We often have thought that the judges in the criminal justice system give the final call on justice in a trial.  They decide on if the defendant is guilty and how shall he be sentenced.  This is how it is in all the movies and TV shows, right? Truth is, judges really haven’t had much control over what happens, until now.

Last month, Ohio lawmakers tried to fix this issue by revising a state sentencing law. Originally, the judge could not sentence first time offenders to prison for minor felonies but the complaint was that it left them with no ability to assign prison sentences when they felt it was the right decision for some defendants.  The goal being that there would be a savings of money in Ohio by reducing the prison population. Now, a judge can order prison time for some first time felonies, even fourth and fifth degree felonies if the crime involved a gun, an assault, a sex crime, a bond or probation violation, or a violation of the public trust.

Is this good?  Mixed feelings.  For those facing criminal charges in Ohio, the judge can now give less serious offenders lesser sentences if they truly believe the minimum is unfair to the specific case; that’s the good news for defendants.  The bad news is it allows the judge to give defendants even harsher sentences than were allowed by law earlier.   Furthermore, it’s now much harder for criminal defendants to figure out what they are up against as they trudge through the criminal justice system.

The Bottom Line:  It is imperative that a person reach a good Ohio Criminal Defense Attorney if faced with criminal charges. Call me, anytime. I will be able to advise you on what’s at stake for your particular case.  I will hear your side of the story and get it communicated to the court properly. 513-260-2099