Columbus OVI/DUI Attorney Blog
Plea bargaining is part of the criminal justice system. If there weren’t plea bargains in large jurisdictions with high volumes of cases, the system would quickly be overwhelmed and log-jammed. In certain types of cases, however, there are no plea bargains. One of those case types is a “game day case”.
A “game day case” in Columbus, Ohio is a court case in which the alleged criminal conduct occurred on the day of an O.S.U. football game. The misdemeanor game day offenses are prosecuted by the Columbus City Prosecutor’s Office. A few years ago, the prosecutor’s office adopted a policy that game day offenses would not be plea bargained. The policy was part of a more comprehensive effort by campus and city officials to modify game day behavior.
Game day cases include offenses such as Open Container, Underage Alcohol Consumption, Disorderly Conduct, and O.V.I. The policy against plea bargaining game days cases applies to college students and non-students alike.
Game days can be a lot of fun, but if you are celebrating an O.S.U. football game, use your head. Being arrested for a game day offense is a sure way for the fun to be ruined.