What is a criminal "bad check?"

An Ohio Court of Appeals recently held that a client who had written a $1,000.00 bad check to their lawyer was in fact guilty of felony writing bad checks - in violation of Ohio Revised Code 2913.11(B) .   In State v. Napper, the Court held that Napper's conviction for writing bad checks was proper despite a protest by Napper that a civil collection case had been prosecuted criminally.   What the Court noted in sustaining the felony conviction was that there was proof that at the time Napper wrote the check he knew it would bounce.   Further, Napper was given a number of opportunities to make the check good and never did. Police officers in bad check cases often call the check writer and give them a clear deadline to make the check good.  So even if you bounce a check, and even if the payee of that check files a police report, most police officers will refrain from any charges as long as you make the check good ASAP.

Advice:  Of all the people you could find, don't write your lawyer a bad check.