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7 General Provisions and Penalty ~ 501.05 501.02 CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENSES. As used in the Codified Ordinances: (a) Offenses include misdemeanors of the first, second, third and fourth degree, minor misdemeanors and offenses not specifically classified. (b) Regardless of the penalty that maybe imposed, any offense specifically classified as a misdemeanor is a misdemeanor. (c) Any offense not specifically classified is a misdemeanor if imprisonment for not more than one year may be imposed as a penalty. (d) Any offense not specifically classified is a minor misdemeanor if the only penalty that may be imposed is one of the following: (1) For an offense committed prior to the effective date of this amendment, a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00); (2) ' For an offense committed on or after the effective date of this amendment, a fine not exceeding one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00), community service under division (C) of Ohio R.C. 2929.27; or a financial sanction other than a fine under Ohio R. C . 2929.28 . (ORC 2901.02) 501.03 COMMON LAW OFFENSES ABROGATED. (a) No conduct constitutes a criminal offense against the Municipality unless it is defined as an offense in the Codified Ordinances or any other Municipal ordinance. (b) An offense is defined when one or more sections of the Codified Ordinances state a positive prohibition or enjoin a specific duty, and provide a penalty for violation of such prohibition or failure to meet such duty. (c) . This section does notaffect the power ~ of a court to punish for contempt or to employ any sanction authorized by law to enforce an order, civil judgment or decree. (ORC 290.1.03) 501.04 RULES OF CONSTRUCTION. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) hereof, sections of the Codified Ordinances defining offenses or penalties shall be strictly construed against the Municipality and liberally construed in favor of the accused. (b) Rules of criminal procedure and sections of the Ohio Revised Code providing for criminal procedure shall be construed so , as to effect the fair, impartial, speedy and sure administration of justice. (c) Any provision of a section of the Codified Ordinances that refers to a previous conviction of or plea of guilty to a violation of a section of the Codified Ordinances or Ohio Revised Code or of a division of a section of the Codified Ordinances or Ohio Revised Code shall be construed to also refer to a previous conviction of or plea of guilty to a substantially equivalent offense under an existing or former law of this State, another state, or the United States or under an existing or former municipal ordinance. (ORC 2901.04) 501.05 CRIMINAL LAW JiJRISDICTION. (a) A person is subject to misdemeanor prosecution and punishment in this Municipality if any of the following occur: (1) The person commits an offense under the laws of this Municipality, any element of which takes place in this Municipality. 2003 Replacement