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   525.02 FALSIFICATION.
   (a)   No person shall knowingly make a false statement, or knowingly swear or affirm the truth of a false statement previously made, when any of the following applies:
      (1)   The statement is made in any official proceeding.
      (2)   The statement is made with purpose to incriminate another.
      (3)   The statement is made with purpose to mislead a public official in performing the public official’s official function.
      (4)   The statement is made with purpose to secure the payment of unemployment compensation; Ohio works first; prevention, retention and contingency benefits and services; disability financial assistance; retirement benefits or health care coverage from a state retirement system; economic development assistance as defined in Ohio R.C. 9.66; or other benefits administered by a governmental agency or paid out of a public treasury.
      (5)   The statement is made with purpose to secure the issuance by a governmental agency of a license, permit, authorization, certificate, registration, release or provider agreement.
      (6)   The statement is sworn or affirmed before a notary public or another person empowered to administer oaths.
      (7)   The statement is in writing on or in connection with a report or return that is required or authorized by law.
      (8)   The statement is in writing, and is made with purpose to induce another to extend credit to or employ the offender, or to confer any degree, diploma, certificate of attainment, award of excellence or honor on the offender, or to extend to or bestow upon the offender any other valuable benefit or distinction, when the person to whom the statement is directed relies upon it to that person’s detriment.
      (9)   The statement is made with purpose to commit or facilitate the commission of a theft offense.
      (10)   The statement is knowingly made to a probate court in connection with any action, proceeding or other matter within its jurisdiction, either orally or in a written document, including, but not limited to, an application, petition, complaint or other pleading, or an inventory, account or report.
      (11)   The statement is made on an account, form, record, stamp, label or other writing that is required by law.
      (12)   The statement is made in a document or instrument of writing that purports to be a judgment, lien, or claim of indebtedness and is filed or recorded with the Secretary of State, a county recorder, or the clerk of a court of record.
      (13)   The statement is required under Ohio R.C. 5743.71 in connection with the person’s purchase of cigarettes or tobacco products in a delivery sale.
   (b)   It is no defense to a charge under subsection (a)(6) hereof that the oath or affirmation was administered or taken in an irregular manner.
   (c)   If contradictory statements relating to the same fact are made by the offender within the period of the statute of limitations for falsification, it is not necessary for the prosecution to prove which statement was false, but only that one or the other was false.
   (d)   (1)   Whoever violates any provision of subsection (a)(1) to (8) or (10) to (13) hereof is guilty of falsification, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
      (2)    Whoever violates subsection (a)(9) hereof is guilty of falsification in a theft offense, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the value of the property or services stolen is one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more, falsification in a theft offense is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
   (e)   A person who violates this section is liable in a civil action to any person harmed by the violation for injury, death, or loss to person or property incurred as a result of the commission of the offense and for reasonable attorney’s fees, court costs, and other expenses incurred as a result of prosecuting the civil action commenced under this section. A civil action under this section is not the exclusive remedy of a person who incurs injury, death, or loss to person or property as a result of a violation of this section.
(ORC 2921.13)
   525.03 IMPERSONATION OF PEACE OFFICER.
   (a)   As used in this section:
      (1)   "Peace officer" means a sheriff, deputy sheriff, marshal, deputy marshal, member of the organized police department of a municipal corporation or township constable who is employed by a political subdivision of this State; a member of a police force employed by a metropolitan housing authority under Ohio R.C. 3735.31(D); a member of a police force employed by a regional transit authority under Ohio R.C. 306.35(Y), a State university law enforcement officer appointed under Ohio R.C. 3345.04; a veterans' home police officer appointed under Ohio R.C. 5907.02; a special police officer employed by a port authority under Ohio R.C. 4582.04 or 4582.28; an officer, agent, or employee of the State or any of its agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, upon whom, by statute, a duty to conserve the peace or to enforce all or certain laws is imposed and the authority to arrest violators is conferred, within limits of that statutory duty and authority; or a State highway patrol trooper whose primary duties are to preserve the peace, to protect life and property and to enforce the laws, ordinances or rules of the State or any of its political subdivisions.
      (2)   "Private police officer" means any security guard, special police officer, private detective or other person who is privately employed in a police capacity.
      (3)   “Federal law enforcement officer” means an employee of the United States who serves in a position the duties of which are primarily the investigation, apprehension or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses under the criminal laws of the United States.
      (4)   “Investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2903.11.
      (5)   "Impersonate" means to act the part of, assume the identity of, wear the uniform or any part of the uniform of or display the identification of a particular person or of a member of a class of persons with purpose to make another person believe that the actor is that particular person or is a member of that class of persons.
   (b)   No person shall impersonate a peace officer, private police officer, federal law enforcement officer or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
   (c)   No person, by impersonating a peace officer, private police officer, federal law enforcement officer, or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, shall arrest or detain any person, search any person or search the property of any person.
   (d)   No person, with purpose to commit or facilitate the commission of an offense, shall impersonate a peace officer, private police officer, federal law enforcement officer, an officer, agent or employee of the State or the Municipality or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
   (e)   It is an affirmative defense to a charge under subsection (b) hereof that the impersonation of the peace officer was for a lawful purpose.
   (f)   Whoever violates subsection (b) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Whoever violates subsections (c) or (d) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the purpose of a violation of subsection (d) hereof is to commit or facilitate the commission of a felony, such violation is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate State law. (ORC 2921.51)
   525.04 COMPOUNDING A CRIME.
   (a)   No person shall knowingly demand, accept or agree to accept anything of value in consideration of abandoning or agreeing to abandon a pending criminal prosecution.
 
   (b)   It is an affirmative defense to a charge under this section when both of the following apply:
      (1)   The pending prosecution involved is for violation of Sections 545.05, 545.07, 545.09 or 545.10(b)(2), or Ohio R.C. 2913.02, 2913.11, 2913.21(B)(2) or 2913.47, of which the actor under this section was the victim.
      (2)   The thing of value demanded, accepted or agreed to be accepted, in consideration of abandoning or agreeing to abandon the prosecution, did not exceed an amount that the actor reasonably believed due him as restitution for the loss caused him by the offense.
   (c)   When a prosecuting witness abandons or agrees to abandon a prosecution under subsection (b) hereof, the abandonment or agreement in no way binds the State or Municipality to abandoning the prosecution.
 
   (d)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of compounding a crime, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(ORC 2921.21)
   525.05 FAILURE TO REPORT A CRIME, INJURY OR KNOWLEDGE OF DEATH.
   (a)   (1)   Except as provided in subsection (a)(2) hereof, no person, knowing that a felony has been or is being committed, shall knowingly fail to report such information to law enforcement authorities.
      (2)   No person, knowing that a violation of division (B) of Ohio R.C. 2913.04 has been, or is being committed or that the person has received information derived from such a violation, shall knowingly fail to report the violation to law enforcement authorities.
   (b)   Except for conditions that are within the scope of subsection (e) of this section, no person giving aid to a sick or injured person shall negligently fail to report to law enforcement authorities any gunshot or stab wound treated or observed by the person, or any serious physical harm to persons that the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe resulted from an offense of violence.
   (c)   No person who discovers the body or acquires the first knowledge of the death of a person shall fail to report the death immediately to a physician or advanced practice registered nurse whom the person knows to be treating the deceased for a condition from which death at such time would not be unexpected, or to a law enforcement officer, an ambulance service, an emergency squad, or the coroner in a political subdivision in which the body is discovered, the death is believed to have occurred, or knowledge concerning the death is obtained. For purposes of this subsection (c), “advanced practice registered nurse” does not include a certified registered nurse anesthetist.
   (d)   No person shall fail to provide upon request of the person to whom a report required by subsection (c) of this section was made, or to any law enforcement officer who has reasonable cause to assert the authority to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death, any facts within the person’s knowledge that may have a bearing on the investigation of the death.
   (e)   (1)   As used in this subsection, “burn injury” means any of the following:
         A.   Second or third degree burns;
         B.   Any burns to the upper respiratory tract or laryngeal edema due to the inhalation of superheated air;
         C.   Any burn injury or wound that may result in death;
         D.   Any physical harm to persons caused by or as the result of the use of fireworks, novelties and trick noisemakers, and wire sparklers, as each is defined by Ohio R.C. 3743.01.
      (2)   No physician, nurse, physician assistant, or limited practitioner who, outside a hospital, sanitarium, or other medical facility, attends or treats a person who has sustained a burn injury that is inflicted by an explosion or other incendiary device, or that shows evidence of having been inflicted in a violent, malicious, or criminal manner, shall fail to report the burn injury immediately to the local arson, or fire and explosion investigation, bureau, if there is a bureau of this type in the jurisdiction in which the person is attended or treated, or otherwise to local law enforcement authorities.
      (3)   No manager, superintendent or other person in charge of a hospital, sanitarium or other medical facility in which a person is attended or treated for any burn injury that is inflicted by an explosion or other incendiary device, or that shows evidence of having been inflicted in a violent, malicious, or criminal manner, shall fail to report the burn injury immediately to the local arson, or fire and explosion investigation, bureau, if there is a bureau of this type in the jurisdiction in which the person is attended or treated, or otherwise to local law enforcement authorities.
      (4)   No person who is required to report any burn injury under subsection (e)(2) or (3) of this section shall fail to file, within three working days after attending or treating the victim, a written report of the burn injury with the office of the State Fire Marshal. The report shall comply with the uniform standard developed by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Ohio R.C. 3737.22(A)(15).
      (5)   Anyone participating in the making of reports under subsection (e) of this section or anyone participating in a judicial proceeding resulting from the reports is immune from any civil or criminal liability that otherwise might be incurred or imposed as a result of such actions. Notwithstanding Ohio R.C. 4731.22, the physician-patient relationship or advanced practice registered nurse-patient relationship is not a ground for excluding evidence regarding a person’s burn injury or the cause of the burn injury in any judicial proceeding resulting from a report submitted under subsection (e) of this section.
   (f)   (1)   Any doctor of medicine or osteopathic medicine, hospital intern or resident, nurse, psychologist, social worker, independent social worker, social work assistant, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed professional counselor, independent marriage and family therapist or marriage and family therapist who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a patient or client has been the victim of domestic violence, as defined in Ohio R.C. 3113.31, shall note that knowledge or belief and the basis for it in the patient’s or client’s records.
      (2)   Notwithstanding Ohio R.C. 4731.22, the physician-patient privilege or advanced practice registered nurse-patient privilege shall not be a ground for excluding any information regarding the report containing the knowledge or belief noted under subsection (f)(1) of this section, and the information may be admitted as evidence in accordance with the Rules of Evidence.
   (g)   Subsections (a) and (d) of this section do not require disclosure of information, when any of the following applies:
      (1)   The information is privileged by reason of the relationship between attorney and client; physician and patient; advanced practice registered nurse and patient; licensed psychologist or licensed school psychologist and client; licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed professional counselor, independent social worker, social worker, independent marriage and family therapist, or marriage and family therapist and client; member of the clergy, rabbi, minister, or priest and any person communicating information confidentially to the member of the clergy, rabbi, minister, or priest for a religious counseling purpose of a professional character; husband and wife; or a communications assistant and those who are a party to a telecommunications relay service call.
      (2)   The information would tend to incriminate a member of the actor’s immediate family.
      (3)   Disclosure of the information would amount to revealing a news source, privileged under Ohio R.C. 2739.04 or 2739.12.
      (4)   Disclosure of the information would amount to disclosure by a member of the ordained clergy of an organized religious body of a confidential communication made to that member of the clergy in that member’s capacity as a member of the clergy by a person seeking the aid or counsel of that member of the clergy.
      (5)   Disclosure would amount to revealing information acquired by the actor in the course of the actor’s duties in connection with a bona fide program of treatment or services for persons with drug dependencies or persons in danger of drug dependence, which program is maintained or conducted by a hospital, clinic, person, agency, or community addiction services provider whose alcohol and drug addiction services are certified pursuant to Ohio R.C. 5119.36.
      (6)   Disclosure would amount to revealing information acquired by the actor in the course of the actor’s duties in connection with a bona fide program for providing counseling services to victims of crimes that are violations of Ohio R.C. 2907.02 or 2907.05 or to victims of felonious sexual penetration in violation of former Ohio R.C. 2907.12. As used in this subsection, “counseling services” include services provided in an informal setting by a person who, by education or experience, is competent to provide those services.
 
   (h)   No disclosure of information pursuant to this section gives rise to any liability or recrimination for a breach of privilege or confidence.
   (i)   Whoever violates subsection (a) or (b) of this section is guilty of failure to report a crime. Violation of subsection (a)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Violation of subsection (a)(2) or (b) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree.
   (j)   Whoever violates subsection (c) or (d) of this section is guilty of failure to report knowledge of a death, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
   (k)   (1)   Whoever negligently violates subsection (e) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
      (2)   Whoever knowingly violates subsection (e) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.
   (l)   As used in this section, “nurse” includes an advanced practice registered nurse, registered nurse, and licensed practical nurse. (ORC 2921.22)
   525.06 FAILURE TO AID A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
   (a)   No person shall negligently fail or refuse to aid a law enforcement officer, when called upon for assistance in preventing or halting the commission of an offense, or in apprehending or detaining an offender, when such aid can be given without a substantial risk of physical harm to the person
giving it.
 
   (b)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of failure to aid a law enforcement officer, a minor misdemeanor.
(ORC 2921.23)
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