(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Lawfully issued" means adopted, issued or rendered in accordance with the United States Constitution, the constitution of a state, and the applicable statutes, rules, regulations and ordinances of the United States, a state and the political subdivisions of a state.
(2) "State" means a state of the United States, including, without limitation, the state legislature, the highest court of the state that has statewide jurisdiction, the offices of all elected state officers, and all departments, boards, offices, commissions, agencies, institutions and other instrumentalities of the state. "State" does not include the political subdivisions of the state.
(3) "Political subdivisions" means municipal corporations, townships, counties, school districts and all other bodies corporate and politic that are organized under state law and are responsible for governmental activities only in geographical areas smaller than that of a state.
(4) "Sham legal process" means an instrument that meets all of the following conditions:
A. It is not lawfully issued.
B. It purports to do any of the following:
1. To be a summons, subpoena, judgment or order of a court, a law enforcement officer or a legislative, executive or administrative body.
2. To assert jurisdiction over or determine the legal or equitable status, rights, duties, powers or privileges of any person or property.
3. To require or authorize the search, seizure, indictment, arrest, trial or sentencing of any person or property.
C. It is designed to make another person believe that it is lawfully issued.
(b) No person shall, knowing the sham legal process to be sham legal process, do any of the following:
(1) Knowingly issue, display, deliver, distribute or otherwise use sham legal process;
(2) Knowingly use sham legal process to arrest, detain, search or seize any person or the property of another person; or
(3) Knowingly commit or facilitate the commission of an offense, using sham legal process.
(c) It is an affirmative defense to a charge under paragraph (b)(1) or (2) hereof that the use of sham legal process was for a lawful purpose.
(d) Whoever violates this section is guilty of using sham legal process. A violation of paragraph (b)(1) hereof is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. A violation of paragraph (b)(2) or (3) hereof is a misdemeanor of the first degree, provided the purpose of a violation is not to commit or facilitate the commission of a felony. The penalty shall be as provided in Section 698.02. (ORC 2921.52)