Ohio § 2933.59
Full text of Ohio Ohio Revised Code § 2933.59, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 2933.59.
(A) An investigative officer who is, or a member of the law enforcement agency that is,
authorized by an interception warrant or a grant of an oral order for an interception
pursuant to section 2933.57 of the Revised Code to intercept wire, oral, or electronic communications or an individual who is operating
under a contract with that agency and is acting under the supervision of that officer
or a member of that agency shall execute the interception warrant or the oral order
in accordance with the terms of the warrant or oral order. The officer or member of the law enforcement agency who executes the warrant or
oral order or who supervises the execution of the warrant or oral order shall have
received training that satisfies the minimum standards established by the attorney
general and the Ohio peace officer training commission under section 2933.64 of the Revised Code . The contents of a wire, oral, or electronic communication intercepted pursuant to
an interception warrant or pursuant to a grant of an oral order for an interception,
if possible, shall be recorded on tape or another similar device. If it is not possible to record the intercepted communication, a detailed resume
of that communication immediately shall be reduced to writing. The recording or transcribing of the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication
pursuant to sections 2933.51 to 2933.66 of the Revised Code shall be done in a way that will protect the recording or transcription from editing
or any other alteration. (B) Immediately upon the expiration of the period of time for which an interception warrant
was authorized, or any extensions of that time period, all wire, oral, or electronic
communications interceptions shall cease, and any interception device installed pursuant
to the interception warrant shall be removed or permanently inactivated as soon as
is reasonably practicable. Entry to remove or inactivate an interception device is authorized by the granting
of an interception warrant. Immediately upon the expiration of that period of time or the extension, the recordings
or resumes of intercepted communications shall be made available to the issuing judge
and shall be sealed under the judge's direction. The issuing judge shall specify who shall have custody of the sealed recordings
and resumes. The recordings and resumes shall be kept for at least ten years. At the expiration of the ten-year period, the recordings and resumes may be destroyed
upon the order of a judge of the court of common pleas of the county in which the
interception took place. Duplicate recordings or resumes may be made for use or disclosure pursuant to divisions
(F) and (G) of this section. (C) No person, with intent to present the altered recording or resume in any judicial
proceeding or proceeding under oath or affirmation, shall purposely edit, alter, or
tamper with any recording or resume of any intercepted wire, oral, or electronic communications,
shall attempt to edit, alter, or tamper with any recording or resume of any intercepted
wire, oral, or electronic communications, or shall present or permit the presentation
of any altered recording or resume in any judicial proceeding or proceeding under
oath or affirmation, without fully indicating the nature of the changes made in the
original state of the recording or resume. (D)(1) Any interception warrant, the existence of lawfully installed interception devices,
the application, affidavits, and return prepared in connection with the warrant, and
any information concerning the application for, the granting of, or the denial of
an interception warrant shall remain secret until they have been disclosed in a criminal
trial or in a proceeding that is open to the public or until they have been furnished
to the defendant or unless otherwise provided in sections 2933.51 to 2933.66 of the Revised Code . (2) Any person who violates division (D)(1) of this section may be punished for contempt
of court. (E) When an order for destruction of any documents dealing with an interception warrant
is issued, the person directed in the order to destroy the applications, affidavits,
interception warrants, any amendments or extensions of the warrants, or recordings
or resumes made pursuant to the warrants shall do so in the presence of at least one
witness who is not connected with a law enforcement agency. The person who destroys the documents and each witness shall execute affidavits
setting forth the facts and circumstances of the destruction. The affidavits shall be filed with and approved by the court having custody of the
original materials. (F) An investigative officer who has obtained knowledge of the contents, or of evidence
derived from the contents, of a wire, oral, or electronic communication pursuant to sections 2933.51 to 2933.66 of the Revised Code may disclose the contents or evidence to another investigative officer to the extent
that the disclosure is appropriate to the proper performance of the official duties
of the officer making or receiving the disclosure and may use the contents or evidence
to the extent appropriate to the proper performance of official duties. (G) A person who has received, pursuant to sections 2933.51 to 2933.66 of the Revised Code , information concerning, or evidence derived from, a wire, oral, or electronic communication
intercepted pursuant to an interception warrant may disclose the contents of that
communication, or the evidence derived from the contents, while giving testimony under
oath or affirmation in a proceeding held under the authority of the United States,
this state, another state, or a political subdivision of this state or another state,
except that the presence of the seal provided for in division (B) of section 2933.56 of the Revised Code and in division (B) of this section, or a satisfactory explanation of the absence
of the seal, shall be a prerequisite for the use or disclosure of the contents of
any wire, oral, or electronic communication or evidence derived from the contents. The contents, or evidence derived from the contents, of a wire, oral, or electronic
communication intercepted pursuant to an interception warrant and in accordance with sections 2933.51 to 2933.66 of the Revised Code otherwise may be disclosed only upon a showing of good cause before a judge authorized
to issue interception warrants. (H) Whoever violates division (C) of this section is guilty of a felony of the third
degree.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ohio § 2933.59
What does Ohio Revised Code § 2933.59 cover?
Section 2933.59 is part of the Ohio Revised Code, the codified statutory law of Ohio. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.
How do I cite Ohio § 2933.59?
A common citation format is "Ohio Revised Code § 2933.59" (Ohio). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.
Is this the official text of Ohio law?
No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Ohio official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Ohio attorney.
How does Ohio § 2933.59 apply to my situation?
Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Ohio can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.
Sources & Verification
Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in Ohio.