Ohio Code 2152.57 – Extension for filing report; admission into evidence; expenses; objections
(A) An evaluator appointed by the court under section 2152.53 of the Revised Code shall submit a competency assessment report to the court as soon as possible but not more than forty-five calendar days after the order appointing the evaluator is issued. The court may grant one extension for a reasonable length of time if doing so would aid the evaluator in completing the evaluation.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 2152.57
- Child: means a person who is under eighteen years of age, except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(2) to (8) of this section. See Ohio Code 2152.02
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
(B) No competency assessment report obtained independently by the child may be admitted into evidence unless it is submitted to the court within the time allowed for submission of a report by a court-appointed evaluator under division (A) of this section and meets all the criteria that apply to a court-ordered report.
(C) The court shall provide a copy of each competency assessment report it receives to the prosecuting attorney, the child’s attorney, and the child’s parents, guardian, or custodian. Counsel shall not disseminate the report except as necessary to receive clarification of the contents of the report.
(D) The expenses of obtaining an evaluation ordered by the court may not be recovered from the child or the child’s parents or guardians. However, expenses associated with missed appointments may be assessed to the child’s parents or guardians.
(E)(1) Before a hearing is held under section 2152.58 of the Revised Code, any party may object to the contents of a competency assessment report and by motion request an additional evaluation. If the court determines that an additional evaluation is appropriate and grants the motion, the evaluator shall complete an additional evaluation as soon as possible but not more than forty-five calendar days after the order allowing the additional evaluation is issued. An additional evaluation shall meet all the criteria that apply to a court-ordered evaluation.
(2) An additional evaluation allowed under division (E)(1) of this section shall be made at the moving party’s expense unless the child is indigent. If the child is indigent, the county shall pay the costs of the additional evaluation. However, the county shall not be required to pay costs exceeding that which the county would normally pay for a competency evaluation conducted by a provider with which the court or county has contracted to conduct competency evaluations.