July 6, 2009
Supreme Court Seeks Comments on Proposed Traffic Rules
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The Supreme Court of Ohio will accept public comment until Aug. 4 on several proposed amendments to the Ohio Traffic Rules and a revised traffic ticket form.
The proposed changes – which were recommended by the Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure – streamline some procedures in traffic cases and promote judicial economy by allowing for fewer trips to the courthouse for offenders and fewer hearings for judges. For instance, the revisions would:
- Allow for forfeiture of bail or security to be utilized in place of an appearance in court so long as all parties consent.
- Allow for the wider use of pleas in absentia, which many courts use for out-of-state offenders and those who may have difficulty appearing in court.
- Permit a defendant to dispose of a citation through the Traffic Violations Bureau at any time before arraignment rather than the current requirement of disposal within seven days after the ticket is issued.
Proposed revisions to the Multi-Court Uniform Traffic Ticket would remove all but four digits of a defendant’s Social Security number to address identity theft concerns, conform to new rules regarding public access to court records and recognize that Ohio’s new operator’s licenses do not contain Social Security numbers.
Additional proposed changes include more space for the citing officer to include prior OVI convictions to aid courts and law enforcement in determining if the defendant is a habitual offender. The new form also includes an additional signature line if the charging officer who cites the defendant and issuing officer who serves the ticket are different.
Access the text of the proposed amendments. Access the proposed Multi-Court Uniform Traffic Ticket. Comments should be submitted in writing to: Jo Ellen Cline, Government Relations Counsel, Supreme Court of Ohio, 65 S. Front St., Seventh Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215 or j.cline@sc.ohio.gov.
Contact: Chris Davey or Bret Crow at 614.387.9250.
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