Repository Collection 03

Ohio v. Roberts

CASE ENTRY

Last Revised • July 9, 2026

This Source Verification Page documents the United States Supreme Court's decision in Ohio v. Roberts, cited in Claim II of the Supplemental Motion. The decision is relied upon for the constitutional standards governing the admissibility of testimonial hearsay when a declarant is unavailable and the accused has had a prior opportunity for cross-examination.


Related SMAR Citation

“In Ohio v. Roberts, 488 U.S. 56 (1980), the Court held such testimonial hearsay can be admitted only if: 1) the declarant was unavailable despite diligence to make him available, and 2) there was prior opportunity for crossexamination”


Case Name

Ohio v. Roberts


Citation

488 U.S. 56 (1980


Date

June 25, 1980


Verification Source

Original United States Supreme Court opinion


Source Location

Library of Congress


Highlighted Pages

57, 63 - 66


Referenced in the Supplemental Motion

Page 52, Paragraph: 107


Source Status

✔ Original Court Order obtained and reviewed.

✔ Relevant passages highlighted.

✔ Publicly available source

✔ Included within the Source Verification Archive


Cited to Support

May's allegation that prosecutors presented testimonial statements attributed to Darrell Godfrey without producing him as a witness at trial, thereby preventing cross-examination by the defense. May cites Ohio v. Roberts to support his claim that testimonial hearsay may be admitted only when the declarant is unavailable despite good-faith efforts to secure his presence and when the defendant has had a prior opportunity for cross-examination. May relies upon this authority to argue that Godfrey was available to testify, that no prior opportunity for cross-examination existed, and that the jury was deprived of hearing evidence that could have impeached Godfrey's credibility and challenged the State's theory of the case.


Supporting Documents

Original Article

Link to the original article.

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Highlighted Research Copy

Working research copy containing the highlighted passages cited in the Supplemental Motion.

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