Ohio Open Discovery

We are further motivated by our absolute belief in the American system of justice. While no system is ever perfect, the criminal justice system is in place to protect the accused. Unfortunately, the protective mechanisms are sometimes disregarded or outweighed by concern for public opinion or political gain. This is why Ian N. Friedman & Associates, L.L.C., determined years ago that their participation in bettering the current system was mandatory. As such, our lawyers are involved in countless legal and professional associations which serve the legal community. We are teachers, authors, speakers, and fierce protectors of the Constitution of the United States of America.

One fight that has endured for decades is over what has come to be known as "open discovery." Few people are aware until they are touched by the criminal justice system that a defendant does not receive all the evidence against him or her during a prosecution. If a person in Ohio is involved in a car accident or dispute over money, they would have full access to information. This includes police reports, witness statements, and even court depositions. Despite the fact that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, historically they would not even see the police reports or witness statements which results in a clearly unfair system.

As a result of this flawed system of justice, people are wrongfully convicted. The tax payers are caused to spend greater sums of money to fund drawn out proceedings and years of appeals based upon allegations of evidence discovery violations. While some individuals are exonerated years later and released from prison, more unfortunate victims are never able to be freed from prison despite their actual innocence. A system of justice that does not practice full disclosure and exchange of evidence is unfair and not what the founders of our country envisioned.

Ian N. Friedman & Associates, L.L.C. has dedicated its time and resource to ending this fight once and for all. With the assistance of several colleagues sharing our belief and dedication, open discovery may now be a reality. Combined efforts in the political arena, media, and general community, have resulted most recently with a change in Ohio's largest county. Cuyahoga County, which is the largest of Ohio's eighty-eight (88) counties recently adopted Local Rule 23.1 which mandates that the State of Ohio must provide all evidence to the defense subject to some well defined exceptions. This historical development began a chain reaction across Ohio. For the first time, legal bar associations not traditionally affiliated with criminal law, have publically pledged their support for open discovery.