans may choose to be automatically notified when a sex offender moves within a certain distance from them. In addition, residents may submit tips online and search a database of sex offender fugitives.

According to Ohio law, sex offenders who are required to register need to disclose to the county sheriff their name, address, classification, and offense. Furthermore, the sheriff must take offenders’ pictures and fingerprints, and share that information with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation so that the information can be entered into the eSORN system.

There are 36,644 lawyers with active Ohio State Bar memberships, and over 420 of these lawyers practice criminal law. To find the lawyer who best meets your needs, it is prudent to investigate the lawyers’ education, experience, and fee policies. By using a lawyer matching service such as LegalMatch, however, you won’t need to do this background research yourself. Instead LegalMatch professionals conduct thorough screenings prior to allowing lawyers to join its network.

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