Ohio Sex Offender Classification & Reclassification Legal Counsel

Understanding Tier 1, 2, & 3 Sex Offender Registration

When someone is convicted of a sex crime in Ohio, there is a high chance that part of their sentencing will require sex offender registration. People placed on a sex offender registry will need to reregister at regular intervals, or face further criminal penalties. The public can access a sex offender registry to view people on the list, which means employers, lenders, landlords, and other parties in positions of power will often do all they can to avoid or reject registrants.

Sex Offender Registration Tiers

Sex offender registration in Ohio is sorted into three tiers:

• Tier I: Sex crime offenders who committed a misdemeanor sex crime that did usually does not involve violence or a minor. Tier I offenders must reregister once a year for 15 years.
• Tier II: Sex crime offenders who were convicted for a crime that could be penalized with more than a year of imprisonment, or who committed a sex crime involving a minor. Tier II offenders must reregister every 180 days for 25 years.
• Tier III: Sex crime offenders who were convicted of a felony sex crime considered to be the “most severe,” such as rape, child kidnapping and molestation, and other violent sex crimes. Tier III offenders must reregister every 90 days for the rest of their lives.

If you have been placed on a sex offender registry in Ohio, you will face many years of hardship due to the necessity of reregistration. However, our Cincinnati sex crime lawyers of the Law Firm of Bleile & Dawson may be able to help. In some cases, reclassification may be possible to better your circumstances.

Find out more today by calling (513) 399-5945 or emailing our law office.

Petitioning for Reclassification or Declassification

Being assigned a sex offender registry classification is an intimidating experience, but it is not one absolutely set in stone. Certain circumstances could allow you to file a petition with the court that issued the order to reclassify or declassify you. Reclassification can change you from Tier III to Tier II or I, or Tier II to Tier I. Declassification is usually reserved for juveniles on Tier I, removing them from the sex offender registry altogether.

In order to be reclassified, you will need to file a petition that successfully argues the previous order was erroneous or no longer applies to your situation. For example, if you successfully appealed your conviction or a technical error jeopardized the validity of your trial, then you may be able to petition for reclassification. It is also possible to try to submit a plea to the court to permit reclassification due to your history of good behavior, much like an inmate petitioning for parole.

Get in contact with our Ohio sex crime attorneys as soon as you can to explore what you can do to make your life easier. Just dial (513) 399-5945 and put an initial consultation on your calendar, scheduled for your convenience.