Nearly every day in central Ohio people are charged with resisting arrest. Depending on the severity of the allegations, resisting arrest charges can range from a second degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail to a fourth degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison.
Generally, obstruction of official business is a second degree misdemeanor, which carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail. However, if the obstruction creates a risk of physical harm to anyone, it is a fifth-degree felony punishable by up to 12 months in jail.
(A) No person, without privilege to do so and with purpose to prevent, obstruct, or delay the performance by a public official of any authorized act within the public official's official capacity, shall do any act that hampers or impedes a public official in the performance of the public official's lawful duties.
Obstruction is a broad crime that may include acts such as perjury, making false statements to officials, witness tampering, jury tampering, destruction of evidence, and many others.
Section 2921.31 | Obstructing official business. Except as otherwise provided in this division, obstructing official business is a misdemeanor of the second degree. If a violation of this section creates a risk of physical harm to any person, obstructing official business is a felony of the fifth degree.
(a) Any person who intentionally interferes with any lawful business or occupation carried on by the owner or agent of a business establishment open to the public, by obstructing or intimidating those attempting to carry on business, or their customers, and who refuses to leave the premises of the business ...
Resisting arrest is one of the most common forms of obstruction of justice. Anyone who obstructs or resists a law enforcement officer trying to perform their duties has technically resisted arrest. The severity of the punishment depends on whether the person used violence in their resistance.
: the crime or act of willfully interfering with the process of justice and law especially by influencing, threatening, harming, or impeding a witness, potential witness, juror, or judicial or legal officer or by furnishing false information in or otherwise impeding an investigation or legal process.
An obstruction blocks things, like a roadblock prevents drivers to enter a street or a piece of food cuts off your windpipe. All types of obstructions block things. If you put a shelf in your doorway, that would be an obstruction: people would have a hard time getting around it.