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Author Archives: Shawn Dominy

Shawn Dominy
Shawn Dominy is a DUI/OVI lawyer in Columbus, Ohio. He is the former President of the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the state delegate to the National College for DUI Defense and a long-time member of the National Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers. Shawn Dominy authored the books 'Ohio DUI/OVI Guide', 'Ohio Vehicular Homicide Guide', and 'Ohio Vehicular Assault Guide' (Rivers Edge Publishing) and wrote a chapter in the book 'Defending Vehicular Homicide Cases' (Aspatore Publishing, 2012). He has several other published articles, and he speaks regularly at seminars teaching other lawyers about DUI/OVI. Shawn was named by SuperLawyers® as one of the top 50 lawyers in Columbus, Ohio, and he is listed as one of the 'Best Lawyers in America'® for DUI Defense. Shawn is a lifelong resident of central Ohio: he graduated from Olentangy High School and earned his bachelor’s degree and juris doctor from The Ohio State University. His office is in Columbus, and he lives in Powell with his wife and daughter. He serves with local community organizations, volunteers regularly at his church, and plays regularly with his German Shepherd. For more information, Shawn’s website is www.dominylaw.com, his blog is www.columbusoviattorneyblog.com,

Ohio Supreme Court Decides Whether Search of Vehicle was Constitutional

In the recent case of State v. Toran, the Ohio Supreme Court addressed the legality of a deputy’s vehicle search.  For a law enforcement officer to search a vehicle, a search warrant is generally required, unless there is an applicable exception to the warrant requirement.  The issue in this case was whether the prosecution proved the applicability of the ‘inventory search’ exception. Read More »

Ohio Woman Charged with Vehicular Homicide and Murder

An Ohio woman struck a man with her vehicle, and the man died.  The woman, Brooklyn Maxine Frazie, was charged with Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Operating a Vehicle under the Influence (‘OVI’-Ohio’s term for DUI), Murder, Aggravated Murder, and other offenses.  When a person’s driving causes the death of another person, it is common for that person to be charged with Aggravated Vehicular Homicide.  It is unusual, however, for these incidents to lead to charges of Murder and Aggravated Murder.  While ... Read More »

DUI/OVI Cases in Ohio Mayor’s Courts

In Ohio, most misdemeanor DUI cases (called ‘OVI’ in Ohio) are heard in Municipal Courts.  However, some misdemeanor OVI cases are heard in mayor’s courts.  Mayor’s courts are operated in cities and villages which do not have municipal courts.  Although there are nearly 300 mayor’s courts in Ohio, these courts seem to be the least understood.  This article provides an understanding of OVI cases in Ohio mayor’s courts. Read More »

Ohio DUI/OVI Checkpoint Results

The results are in from two recent DUI checkpoints (called ‘OVI’ in Ohio).  Last weekend, DUI/OVI checkpoints were held in two Ohio Counties.  In Franklin County, 994 vehicles passed through the checkpoint, and one person was arrested for OVI.  In Wood County, 1,072 vehicles went through the checkpoint, and two people were arrested for OVI.  When hearing the results of the DUI/OVI checkpoints, one may wonder how checkpoints are operated, whether checkpoints are legal, and whether checkpoints are effective. Read More »

Can Police Obtain Medical Records of a DUI/OVI Suspect in Ohio?

We expect privacy in our medical records.  Those records contain sensitive personal information about our health.  For this reason, health care providers generally cannot share our medical records with others.  But what if a police officer wants a person’s medical records?  Suppose, for example, a person involved in a motor vehicle accident is treated at a hospital, and the hospital records contain evidence showing the patient was the driver and had a certain blood alcohol concentration?  Can a police officer ... Read More »

Everything You Need to Know About a First-Offense DUI/OVI in Ohio

A recent article in Forbes Advisor purports to tell readers ‘everything you need to know’ about a first-offense DUI.  The article discusses definitions, consequences, and options in general terms.  It does not tell readers precise definitions, consequences, and options in a particular state.  The problem is DUI laws are state-specific:  every state has its own DUI laws.  If you really want to know about a first-offense DUI in Ohio (where it’s called ‘OVI’), read on. Read More »