State v. Bellman

We decide here that the statutory requirement regarding the timing of the sexual predator hearing is not jurisdictional and a defendant may waive it. We also decide that a defendant who was sentenced for a sexually oriented offense, released prior to July 1, 1997, and not previously required to register *210under R.C. Chapter 2950, cannot be required to register as a sexual predator under R.C. 2950.04.

I. Sexual Predator Hearing

R.C. 2950.09(B)(1), part of Ohio’s sexual predator law, provides: “The judge shall conduct the [sexual predator] hearing prior to sentencing and, if the sexually oriented…