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(a) A person acts purposely when it is the person’s specific intention to cause a certain result, or, when the gist of the offense is a prohibition against conduct of a certain nature, regardless of what the offender intends to accomplish thereby, it is the offender’s specific intention to engage in conduct of that nature.
(b) A person acts knowingly, regardless of purpose, when the person is aware that the person’s conduct will probably cause a certain result or will probably be of a certain nature. A person has knowledge of circumstances when the person is aware that such circumstances probably exist. When knowledge of the existence of a particular fact is an element of an offense, such knowledge is established if a person subjectively believes that there is a high probability of its existence and fails to make inquiry or acts with a conscious purpose to avoid learning the fact.
(c) A person acts recklessly when, with heedless indifference to the consequences, the person disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the person’s conduct is likely to cause a certain result or is likely to be of a certain nature. A person is reckless with respect to circumstances when, with heedless indifference to the consequences, the person disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that such circumstances are likely to exist.
(d) A person acts negligently when, because of a substantial lapse from due care, the person fails to perceive or avoid a risk that the person’s conduct may cause a certain result or may be of a certain nature. A person is negligent with respect to circumstances when, because of a substantial lapse from due care, the person fails to perceive or avoid a risk that such circumstances may exist.
(e) When the section defining an offense provides that negligence suffices to establish an element thereof, then recklessness, knowledge or purpose is also sufficient culpability for that element. When recklessness suffices to establish an element of an offense, then knowledge or purpose is also sufficient culpability for that element. When knowledge suffices to establish an element of an offense, then purpose is also sufficient culpability for that element.
(R.C. § 2901.22)
As used in this General Offenses Code:
(a) Offenses include misdemeanors of the first, second, third, and fourth degree, minor misdemeanors, and offenses not specifically classified.
(b) Regardless of the penalty that may be imposed, any offense specifically classified as a misdemeanor is a misdemeanor.
(c) Any offense not specifically classified is a misdemeanor if imprisonment for not more than one year may be imposed as a penalty.
(d) Any offense not specifically classified is a minor misdemeanor if the only penalty that may be imposed is one of the following:
(1) For an offense committed prior to January 1, 2004, a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00);
(2) For an offense committed on or after January 1, 2004, a fine not exceeding one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00), community service under Ohio R.C. 2929.27(D), or a financial sanction other than a fine under Ohio R.C. 2929.28.
(ORC 2901.02)
(a) No conduct constitutes a criminal offense against the Municipality unless it is defined as an offense in this General Offenses Code.
(b) An offense is defined when one or more sections of this General Offenses Code state a positive prohibition or enjoin a specific duty, and provide a penalty for violation of such prohibition or failure to meet such duty.
(c) This section does not affect the power of a court to punish for contempt or to employ any sanction authorized by law to enforce an order, civil judgment or decree.
(ORC 2901.03)
(a) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (c) or (d) of this section, sections of this General Offenses Code defining offenses or penalties shall be strictly construed against the Municipality and liberally construed in favor of the accused.
(b) Rules of criminal procedure and sections of this General Offenses Code providing for criminal procedure shall be construed so as to effect the fair, impartial, speedy, and sure administration of justice.
(c) Any provision of a section of this General Offenses Code that refers to a previous conviction of or plea of guilty to a violation of a section of this General Offenses Code, the Ohio Revised Code or a division of a section of this General Offenses Code or the Ohio Revised Code shall be construed to also refer to a previous conviction of or plea of guilty to a substantially equivalent offense under an existing or former law of this Municipality, State, another State, or the United States or under an existing or former municipal ordinance.
(d) Any provision of this Code that refers to a section, or to a division of a section, of this Code that defines or specifies a criminal offense shall be construed to also refer to an existing or former law of this State, another state, or the United States, to an existing or former municipal ordinance, or to an existing or former division of any such existing or former law or ordinance that defines or specifies, or that defined or specified, a substantially equivalent offense.
(ORC 2901.04)
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