The Disney Way

The Disney Way Paper

In Ohio, county prosecuting attorneys are elected every four years. A prosecuting attorney’s main duties are three-fold (Ohio Revised Code § 309):

1. Criminal Duties: Prosecutes, on behalf of the state, all complaints, suits, and controversies in which the state is a party. If an adult person breaks a law of the State of Ohio, the county prosecutor for the county where the law was broken will prosecute that person for the State of Ohio.

2. Juvenile Court Duties: Prosecutes, on behalf of the state, all complaints, suits, and controversies in which the state is a party when the accused is a juvenile. Also, the State (through the prosecutor) brings actions against adults who abuse or neglect children. The prosecuting attorney can even initiate dependency actions wherein the parent or guardian of the child is not providing adequately for the needs of the child and the state seeks to remove the child from that person’s custody either temporarily or permanently.

3. Civil Duties: The prosecuting attorney is also the legal adviser of the board of county commissioners and other county officers and boards, local school districts, public libraries, and township boards of trustees. The prosecuting attorney shall prosecute and defend all lawsuits and actions that any such officer and boards find themselves a party to without charge to the officer or boards.

Adult Criminal Duties

In Ohio, adult criminal offenses are divided into either misdemeanors or felonies classifications based upon the maximum potential punishment. The maximum penalty for a misdemeanor in Ohio is up to 6 months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. Felonies have potential sentences that are much more severe and can result in imprisonment in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (prison). In Ross County, the prosecuting attorney has elected to have the city law director prosecute all misdemeanor level criminal cases while retaining the duty of...