(a) Prohibited Conduct.
(1) No person, by engaging in a pattern of conduct, shall knowingly cause another to believe that the offender will cause physical harm to the other person or cause mental distress to the other person.
(2) As used in this section:
A. “Pattern of conduct” means two or more actions or incidents closely related in time, whether or not there has been a prior conviction based on any of those actions or incidents. Actions or incidents that prevent, obstruct, or delay the performance by a public official, firefighter, rescuer, or emergency medical services person of any authorized act within the public official’s, firefighter’s, rescuer’s or emergency medical services person’s official capacity may constitute a “pattern of conduct”.
(Ord. 38-02. Passed 5-6-02.)
B. “Mental distress” means any mental illness or condition that involves some temporary substantial incapacity or mental illness or condition that would normally require psychiatric treatment.
(ORC 2903.211)
(b) Anti-Stalking Protection Order.
(1) Except when the complaint involves a person who is a family or household member, as defined in Section 537.14(a) of this General Offenses Code, upon the filing of a complaint that alleges a violation of Ohio R.C. 2903.21, 2903.211, 2903.22 or 2911.211, or Section 537.05, subsection (a) hereof, Section 537.06 or Section 541.055 of this General Offenses Code, the complainant may file a motion that requests the issuance of an anti-stalking protection order as a pretrial condition of release of the alleged offender, in addition to any bail set under Rule 46 of the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure. The motion shall be filed with the clerk of the court that has jurisdiction of the case at any time after the filing of the complaint. If the complaint involves a person who is a family or household member, the complainant may file a motion for a temporary protection order pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2919.26 or Section 537.14(b) of this General Offenses Code.
(2) A motion for an anti-stalking protection order shall be prepared on a form that is provided by the clerk of the court, which form shall be substantially as follows:
MOTION FOR ANTI-STALKING PROTECTION ORDER
................ Court
Name and address of court
Municipality of Lakewood, Ohio
v. No...............
................................................
Name of Defendant
(Name of person), the complainant in the above-captioned case, moves the court to issue an anti-stalking protection order containing terms designed to ensure the safety and protection of the complainant in relation to the named defendant, pursuant to its authority to issue such an order under Ohio R.C. 2903.213.
I understand that I must appear before the court, at a time set by the court not later than the next day that the court is in session after the filing of this motion, for a hearing on the motion, and that any anti-stalking protection order granted pursuant to this motion is a pretrial condition of release and is effective only until the disposition of the criminal proceeding arising out of the attached complaint.
.......................................................
Signature of complainant
.......................................................
Address of complainant
(3) As soon as possible after the filing of a motion that requests the issuance of an anti-stalking protection order, but not later than the next day that the court is in session after the filing of the motion, the court shall conduct a hearing to determine whether to issue the order. The complainant shall appear before the court and provide the court with the information that it requests concerning the basis of the motion. If the court finds that the safety and protection of the complainant may be impaired by the continued presence of the alleged offender, the court may issue an anti-stalking protection order, as a pretrial condition of release, that contains terms designed to ensure the safety and protection of the complainant, including a requirement that the alleged offender refrain from entering the residence, school, business or place of employment of the complainant.
(4) A. Except when the complaint involves a person who is a family or household member as defined in Section 537.14(a) of this General Offenses Code, upon the filing of a complaint that alleges a violation of Ohio R.C. 2903.21, 2903.211, 2903.22 or 2911.211, or Section 537.05, subsection (a) hereof, Section 537.06 or Section 541.055 of this General Offenses Code, the court, upon its own motion, may issue an anti-stalking protection order as a pretrial condition of release of the alleged offender if it finds that the safety and protection of the complainant may be impaired by the continued presence of the alleged offender.
B. If the court issues an anti-stalking protection order under this section as an ex parte order, it shall conduct, as soon as possible, after the issuance of the order but not later than the next day the court is in session after its issuance, a hearing to determine whether the order should remain in effect, be modified or be revoked. The hearing shall be conducted under the standards set forth in paragraph (b)(3) hereof.
(5) An anti-stalking protection order that is issued as a pretrial condition of release under this section:
A. Is in addition to, but shall not be construed as a part of, any bail set under Rule 46 of the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure;
B. Is effective only until the disposition of the criminal proceeding arising out of the complaint upon which it is based;
C. Shall not be construed as a finding that the alleged offender committed the alleged offense, and shall not be introduced as evidence of the commission of the offense at the trial of the alleged offender on the complaint upon which the order is based.
(6) A person who meets the criteria for bail under Rule 46 of the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure and who, if required to do so pursuant to that Rule, executes or posts bond or deposits cash or securities as bail, shall not be held in custody pending a hearing before the court on a motion requesting an anti-stalking protection order.
(7) A copy of any anti-stalking protection order that is issued under this section shall be issued by the court to the complainant, to the defendant and to all law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction to enforce the order. The court shall direct that a copy of the order be delivered to the defendant on the same day that the order is entered.
(8) All law enforcement agencies shall establish and maintain an index for the anti-stalking protection orders delivered to the agencies pursuant to paragraph (b)(7) hereof. With respect to each order delivered, each agency shall note, on the index, the date and time of the receipt of the order by the agency.
(9) Any officer of a law enforcement agency shall enforce an anti-stalking protection order in accordance with the provisions of the order.
(10) Upon a violation of an anti-stalking protection order, the court may issue another anti-stalking protection order, as a pretrial condition of release, that modifies the terms of the order that was violated.
(11) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no court shall charge a fee for the filing of a motion pursuant to this section.
(ORC 2903.213)
(c) Violation of Anti-Stalking Protection Order. No person shall recklessly violate any terms of an anti-stalking protection order issued pursuant to this section or Ohio R.C. 2903.213.
(ORC 2903.214(A))
(d) Penalties.
(1) Whoever violates subsection (a) hereof is guilty of menacing by stalking, a misdemeanor of the first degree, and shall be subject to the penalty provided in Section 501.99, provided the offender previously has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of subsection (a) hereof or Ohio R.C. 2903.211 involving the same person who is the victim of the current offense.
(ORC 2903.211(B))
(2) Whoever violates subsection (c) hereof is guilty of a violating an antistalking protection order. If the offender previously has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of subsection (c) hereof, or a violation of Ohio R.C. 2903.21, 2903.211, 2903.22 or 2911.211, that involves the same person who is the subject of the anti-stalking protection order, violating an anti-stalking protection order is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree and shall be subject to the penalty provided in Section 501.99. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one violation of subsection (c) hereof, or one violation of Ohio R.C. 2903.21, 2903.211, 2903.22 or 2911.211, that involves the same person who is the subject of the anti-stalking protection order, violating an anti- stalking protection order is a misdemeanor of the first degree and shall be subject to the penalty provided in Section 501.99. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of subsection (c) hereof, or to two or more violations of Ohio R.C. 2903.21, 2903.211, 2903.22 or 2911.211, that involve the same person who is the subject of the anti-stalking protection order, violating an anti-stalking protection order is a felony of the fourth degree and shall be prosecuted under Ohio R.C. 2903.214.
(ORC 2903.214(B))