The Associated Press

COLUMBUS - The state constitution prohibits arrests and searches of people stopped by police for minor misdemeanor offenses, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

The misdemeanors in question normally would result in only a citation, such as jaywalking or not wearing a seat belt.

The court ruled 5-2 to exclude evidence from a Dayton drug case even though such arrests are permitted under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Justice Alice Robie Resnick acknowledged that Ohio courts have traditionally tried to match their rulings on the state constitution to federal court decisions interpreting the U.S. Constitution.

However, she cited previous court cases in Ohio and Montana that held that state courts can provide greater civil liberties to individuals as long as they give at least as much protection as the federal Bill of Rights.