Ohio Code 4511.196 – Initial appearance
(A) If a person is arrested for being in physical control of a vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley in violation of section 4511.194 of the Revised Code or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, or for operating a vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley in violation of division (A) or (B) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code or a municipal OVI ordinance, regardless of whether the person’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit or nonresident operating privilege is or is not suspended under section 4511.191 of the Revised Code, the person’s initial appearance on the charge resulting from the arrest shall be held within five days of the person’s arrest or the issuance of the citation to the person.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 4511.196
- Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
- Person: means every natural person, firm, co-partnership, association, or corporation. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
- Streetcar: means a car, other than a railroad train, for transporting persons or property, operated upon rails principally within a street or highway. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- suspension: means the permanent or temporary withdrawal, by action of a court or the bureau of motor vehicles, of a driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege for the period of the suspension or the permanent or temporary withdrawal of the privilege to obtain a license, permit, or privilege of that type for the period of the suspension. See Ohio Code 4510.01
- Trackless trolley: means every car that collects its power from overhead electric trolley wires and that is not operated upon rails or tracks. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Vehicle: means every device, including a motorized bicycle and an electric bicycle, in, upon, or by which any person or property may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except that "vehicle" does not include any motorized wheelchair, any electric personal assistive mobility device, any low-speed micromobility device, any personal delivery device as defined in section 4511. See Ohio Code 4511.01
(B)(1) If a person is arrested as described in division (A) of this section, if the person’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit or nonresident operating privilege has been suspended under section 4511.191 of the Revised Code in relation to that arrest, if the person appeals the suspension in accordance with section 4511.197 of the Revised Code, and if the judge, magistrate, or mayor terminates the suspension in accordance with that section, the judge, magistrate, or mayor, at any time prior to adjudication on the merits of the charge resulting from the arrest, may impose a new suspension of the person’s license, permit, or nonresident operating privilege, notwithstanding the termination, if the judge, magistrate, or mayor determines that the person’s continued driving will be a threat to public safety.
(2) If a person is arrested as described in division (A) of this section and if the person’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit or nonresident operating privilege has not been suspended under section 4511.191 of the Revised Code in relation to that arrest, the judge, magistrate, or mayor, at any time prior to the adjudication on the merits of the charge resulting from the arrest, may impose a suspension of the person’s license, permit, or nonresident operating privilege if the judge, magistrate, or mayor determines that the person’s continued driving will be a threat to public safety.
(C) A suspension under division (B)(1) or (2) of this section shall continue until the complaint on the charge resulting from the arrest is adjudicated on the merits. A court that imposes a suspension under division (B)(2) of this section shall send the person’s driver’s license or permit to the registrar of motor vehicles. If the court possesses the license or permit of a person in the category described in division (B)(2) of this section and the court does not impose a suspension under that division, the court shall return the license or permit to the person if the license or permit has not otherwise been suspended or cancelled.
Any time during which the person serves a suspension of the person’s license, permit, or privilege that is imposed pursuant to division (B)(1) or (2) of this section shall be credited against any period of judicial suspension of the person’s license, permit, or privilege that is imposed under division (G) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code or under section 4510.07 of the Revised Code for a violation of a municipal ordinance substantially equivalent to division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code.
(D) If a person is arrested and charged with a violation of section 2903.08 of the Revised Code or a violation of section 2903.06 of the Revised Code that is a felony offense, the judge at the person’s initial appearance, preliminary hearing, or arraignment may suspend the person’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit or nonresident operating privilege if the judge determines at any of those proceedings that the person’s continued driving will be a threat to public safety.
A suspension imposed under this division shall continue until the indictment or information alleging the violation specified in this division is adjudicated on the merits. A court that imposes a suspension under this division shall send the person’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit to the registrar.