Criminal Law
Uttering a Forged Instrument Means Forgery in Oklahoma
Uttering a forged instrument occurs when a person knowingly publishes (utters) a forged or altered document, writing, or other financial instruments, thus placing it into general circulation. It is “uttered” with the intent to misrepresent it as true. Think of the crime as a way of putting a forged document, financial instrument, or coin into […] Read more »What You Need to Know About Oklahoma Revenge Porn Law
Criminal Liability for Invasion of Privacy Smartphones may have changed our lives for the better in many ways, but these devices have created new problems as well. Today, most people have a combined camera and communications device with them in their bedrooms at all times. It has become quite popular for people to take intimate […] Read more »Berryhill, Oklahoma Attorney
Lawyer for Berryhill, Oklahoma Residents If you are a Berryhill, OK resident in need of an attorney for representation in a divorce, paternity action, estate or probate matter, criminal case, or personal injury suit, your case will probably be filed in Tulsa County District Court. The Wirth Law Office – located just across the street […] Read more »Human Rights Report Denounces Oklahoma's Mass Incarceration of Women
Oklahoma's decades old distinction as incarcerating more women per capita than any state in the US hurts families, a Human Rights Watch report says. Oklahoma criminal justice reforms are likely to stop an increase in Oklahoma prison population but might not roll back the results of decades of mass incarceration driven by severe sentencing, merciless prosecution and probation plans that keep defendants returning to jail. Read more »Sexual Communication with a Minor Can Be a Felony in Oklahoma
What is Sexual Communication with a Minor? Sexual communication with a minor — even about lawful sexual conduct involving a teenage minor — is a felony in Oklahoma. Illegal sexual communication with a minor can take place in a number of ways, all involving communications technology. Unlawful sexual communication can occur online, by phone using […] Read more »Oklahoma’s Criminal Stalking Definition
Domestic Stalking is a Felony In Oklahoma In Oklahoma, stalking is defined as repeatedly and maliciously following or harassing another in such a manner that causes a person or a member of their immediate family to feel frightened, threatened, intimidated, harassed, or molested. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1173 It is normally treated as a […] Read more »Oklahoma Sex Crimes Attorney
You Have a Right to an Attorney — Use It! To be charged with a sex crime can trigger some of the most abject despair any criminal defendant may face. Fear can cloud critical thinking at the very time crystal-clear reasoning is required to navigate a potentially life-changing situation. It is not a situation to […] Read more »Penalties for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in Oklahoma
Who Must Register as a Sex Offender in Oklahoma? Oklahoma law requires that any person convicted of a sex crime must register with the Oklahoma Sex and Violent Offender Registry if they live, work, or go to school in the state. This registry tracks the whereabouts of sex offenders and makes this information available to […] Read more »Tulsa Criminal Attorney Discusses Medical Marijuana on KJRH Channel 2
Tulsa criminal attorney James M. Wirth told KJRH Channel 2 that colleges and universities that prohibit marijuana on campus after medical marijuana was legalized usually do so because they receive federal funds, campus policies often reflect federal mandates. Under federal law, marijuana remains illegal, and schools risk loss of federal money if their policies accommodated medical marijuana. Read more »Is Possession of a Stolen Vehicle a Crime in Oklahoma?
Knowingly Keeping a Stolen Car is a Felony In Oklahoma, being in possession of a stolen vehicle is defined as being a person who is not entitled to the possession of a vehicle, receiving, possessing, concealing, selling, or disposing of it, knowing that is stolen or was taken under circumstances constituting a crime. The crime […] Read more »Victimless Crimes in Oklahoma
Are They Really “Crimes Against Society?” Victimless crimes are defined as those in which all parties consent and no party is injured. The classification is widely asserted, often argued and seldom definitive. The concept of victimless crime is often associated with vice – activities widely considered immoral by predominant social standards. Gambling, prostitution, and unlawful […] Read more »Oklahoma Prostitution Laws Target All Participants in Sex Trades
Prostitution Laws in Oklahoma Prostitution is against the law in Oklahoma. Oklahoma defines prostitution as either the giving or receiving of the body in a sexual manner, such as sexual intercourse or any component of sexual congress, with someone other than a spouse, in exchange for money or for anything else of value, or the […] Read more »Sentencing Reform Drives Applications to Commute Sentence in Oklahoma
Changes in Okalahoma sentencing laws for drug crimes and non-violent property crimes have created a favorable environment for those who submit an application to commute sentence to the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board. While far more commutations in Oklahoma are denied than are passed, recently reduced penalties that make prior penalties seem excessive are among the reasons board members have approved a growing number of applications to commute sentences in recent years. Read more »"Lackadaisical Attitude" Drives Oklahoma’s High Wrongful Conviction Rate
Oklahoma ranks seventh in the nation for wrongful convictions since 1993. A commentator alludes to Wild West justice where attitudes toward life and liberty reflect a lackadaisical mindset. But why did a nationally recognized political commentator decide to spotlight the 7th ranked state for wrongful convictions now? Read more »Washington Co. Judge Faces Suspension, Removal on Misconduct Allegations
Oklahoma Supreme Court Alleges “Oppression in Office” Whispered complaints about a Washington County judge’s misconduct toward defendants and attorneys appearing in his court have swirled for months. Now, things are spilling into the light. Washington County District Judge Curtis DeLapp has been notified of a proposed temporary suspension by the Oklahoma Court on the Judiciary’s […] Read more »Conspiracy in Oklahoma: It's Not a Theory, It's a Crime
A Complex Crime Conspiracy can one of the more complex crimes that anyone can be charged with in Oklahoma because it can involve plots to carry out and cover up other crimes. If you are charged with conspiracy in Tulsa, Oklahoma, you need help. A knowledgeable Tulsa criminal lawyer can mean the difference between prison […] Read more »Interfering with an Emergency Call is a Crime in Oklahoma
A Bigger Deal Than You Might Think In an emergency situation, time is of the essence. Victims need help in the most timely fashion possible. To that end, it is a crime in Oklahoma to intentionally interfere, interrupt, or impede anyone who is attempting to or is in the process of making or placing an […] Read more »When is Eluding a Police Officer a Crime in Oklahoma?
Eluding a Police Officer: Not a Movie Car Chase In movies, a high-speed movie car chase can look like a lot of fun. Yet outrunning the police is something that usually only happens in the movies. In real life, for the person fleeing, a police chase seldom ends. The movie scripts do not include a […] Read more »Oklahoma Crimes Against Public Justice
Offenses Related to Legal Processes As with other classifications of criminal statutes, crimes against public justice are loosely categorized according to who suffers. These crimes might be grouped in with victimless crimes but stand apart in as much as these crimes, at least in theory, involve impairment of the legal system. Unlike crimes against persons […] Read more »Resisting Arrest is Usually Illegal in Oklahoma
Being arrested in public can be a humiliating experience we may wish to avoid at all costs. It may be tempting to resist arrest, especially when the arrest is in public. While that are times when you may legally resist arrest, most of the time resisting arrest is illegal in Oklahoma. If you resist arrest, […] Read more »Can the Government Open Your Mail Without a Warrant?
Federal law prohibits opening mail without the recipients permission, but law enforcement agencies use a variety of methods to find out what goes through the mail. Sometimes, police seek a warrant but they can ask the post office to record all letters sent to an address with no warrant. On at least one occassion, investigators illegally opened packages to find out if there was anything inside work seeking a warrant about. Read more »Tulsa Domestic Violence Defense Attorney
What Happens When You Get Domestic Violence Charges Like most states, Oklahoma classifies certain crimes as domestic abuse when they occur among family members and among people in intimate or dating relationships. Oklahoma domestic violence charges can have more severe penalties than the same act committed against a stranger or casual associate. The reason crimes […] Read more »Oklahoma Sentencing Reform Offers Non-Violent Offenders a Second Chance
Faced with budget shorfalls and growing prison populations, Oklahoma lawmakers in 2018 reduce sentences for non-violent property crimes, extended opportunies for parole, made probation slightly easier to complete and allowed some lifers to plea for sentence modifications. Read more »New Law Makes it Easier to Expunge Criminal Records in Oklahoma
An Oklahoma expungement reform that takes effect Nov. 1, 2018 reduces waiting periods and eliminates pardon requirements before individuals may seek expungement of criminal records. The reform affects those previously convicted of no more than one non-violent felony offense. Read more »What is Domestic Assault and Battery in Oklahoma?
More Severe Penalties for Domestic Violence Charges Oklahoma defines assault and battery in domestic situations as a different crime than simple assault and battery. Penalties for domestic assault and battery can be more severe than if the same act of violence were committed against a stranger or a social acquaintance. In Oklahoma domestic assault and […] Read more »
