(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 apply:
(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 his official function.
(4) The statement is made with purpose to secure the payment of workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, Ohio works first; prevention, retention, and contingency benefits and services; disability financial assistance; retirement benefits; economic development assistance as defined in section 9.66 of the Revised Code 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 or release.
(6) The statement is sworn or affirmed before a notary public or other person empowered to administer oaths.
(7) The statement is in writing on or in connection with a report or return which is required or authorized by law.
(8) The statement is in writing, and is made with purpose to induce another to extend credit or to 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 such statement is directed relies upon it to his detriment.
(9) The statement is made with purpose to commit or facilitate the commission of a theft offense.
(10) The statement is made on an account, form, record, stamp, label, or other writing that is required by law.
(11) 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.
(b) It is no defense to a charge under subsection (a)(4) 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) Whoever violates any provision of subsection (a)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) and (10) hereof is guilty of falsification, a misdemeanor of the first degree. Whoever violates subsection (a)(9) hereof is guilty of falsification to commit a theft offense, a misdemeanor of the first degree if any amount of the claim is less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).
(ORC 2921.13; Ord. 519-11. Passed 11-15-11.)