09/20/2018

Ohio State Bar Association President Speaks Out Against Issue 1

Should Issue 1 pass, several changes to the state constitution would occur

The president of the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA), an organization with more than 20,000 lawyers and judges among its membership, is speaking out against Issue 1, the statewide November ballot measure aimed at reducing penalties for low-level drug crimes.

If Issue 1 passes, it would result in several changes to the state constitution. Among them, reducing certain drug possession crimes to misdemeanors, and prohibiting judges from imposing jail time for a first or second offense in a two year period.

Robin Weaver, who heads up the OSBA, says this would be a mistake. In a statement Thursday, he said Issue 1 would strip judges of an important deterrence tool and remove accountability for defendants.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WOSU.