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Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32 (2026)

Obstructing justice

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
June 27, 2012
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 262 - 129th General Assembly
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(A) No person, with purpose to hinder the discovery, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of another for crime or to assist another to benefit from the commission of a crime, and no person, with purpose to hinder the discovery, apprehension, prosecution, adjudication as a delinquent child, or disposition of a child for an act that if committed by an adult would be a crime or to assist a child to benefit from the commission of an act that if committed by an adult would be a crime, shall do any of the following:

(1) Harbor or conceal the other person or child;

(2) Provide the other person or child with money, transportation, a weapon, a disguise, or other means of avoiding discovery or apprehension;

(3) Warn the other person or child of impending discovery or apprehension;

(4) Destroy or conceal physical evidence of the crime or act, or induce any person to withhold testimony or information or to elude legal process summoning the person to testify or supply evidence;

(5) Communicate false information to any person;

(6) Prevent or obstruct any person, by means of force, intimidation, or deception, from performing any act to aid in the discovery, apprehension, or prosecution of the other person or child.

(B) A person may be prosecuted for, and may be convicted of or adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, a violation of division (A) of this section regardless of whether the person or child aided ultimately is apprehended for, is charged with, is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the crime or act the person or child aided committed. The crime or act the person or child aided committed shall be used under division (C) of this section in determining the penalty for the violation of division (A) of this section, regardless of whether the person or child aided ultimately is apprehended for, is charged with, is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the crime or act the person or child aided committed.

(C)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of obstructing justice.

(2) If the crime committed by the person aided is a misdemeanor or if the act committed by the child aided would be a misdemeanor if committed by an adult, obstructing justice is a misdemeanor of the same degree as the crime committed by the person aided or a misdemeanor of the same degree that the act committed by the child aided would be if committed by an adult.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(4), (5), and (6) of this section, if the crime committed by the person aided is a felony or if the act committed by the child aided would be a felony if committed by an adult, obstructing justice is a felony of the fifth degree.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(6) of this section, if the crime committed by the person aided is aggravated murder, murder, or a felony of the first or second degree or if the act committed by the child aided would be one of those offenses if committed by an adult and if the offender knows or has reason to believe that the crime committed by the person aided is one of those offenses or that the act committed by the child aided would be one of those offenses if committed by an adult, obstructing justice is a felony of the third degree.

(5) If the crime or act committed by the person or child aided is an act of terrorism, obstructing justice is one of the following:

(a) Except as provided in division (C)(5)(b) of this section, a felony of the second degree;

(b) If the act of terrorism resulted in the death of a person who was not a participant in the act of terrorism, a felony of the first degree.

(6) If the crime committed by the person is trafficking in persons or if the act committed by the child aided would be trafficking in persons if committed by an adult, obstructing justice is a felony of the second degree.

(D) As used in this section:

(1) "Adult" and "child" have the same meanings as in section 2151.011 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Delinquent child" has the same meaning as in section 2152.02 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Act of terrorism" has the same meaning as in section 2909.21 of the Revised Code.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 199 cases (60 in the last 5 years), 1978–2026 · leading case: State v. Blanton, 2015 Ohio 4620 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015).
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State v. Blanton, 2015 Ohio 4620 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 12× “Noticeably, any requirement that a defendant’s conduct hinder the police is absent from the statutory language of R.C. 2921.32. Contrast this statute with R.”
State v. Howard, 600 N.E.2d 809 (Ohio Ct. App. 1991). · cites it 10× “The court held that while mere unsworn oral misstatements in response to inquiries by police officers do not violate R.C. 2921.32(A), the defendant's attempt to block the view of the police officer and prevent the officer from entering the house, and the defendant’s attempt to…”
State v. Baker, 739 N.E.2d 819 (Ohio Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 8× “Baker, appeals his convictions in the Clinton County Court of Common Pleas for obstructing justice in violation of R.C. 2921.32(A) and tampering with evidence in violation of R.”
State v. Heckathorn, 2019 Ohio 1086 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 6× “C-810539 (May 12, 1982) (complaint fails to state a violation of R.C. 2921.32 where the alleged purpose was to hinder the discovery of himself, rather than someone else).”
State v. Gordon, 458 N.E.2d 1277 (Ohio Ct. App. 1983). · cites it 8× “31 1 is a lesser included offense of the crime of obstructing justice in violation of R.C. 2921.32 2 ; and whether the evidence was sufficient to prove that appellant’s acts amounted to hampering or impeding police officers in the performance of their duty, in violation of R.”
Shoup v. Doyle, 974 F. Supp. 2d 1058 (S.D. Ohio 2013). · cites it 4× “31, which prohibits the obstruction of official business, or Ohio Rev.Code § 2921.32, which prohibits the obstruction of justice.”
State v. Bailey, 644 N.E.2d 314 (Ohio 1994). · cites it 6× “The issue presented is whether the making of unsworn false oral statements to a law enforcement officer with the purpose to hinder the officer’s investigation of a crime constitutes conduct punishable within the meaning of R.C. 2921.32(A)(5). We conclude that such statements are…”
State v. Conway, 848 N.E.2d 810 (Ohio 2006). “01(B); Count Five, obstruction of justice, R.C. 2921.32(A)(4) and (C)(4); and Count Six, tampering with evidence, R.”
State v. Dixon, 2022 Ohio 2807 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 4× “{¶5} On September 25, 2020, a Hocking County Grand Jury returned an indictment that charged appellant with (1) obstructing justice in violation of R.C. 2921.32(A)(5)/(C)(4), a third-degree felony, and (2) obstructing justice in violation of R.”
State v. Yarbrough, 95 Ohio St. 3d 227 (Ohio 2002). “The statement could be construed as implying that he permitted the others to wash off the blood, which could be deemed to violate R.C. 2921.32(A), obstructing justice. {¶ 63} However, the rule requires that the statement so far subjected him to criminal liability that a…”
State v. Yarbrough, 2002 Ohio 2126 (Ohio 2002). “The statement could be construed as implying that he permitted the others to wash off the blood, which could be deemed to violate R.C. 2921.32(A), obstructing justice. {¶63} However, the rule requires that the statement so far subjected him to criminal liability that a…”
State v. Evans, 2012 Ohio 1562 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 4× “Falsification and Obstructing Justice {¶80} We find that Count Thirteen (falsification), Count Fourteen (obstructing justice under R.C. 2921.32(A)(2)), and Count Fifteen (obstructing justice under R.”
Show all 199 citing cases →
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(1) — 1 case
State v. Green, 921 N.E.2d 276 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A) — 15 cases
State v. Yarbrough, 95 Ohio St. 3d 227 (Ohio 2002). “The statement could be construed as implying that he permitted the others to wash off the blood, which could be deemed to violate R.C. 2921.32(A), obstructing justice. {¶ 63} However, the rule requires that the statement so far subjected him to criminal liability that a…”
State v. Yarbrough, 2002 Ohio 2126 (Ohio 2002). “The statement could be construed as implying that he permitted the others to wash off the blood, which could be deemed to violate R.C. 2921.32(A), obstructing justice. {¶63} However, the rule requires that the statement so far subjected him to criminal liability that a…”
State v. Baker, 739 N.E.2d 819 (Ohio Ct. App. 2000). “Baker, appeals his convictions in the Clinton County Court of Common Pleas for obstructing justice in violation of R.C. 2921.32(A) and tampering with evidence in violation of R.”
Parra v. Jackson, 2021 Ohio 1188 (Ohio Ct. App. 2021).
State v. Howard, 600 N.E.2d 809 (Ohio Ct. App. 1991). “The court held that while mere unsworn oral misstatements in response to inquiries by police officers do not violate R.C. 2921.32(A), the defendant's attempt to block the view of the police officer and prevent the officer from entering the house, and the defendant’s attempt to…”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(1) — 17 cases
State v. Howard, 600 N.E.2d 809 (Ohio Ct. App. 1991). “The court held that while mere unsworn oral misstatements in response to inquiries by police officers do not violate R.C. 2921.32(A), the defendant's attempt to block the view of the police officer and prevent the officer from entering the house, and the defendant’s attempt to…”
State v. Blanton, 2015 Ohio 4620 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015). “Noticeably, any requirement that a defendant’s conduct hinder the police is absent from the statutory language of R.C. 2921.32. Contrast this statute with R.”
State v. Gordon, 458 N.E.2d 1277 (Ohio Ct. App. 1983). “31 1 is a lesser included offense of the crime of obstructing justice in violation of R.C. 2921.32 2 ; and whether the evidence was sufficient to prove that appellant’s acts amounted to hampering or impeding police officers in the performance of their duty, in violation of R.”
State v. Green, 921 N.E.2d 276 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009).
State v. Byrd, 2017 Ohio 6903 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(2) — 11 cases
State v. Baker, 739 N.E.2d 819 (Ohio Ct. App. 2000). “Baker, appeals his convictions in the Clinton County Court of Common Pleas for obstructing justice in violation of R.C. 2921.32(A) and tampering with evidence in violation of R.”
State v. Evans, 2012 Ohio 1562 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012). “Falsification and Obstructing Justice {¶80} We find that Count Thirteen (falsification), Count Fourteen (obstructing justice under R.C. 2921.32(A)(2)), and Count Fifteen (obstructing justice under R.”
State v. Forney, 2013 Ohio 3458 (Ohio Ct. App. 2013).
State v. Naugle, 913 N.E.2d 1052 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009).
State v. Ernest, 2015 Ohio 2983 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(2)(4)(5) — 1 case
State v. Sloan, 2022 Ohio 1930 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(3) — 1 case
State v. Carroll, 2024 Ohio 628 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(4) — 22 cases
State v. Conway, 848 N.E.2d 810 (Ohio 2006). “01(B); Count Five, obstruction of justice, R.C. 2921.32(A)(4) and (C)(4); and Count Six, tampering with evidence, R.”
State v. Baker, 739 N.E.2d 819 (Ohio Ct. App. 2000). “Baker, appeals his convictions in the Clinton County Court of Common Pleas for obstructing justice in violation of R.C. 2921.32(A) and tampering with evidence in violation of R.”
Evans v. Dept. of Rehab. & Corr., 2019 Ohio 3788 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019).
State v. McIntyre, 2016 Ohio 93 (Ohio Ct. App. 2016).
State v. Betts, 2020 Ohio 4800 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(4)(5) — 1 case
State v. Burns, 2019 Ohio 1141 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(4)(C)(4) — 1 case
State v. Simmons, 2020 Ohio 6813 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(5) — 64 cases
State v. Heckathorn, 2019 Ohio 1086 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). “C-810539 (May 12, 1982) (complaint fails to state a violation of R.C. 2921.32 where the alleged purpose was to hinder the discovery of himself, rather than someone else).”
State v. Bailey, 644 N.E.2d 314 (Ohio 1994). “The issue presented is whether the making of unsworn false oral statements to a law enforcement officer with the purpose to hinder the officer’s investigation of a crime constitutes conduct punishable within the meaning of R.C. 2921.32(A)(5). We conclude that such statements are…”
State v. Dixon, 2022 Ohio 2807 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022). “{¶5} On September 25, 2020, a Hocking County Grand Jury returned an indictment that charged appellant with (1) obstructing justice in violation of R.C. 2921.32(A)(5)/(C)(4), a third-degree felony, and (2) obstructing justice in violation of R.”
State v. Lazzaro, 667 N.E.2d 384 (Ohio 1996).
State v. Smith, 2012 Ohio 794 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(5)(C)(4) — 3 cases
State v. Fletcher, 2018 Ohio 3726 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018).
State v. Paige, 2018 Ohio 2782 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018).
State v. Simmons, 2020 Ohio 6813 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(6) — 8 cases
State v. McKinney, 2019 Ohio 1118 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019).
State v. Fussell, 2011 Ohio 4815 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011).
State v. McIntyre, 2016 Ohio 93 (Ohio Ct. App. 2016).
State v. Toney, 2011 Ohio 2464 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011).
State v. Stanifer, 2017 Ohio 2721 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(A)(C)(2) — 1 case
State v. Benson, 2019 Ohio 4635 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(AX5) — 1 case
State v. Bolyard, 587 N.E.2d 380 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(B) — 2 cases
State v. Connor, 612 N.E.2d 421 (Ohio Ct. App. 1992).
Roberson v. Mohr, 596 N.E.2d 1112 (Ohio Ct. App. 1991).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(C)(1) — 1 case
State v. Betts, 2020 Ohio 4800 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(C)(2) — 1 case
State v. Carroll, 2024 Ohio 628 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(C)(3) — 2 cases
State v. Wilson, 2022 Ohio 1146 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022).
State v. Carroll, 2024 Ohio 628 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.32(C)(4) — 3 cases
State v. Grabe, 2020 Ohio 4435 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020).
State v. Moore, 2020 Ohio 3708 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020).
State v. Shaw, 2016 Ohio 7699 (Ohio Ct. App. 2016).
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