Rou

One guiding principle has lead this country's judicial system for the entirety of its existence. Innocent until proven guilty.

Ohio however has set itself to throw back that principle.

You see, they have just set up a new form of on-line registry for sex offenders. Typical enough in this day and age. But with a twist. You don’t have to be guilty to get on it. Nope. You don’t even have to be CHARGED.

Instead, anyone who thinks you abused them (or doesn’t like you and is convincing enough) goes to a judge and asks for declaratory judgment. If the civil judge agrees that the preponderance of the evidence support you (a fairly low legal standard), WHAM-BAM, you’re a sex offender! And like all other similar lists, you must register all moves, keep your photo on record and follow the same residency requirements as any other convicted sex offender.

Great stuff, eh?

You would have one benefit over your standard sex offender. After six years, you could file a petition to get your name removed. Of course, by then, the damage is done.

I swear I don’t know how people that write these laws sleep at night. Maybe they don’t see the ramifications.