


                                THE CONSTITUTION  
                                     OF THE       
                                 STATE OF OHIO    
                              (as amended to 1974)

                                    PREAMBLE      

          We, the people of the State of Ohio, grateful to Almighty  God
          for our freedom, to secure its blessings and promote our  com-
          mon welfare, do establish this Constitution.

                                   ARTICLE I

                                BILL OF RIGHTS

Sec. 1.   All men are, by nature, free and independent, and have  cer-
          tain inalienable rights, among  which are those of  enjoying
          and defending life  and liberty, acquiring,  possessing, and
          protecting property, and seeking and obtaining happiness and
          safety.

Sec. 2.   All political  power is inherent in the people.   Government
          is instituted  for their  equal protection  and benefit, and
          they have the right to  alter, reform, or abolish the  same,
          when ever they may deem it necessary; and no special  privi-
          leges or immunities shall ever  be granted, that may not  be
          altered, revoked, or repealed by the General Assembly.

Sec. 3.   The people have the right to assemble together, in a  peace-
          able manner, to consult  for their common good;  to instruct
          their Representatives; and to petition the General  Assembly
          for the redress of grievances.

Sec. 4.   The people have the right to bear arms for their defence and
          security; but standing armies, in time of peace, are danger-
          ous to liberty, and shall  not be kept up; and  the military
          shall be in strict subordination to the civil power.

Sec. 5.   The right of trial by jury shall be inviolate, except  that,
          in civil cases, laws may be passed to authorize the  render-
          ing of a verdict by the concurrence of not less than  three-
          fourths of the jury.  ( Adopted Sept.  3,1912.)

Sec. 6.   There shall  be  no slavery in  this state; nor  involuntary
          servitude, unless for the punishment of crime.

Sec. 7.   All men  have  a natural and  indefeasible right to  worship
          Almighty God  according to  the dictates  of their  own con-
          science.  No person shall be compelled to attend, erect,  or
          support any place of worship,  or maintain any form of  wor-
          ship, against his consent; and no preference shall be given,
          by law, to any religious society; nor shall any interference
          with the  rights of  conscience be  permitted. No  religious
          test shall be required,  as a qualification for  office, nor
          shall any person be incompetent  to be a witness on  account
          of his religious  belief; but nothing  herein shall be  con-
          strued to dispense with  oaths and affirmations.   Religion,
          morality, and  knowledge, however,  being essential  to good
          government, it shall be the duty of the General Assembly  to
          pass suitable laws, to protect every religious  denomination
          in the peaceable  enjoyment of its  own mode of  public wor-
          ship, and to encourage schools and the means of instruction.

Sec. 8.   The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be sus-
          pended, unless in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public
          safety require it.

Sec. 9.   All persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, except
          for capital offenses where the proof is evident, or the pre-
          sumption great.  Excessive bail  shall not  be required; nor
          excessive fines imposed;  nor cruel and  unusual punishments
          inflicted.

Sec. 10.  Except  in cases of impeachment,  cases arising in the  army
          and navy, or in the  militia when in actual service  in time
          of war or  public danger, and  cases involving offenses  for
          which the penalty provided is less than imprisonment in  the
          penitentiary, no person shall be held to answer for a  capi-
          tal, or otherwise infamous, crime, unless on presentment  or
          indictment of a grand jury; and the number of persons neces-
          sary to constitute  such grand jury  and the number  thereof
          necessary  to  concur  in  finding  such indictment shall be
          determined by law.   In any trial,  in any court,  the party
          accused shall be allowed to appear and defend in person  and
          with counsel; to demand the nature and cause of the  accusa-
          tion against him,  and to have  a copy thereof;  to meet the
          witnesses face to  face, and to  have compulsory process  to
          procure the  attendance of  witnesses in  his behalf,  and a
          speedy public trial  by an impartial  jury of the  county in
          which the  offense is  alleged to  have been  committed; but
          provision may be made by  law for the taking of  the deposi-
          tion by  the accused  or by  the state,  to be  used for  or
          against the accused, of any witness whose attendance can not
          be had at  the trial, always  securing to the  accused means
          and the opportunity to be present in person and with counsel
          at the taking of such deposition, and to examine the witness
          face to face as fully and in the same manner as if in court.
          No person shall be compelled, in any criminal case, to be  a
          witness against himself; but  his failure to testify  may be
          considered by the court and  jury and may be the  subject of
          comment by counsel.   No person shall  be twice put  in jeo-
          pardy for the same offense. ( Adopted Sept.3,1912.)

Sec. 11.  Every citizen may freely speak, write, and publish his  sen-
          timents on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse  of
          the right; and no law shall be passed to restrain or abridge
          the liberty of speech, or of the press. In all criminal pro-
          secutions for libel, the truth  may be given in evidence  to
          the jury, and if it shall appear to the jury, that the  mat-
          ter charged as libelous is true, and was published with good
          motives, and for  justifiable ends, the  party shall be  ac-
          quitted.

Sec. 12.  No person shall be transported out of the State, for any of-
          fense committed  within the  same; and  no conviction  shall
          work corruption of blood, or forfeiture of estate.

Sec. 13.  No soldier  shall, in  time of  peace, be  quartered  in any
          house, without  the consent  of the  owner; nor,  in time of
          war, except in the manner prescribed by law.

Sec. 14.  The  right  of the  people to  be secure  in their  persons,
          houses,  papers,  and   possessions,  against   unreasonable
          searches and seizures shall not be violated; and no warrants
          shall issue, but upon  probable cause, supported by  oath or
          affirmation, particularly describing the place to be search-
          ed, and the person and things to be seized.

Sec. 15.  No person shall be imprisoned for debt in any civil  action,
          or mesne or final process, unless in cases of fraud.

Sec. 16.  All  courts shall be open,  and every person, for  an injury
          done him in  his land, goods,  person, or reputation,  shall
          have remedy  by due  course of  law, and  shall have justice
          administered without denial or delay.  Suits may be  brought
          against the state, in such courts and in such manner, as may
          be provided by law. ( Adopted Sept.3, 1912.)

Sec. 17.  No hereditary emoluments, honors, or privileges, shall  ever
          be granted or conferred by this State.

Sec. 18.  No power of suspending laws shall ever be exercised,  except
          by the General Assembly.

Sec. 19.  Private property shall ever be held inviolate but  subservi-
          ent to the  public welfare.   When taken in  time of war  or
          other public exigency, imperatively requiring its  immediate
          seizure or  for the  purpose of  making or  repairing roads,
          which shall be open to the public, without charge, a compen-
          sation shall be  made to the  owner, in money:   and in  all
          other cases, where private property shall be taken for  pub-
          lic  use,  a  compensation  therefor  shall first be made in
          money, or  first secured  by a  deposit of  money; and  such
          compensation shall be assessed by a jury, without  deduction
          for benefits to any property of the owner.

Sec 19(a) Damages for wrongful  death. The amount of damages  recover-
          able by civil action in  the courts for death caused  by the
          wrongful act, neglect, or  default of another, shall  not be
          limited by law.  ( Adopted Sept.3,1912)

Sec. 20.  This enumeration of rights shall not be construed to  impair
          or deny others retained by  the people; and all powers,  not
          herein delegated, remain with the people.



