Opinion ID: 4541614
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Ohio CSPOs

Text: {¶ 9} R.C. 2903.211 prohibits menacing by stalking. R.C. 2903.211(A) provides: (1) No person by engaging in a pattern of conduct shall knowingly cause another person to believe that the offender will cause physical harm to the other person or a family or household member of the other person or cause mental distress to the other person or a family or household member of the other person.    (2) No person, through the use of any form of written communication or any electronic method of remotely transferring information, including, but not limited to, any computer, computer network, computer program, computer system, or 1. Rasawehr’s appeal does not claim protection under Article I, Section 11 of the Ohio Constitution (“Freedom of speech; of the press; of libels”), so we do not consider whether Ohio’s constitution is violated by paragraph nine. 4 January Term, 2020 telecommunication device shall post a message or use any intentionally written or verbal graphic gesture with purpose to do either of the following: (a) Violate division (A)(1) of this section; (b) Urge or incite another to commit a violation of division (A)(1) of this section. {¶ 10} “ ‘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.” R.C. 2903.211(D)(1). {¶ 11} “Mental distress” means “[a]ny mental illness or condition that involves some temporary substantial incapacity,” R.C. 2903.211(D)(2)(a), or that “would normally require psychiatric treatment, psychological treatment, or other mental health services,” R.C. 2903.211(D)(2)(b). {¶ 12} “ ‘Post a message’ means transferring, sending, posting, publishing, disseminating, or otherwise communicating, or attempting to transfer, send, post, publish, disseminate, or otherwise communicate, any message or information, whether truthful or untruthful, about an individual, and whether done under one’s own name, under the name of another, or while impersonating another.” R.C. 2903.211(D)(7). {¶ 13} R.C. 2903.214 provides a civil remedy for stalking victims. R.C. 2903.214(C) states: A person may seek relief under this section for the person, or any parent or adult household member may seek relief under this section on behalf of any other family or household member, by filing a petition with the court. The petition shall contain or state all of the following: 5 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO (1) An allegation that the respondent is eighteen years of age or older and engaged in a violation of section 2903.211 of the Revised Code against the person to be protected by the protection order or committed a sexually oriented offense against the person to be protected by the protection order, including a description of the nature and extent of the violation;