Section 2953.321. Divulging confidential investigatory work product

(A) As used in this section, "investigatory work product" means any records or reports of a law enforcement officer or agency that are excepted from the definition of "official records" contained in section 2953.51 of the Revised Code and that pertain to a conviction or bail forfeiture the records of which have been ordered sealed pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 2953.32 of the Revised Code or that pertain to a conviction or delinquent child adjudication the records of which have been ordered expunged pursuant to division (E) of section 2151.358, division (D)(2) of section 2953.37, or division (G) of section 2953.38 of the Revised Code.

(B) Upon the issuance of an order by a court pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 2953.32 of the Revised Code directing that all official records of a case pertaining to a conviction or bail forfeiture be sealed or an order by a court pursuant to division (E) of section 2151.358, division (D)(2) of section 2953.37, or division (G) of section 2953.38 of the Revised Code directing that all official records of a case pertaining to a conviction or delinquent child adjudication be expunged:

(1) Every law enforcement officer who possesses investigatory work product immediately shall deliver that work product to the law enforcement officer's employing law enforcement agency.

(2) Except as provided in division (B)(3) of this section, every law enforcement agency that possesses investigatory work product shall close that work product to all persons who are not directly employed by the law enforcement agency and shall treat that work product, in relation to all persons other than those who are directly employed by the law enforcement agency, as if it did not exist and never had existed.

(3) A law enforcement agency that possesses investigatory work product may permit another law enforcement agency to use that work product in the investigation of another offense if the facts incident to the offense being investigated by the other law enforcement agency and the facts incident to an offense that is the subject of the case are reasonably similar. The agency that permits the use of investigatory work product may provide the other agency with the name of the person who is the subject of the case if it believes that the name of the person is necessary to the conduct of the investigation by the other agency.

(C)

(1) Except as provided in division (B)(3) of this section, no law enforcement officer or other person employed by a law enforcement agency shall knowingly release, disseminate, or otherwise make the investigatory work product or any information contained in that work product available to, or discuss any information contained in it with, any person not employed by the employing law enforcement agency.

(2) No law enforcement agency, or person employed by a law enforcement agency, that receives investigatory work product pursuant to division (B)(3) of this section shall use that work product for any purpose other than the investigation of the offense for which it was obtained from the other law enforcement agency, or disclose the name of the person who is the subject of the work product except when necessary for the conduct of the investigation of the offense, or the prosecution of the person for committing the offense, for which it was obtained from the other law enforcement agency.

(3) It is not a violation of division (C)(1) or (2) of this section for the bureau of criminal identification and investigation or any authorized employee of the bureau participating in the investigation of criminal activity to release, disseminate, or otherwise make available to, or discuss with, a person directly employed by a law enforcement agency DNA records collected in the DNA database or fingerprints filed for record by the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation.

(D) Whoever violates division (C)(1) or (2) of this section is guilty of divulging confidential investigatory work product, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 143, §1, eff. 9/19/2014.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.142, HB 262, §1, eff. 6/27/2012.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.34, SB 17, §1, eff. 9/30/2011.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.30, SB 77, §1, eff. 7/6/2010.

Effective Date: 06-29-1988