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537.09 COERCION.
   (a)   No person, with purpose to coerce another into taking or refraining from action concerning which the other person has a legal freedom of choice, shall do any of the following:
      (1)   Threaten to commit any offense;
      (2)   Utter or threaten any calumny against any person;
      (3)   Expose or threaten to expose any matter tending to subject any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule, to damage any person’s personal or business repute, or to impair any person’s credit;
      (4)   Institute or threaten criminal proceedings against any person;
      (5)   Take or withhold, or threaten to take or withhold official action, or cause or threaten to cause official action to be taken or withheld.
 
   (b)   Subsections (a)(4) and (5) hereof shall not be construed to prohibit a prosecutor or court from doing any of the following in good faith and in the interest of justice:
      (1)   Offering or agreeing to grant, or granting immunity from prosecution pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2945.44;
      (2)   In return for a plea of guilty to one or more offenses charged or to one or more other or lesser offenses, or in return for the testimony of the accused in a case to which the accused is not a party, offering or agreeing to dismiss, or dismissing one or more charges pending against an accused, or offering or agreeing to impose, or imposing a certain sentence or modification of sentence;
      (3)   Imposing community control sanction on certain conditions, including without limitation requiring the offender to make restitution or redress to the victim of the offense.
   (c)   It is an affirmative defense to a charge under subsection (a)(3), (4) or (5) hereof that the actor's conduct was a reasonable response to the circumstances that occasioned it, and that the actor’s purpose was limited to any of the following:
      (1)   Compelling another to refrain from misconduct or to desist from further misconduct;
      (2)   Preventing or redressing a wrong or injustice;
      (3)   Preventing another from taking action for which the actor reasonably believed the other person to be disqualified;
      (4)   Compelling another to take action that the actor reasonably believed the other person to be under a duty to take.
   (d)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of coercion, a misdemeanor of the second degree.
   (e)   As used in this section:
      (1)   "Threat" includes a direct threat and a threat by innuendo.
      (2)   “Community control sanction” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2929.01.
(ORC 2905.12)
537.10 TELECOMMUNICATION HARASSMENT.
   (a)   No person shall knowingly make or cause to be made a telecommunication, or knowingly permit telecommunication to be made from a telecommunications device under the person’s control, to another, if the caller does any of the following:
      (1)   Makes the telecommunication with purpose to harass, intimidate, or abuse, any person at the premises to which the telecommunication is made, whether or not actual communication takes place between the caller and a recipient;
      (2)   Describes, suggests, requests, or proposes that the caller, the recipient of the telecommunication, or any other person engage in sexual activity, and the recipient or another person at the premises to which the telecommunication is made has requested, in a previous telecommunication or in the immediate telecommunication, that the caller not make a telecommunication to the recipient or to the premises to which the telecommunication is made;
      (3)   During the telecommunication, violates Ohio R.C. 2903.21;
      (4)   Knowingly states to the recipient of the telecommunication that the caller intends to cause damage to or destroy public or private property, and the recipient, any member of the recipient’s family, or any other person who resides at the premises to which the telecommunication is made owns, leases, resides, or works in, will at the time of the destruction or damaging be near or in, has the responsibility of protecting, or insures the property that will be destroyed or damaged;
      (5)   Knowingly makes the telecommunication to the recipient of the telecommunication, to another person at the premises to which the telecommunication is made, or to those premises, and the recipient or another person at those premises previously has told the caller not to make a telecommunication to those premises or to any person at those premises.
      (6)   Knowingly makes any comment, request, suggestion, or proposal to the recipient of the telecommunication that is threatening, intimidating, menacing, coercive, or obscene with the intent to abuse, threaten or harass the recipient;
      (7)   Without a lawful business purpose, knowingly interrupts the telecommunication service of any person;
      (8)   Without a lawful business purpose, knowingly transmits to any person, regardless of whether the telecommunication is heard in its entirety, any file, document or other communication that prevents that person from using the person’s telephone service or electronic communication device;
      (9)   Knowingly makes any false statement concerning the death, injury, illness, disfigurement, reputation, indecent conduct, or criminal conduct of the recipient of the telecommunication or family or household member of the recipient with purpose to abuse, threaten, intimidate, or harass the recipient;
      (10)   Knowingly incites another person through a telecommunication or other means to harass or participate in the harassment of a person;
      (11)   Knowingly alarms the recipient by making a telecommunication without a lawful purpose at an hour or hours known to be inconvenient to the recipient and in an offensive or repetitive manner.
   (b)   (1)   No person shall make or cause to be made a telecommunication, or permit a telecommunication to be made from a telecommunications device under the person’s control, with purpose to abuse, threaten, or harass another person.
      (2)   No person shall knowingly post a text or audio statement or an image on an internet web site or web page for the purpose of abusing, threatening, or harassing another person.
   (c)   (1)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of telecommunication harassment.
      (2)   A violation of subsections (a)(1), (2), (3), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), or (11) or (b) hereof is a misdemeanor of the first degree on a first offense. Each subsequent offense is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
      (3)   Whoever violates subsection (a)(4) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree for a first offense. For each subsequent offense or if a violation of subsection (a)(4) hereof results in economic harm of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more, a violation of subsection (a)(4) hereof is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
   (d)   No cause of action may be asserted in any court of this State against any provider of a telecommunications service, interactive computer service as defined in Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code, or information service, or against any officer, employee, or agent of a telecommunication service, interactive computer service as defined in Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code, or information service, for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises out of the provider’s, officer’s, employee’s, or agent’s provision of information, facilities, or assistance in accordance with the terms of a court order that is issued in relation to the investigation or prosecution of an alleged violation of this section. A provider of a telecommunications service, interactive computer service as defined in Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code, or information service, or an officer, employee, or agent of a telecommunications service, interactive computer service as defined in Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code, of information service, is immune from any civil or criminal liability for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises out of the provider’s, officer’s, employee’s, or agent’s provision of information, facilities, or assistance in accordance with the terms of a court order that is issued in relation to the investigation or prosecution of an alleged violation of this section.
   (e)   (1)   This section does not apply to a person solely because the person provided access or connection to or from an electronic method of remotely transferring information not under that person’s control, including having provided capabilities that are incidental to providing access or connection to or from the electronic method of remotely transferring the information, and that do not include the creation of the content of the material that is the subject of the access or connection. In addition, any person providing access or connection to or from an electric method of remotely transferring information not under that person’s control shall not be liable for any action voluntarily taken in good faith to block the receipt or transmission through its service of any information that the person believes is, or will be sent, in violation of this section.
      (2)   Subsection (e)(1) of this section does not create an affirmative duty for any person providing access or connection to or from an electronic method of remotely transferring information not under that person’s control to block the receipt or transmission through its service of any information that it believes is, or will be sent, in violation of this section except as otherwise provided by law.
      (3)   Subsection (e)(1) of this section does not apply to a person who conspires with a person actively involved in the creation or knowing distribution of material in violation of this section or who knowingly advertises the availability of material of that nature.
      (4)   A provider or user of an interactive computer service, as defined in Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code, shall neither be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider, as defined in Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code, nor held civilly or criminally liable for the creation or development of information provided by another information content provider, as defined in Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to protect a person from liability to the extent that the person developed or created any content in violation of this section.
   (f)   Subsections (a)(5) to (11) and (b)(2) of this section do not apply to a person who, while employed or contracted by a newspaper, magazine, press association, news agency, news wire service, cable channel or cable operator, or radio or television station, is gathering, processing, transmitting, compiling, editing or disseminating information for the general public, within the scope of the person’s employment in that capacity or the person’s contractual authority in that capacity.
   (g)   As used in this section:
      (1)   “Economic harm” means all direct, incidental, and consequential pecuniary harm suffered by a victim as a result of criminal conduct. “Economic harm” includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
   A.   All wages, salaries, or other compensation lost as a result of the criminal conduct;
         B.   The cost of all wages, salaries or other compensation paid to employees for time those employees are prevented from working as a result of the criminal conduct;
   C.   The overhead costs incurred for the time that a business is shut down as a result of the criminal conduct;
   D.   The loss of value to tangible or intangible property that was damaged as a result of the criminal conduct.
      (2)   “Caller” means the person described in subsection (a) hereof who makes or causes to be made a telecommunication or who permits a telecommunication to be made from a telecommunications device under that person’s control.
      (3)   “Telecommunication” and “telecommunications device” have the same meanings as in Ohio R.C. 2913.01.
      (4)   “Sexual activity” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2907.01.
      (5)   “Family or household member” means any of the following:
         A.   Any of the following who is residing or has resided with the recipient of the telecommunication against whom the act prohibited in subsection (a)(9) of this section is committed:
            1.   A spouse, a person living as a spouse, or a former spouse of the recipient;
            2.   A parent, a foster parent, or a child of the recipient, or another person related by consanguinity or affinity to the recipient;
            3.   A parent or a child of a spouse, person living as a spouse, or former spouse of the recipient, or anther person related by consanguinity or affinity to a spouse, person living as a spouse, or former spouse of the recipient.
         B.   The natural parent of any child of whom the recipient of the telecommunication against whom the act prohibited in subsection (a)(9) of this section is committed is the other natural parent or is the putative other natural parent.
      (6)   “Person living as a spouse” means a person who is living or has lived with the recipient of the telecommunication against whom the act prohibited in subsection (a)(9) of this section is committed in a common law marital relationship, who otherwise is cohabiting with the recipient, or who otherwise has cohabited with the recipient within five years prior to the date of the alleged commission of the act in question.
      (7)   “Cable operator” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 1332.21.
   (h)   Nothing in this section prohibits a person from making a telecommunication call to a debtor that is in compliance with the “Fair Debt Collection Practices Act”, 91 Stat. 874 (1977), 15 U.S.C. 1692, as amended, or the “Telephone Consumer Protection Act”, 105 Stat. 2395 (1991), 47 U.S.C. 227, as amended. (ORC 2917.21)
537.11 THREATENING OR HARASSING TELEPHONE CALLS.
   (EDITOR’S NOTE: Former Ohio R.C. 4931.31 from which Section 537.11 was derived was repealed by Senate Bill 162, effective September 13, 2010. See now Section 537.10 “Telecommunication Harassment”.)
537.12 MISUSE OF 9-1-1 SYSTEM.
   (a)   “9-1-1 system” means a system through which individuals can request emergency service using the access number 9-1-1. (ORC 128.01(A))
   (b)   No person shall knowingly use the telephone number of the 9-1-1 system established under Ohio R.C. Chapter 128 to report an emergency if he knows that no emergency exists.
   (c)   No person shall knowingly use a 9-1-1 system for a purpose other than obtaining emergency service.
   (d)   No person shall disclose or use any information concerning telephone numbers, addresses, or names obtained from the data base that serves the public safety answering point of a 9-1-1 system established under Ohio R.C. Chapter 128, except for any of the following purposes or under any of the following circumstances:
      (1)   For the purpose of the 9-1-1 system;
      (2)   For the purpose of responding to an emergency call to an emergency service provider;
      (3)   In the circumstance of the inadvertent disclosure of such information due solely to technology of the wireline telephone network portion of the 9-1-1 system not allowing access to the data base to be restricted to 9-1-1 specific answering lines at a public safety answering point;
      (4)   In the circumstance of access to a data base being given by a telephone company that is a wireline service provider to a public utility or municipal utility in handling customer calls in times of public emergency or service outages. The charge, terms, and conditions for the disclosure or use of such information for the purpose of such access to a data base shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the steering committee.
      (5)   In the circumstance of access to a data base given by a telephone company that is a wireline service provider to a state and local government in warning of a public emergency, as determined by the steering committee. The charge, terms, and conditions for the disclosure or use of that information for the purpose of access to a data base is subject to the jurisdiction of the steering committee.
         (ORC 128.32)
   (e)   (1)   Whoever violates subsection (b) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
      (2)   Whoever violates subsection (c) or (d) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree on a first offense. For each subsequent offense such person is guilty of a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate State law. (ORC 128.99)
537.13 ADULTERATING OF OR FURNISHING ADULTERATED FOOD OR CONFECTION.
   (a)   No person shall do either of the following, knowingly or having reasonable cause to believe that any person may suffer physical harm or be seriously inconvenienced or annoyed thereby:
      (1)   Place a pin, needle, razor blade, glass, laxative, drug of abuse, or other harmful or hazardous object or substance in any food or confection;
      (2)   Furnish to any person any food or confection which has been adulterated in violation of subsection (a)(1) hereof.
(ORC 3716.11)
   (b)    Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(ORC 3716.99(C))
537.14 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
   (a)   No person shall knowingly cause or attempt to cause physical harm to a family or household member.
   (b)   No person shall recklessly cause serious physical harm to a family or household member.
   (c)   No person, by threat of force, shall knowingly cause a family or household member to believe that the offender will cause imminent physical harm to the family or household member.
   (d)   (1)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of domestic violence.
      (2)   Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d)(3) to (5) of this section, a violation of subsection (c) of this section is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree, and a violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
      (3)   Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d)(4) of this section, if the offender previously has pleaded guilty to or been convicted of domestic violence, a violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state or the United States that is substantially similar to domestic violence, a violation of Ohio R.C. 2903.14, 2909.06, 2909.07, 2911.12, 2911.211, or 2919.22 if the victim of the violation was a family or household member at the time of the violation, a violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state or the United States that is substantially similar to any of those sections if the victim of the violation was a family or household member at the time of the commission of the violation, or any offense of violence if the victim of the offense was a family or household member at the time of the commission of the offense, a violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this section is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate state law, and a violation of subsection (c) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree.
      (4)   If the offender previously has pleaded guilty to or been convicted of two or more offenses of domestic violence or two or more violations or offenses of the type described in subsection (d)(3) of this section involving a person who was a family or household member at the time of the violations or offenses, a violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this section is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate state law, and a violation of subsection (c) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
      (5)   Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d)(3) or (4) of this section, if the offender knew that the victim of the violation was pregnant at the time of the violation, a violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this section is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate State law, and a violation of subsection (c) of this section is a misdemeanor of the third degree.
   (e)   Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no court or unit of local government shall charge any fee, cost, deposit, or money in connection with the filing of charges against a person alleging that the person violated this section or in connection with the prosecution of any charges so filed.
   (f)   As used in this section:
      (1)   "Family or household member" means any of the following:
         A.   Any of the following who is residing or has resided with the offender:
            1.   A spouse, a person living as a spouse or a former spouse of the offender;
            2.   A parent, a foster parent or a child of the offender, or another person related by consanguinity or affinity to the offender;
            3.   A parent, or a child of a spouse, person living as a spouse, or former spouse of the offender; or another person related by consanguinity or affinity to a spouse, person living as a spouse or former spouse of the offender.
         B.   The natural parent of any child of whom the offender is the other natural parent or is the putative other natural parent.
      (2)   "Person living as a spouse" means a person who is living or has lived with the offender in a common law marital relationship, who otherwise is cohabiting with the offender, or who otherwise has cohabited with the offender within five years prior to the date of the alleged commission of the act in question. (ORC 2919.25)
   (g)   The same relief available under the Ohio Revised Code for filing a complaint for violation of Ohio R.C. 2919.25 shall be available for filing a complaint for violation of this section.
537.15 TEMPORARY PROTECTION ORDER.
   (a)   No person shall recklessly violate the terms of any of the following:
      (1)   A protection order issued or consent agreement approved pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2919.26 or 3113.31;
      (2)   A protection order issued pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2151.34, 2903.213 or 2903.214;
      (3)   A protection order issued by a court of another state.
   (b)   (1)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of violating a protection order.
      (2)   Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b)(3) of this section, violating a protection order is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
      (3)   Violating a protection order is a felony and shall be prosecuted under State law if the offender previously has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or been adjudicated a delinquent child for any of the following:
         A.   A violation of a protection order issued or consent agreement approved pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2151.34, 2903.213, 2903.214, 2919.26, or 3113.31;
         B.   Two or more violations of Ohio R.C. 2903.21, 2903.211, 2903.22, or 2911.211 or any combination of those offenses that involved the same person who is the subject of the protection order or consent agreement;
         C.   One or more violations of this section.
      (4)   If the offender violates a protection order or consent agreement while committing a felony offense, violating a protection order is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
      (5)   If the protection order violated by the offender was an order issued pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2151.34 or 2903.214 that required electronic monitoring of the offender pursuant to that section, the court may require in addition to any other sentence imposed upon the offender that the offender be electronically monitored for a period not exceeding five years by a law enforcement agency designated by the court. If the court requires under this subsection that the offender be electronically monitored, unless the court determines that the offender is indigent, the court shall order that the offender pay the costs of the installation of the electronic monitoring device and the cost of monitoring the electronic monitoring device.
   (c)   It is an affirmative defense to a charge under subsection (a)(3) of this section that the protection order issued by a court of another state does not comply with the requirements specified in 18 U.S.C. 2265(b) for a protection order that must be accorded full faith and credit by a court of this State or that it is not entitled to full faith and credit under 18 U.S.C. 2265(c).
   (d)   In a prosecution for a violation of this section, it is not necessary for the prosecution to prove that the protection order or consent agreement was served on the defendant if the prosecution proves that the defendant was shown the protection order or consent agreement or a copy of either or a judge, magistrate, or law enforcement officer informed the defendant that a protection order or consent agreement had been issued, and proves that the defendant recklessly violated the terms of the order or agreement.
   (e)   As used in this section, “protection order issued by a court of another state” means an injunction or another order issued by a criminal court of another state for the purpose of preventing violent or threatening acts or harassment against, contact or communication with, or physical proximity to another person, including a temporary order, and means an injunction or order of that nature issued by a civil court of another state, including a temporary order and a final order issued in an independent action or as a pendente lite order in a proceeding for other relief, if the court issued it in response to a complaint, petition or motion filed by or on behalf of a person seeking protection. “Protection order issued by a court of another state” does not include an order for support or for custody of a child. (ORC 2919.27)
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