News

This change expanded rights to human trafficking victims and expanded the definitions of forcible sodomy, rape, and lewd/indecent acts/proposals.    Protection of Human Trafficking Victims Under this new law, a law enforcement office has more obligations when encountering a victim of human trafficking. It also obligates district court and OJA employees to act. Any … [Read more...] about Sex Offenses – 2018 Oklahoma Laws #17

This new law provides immunity from prosecution for drug-related offenses under certain circumstances. It applies to situations that arise from someone seeking medical attention after a drug overdose. A law enforcement officer may not arrest someone based solely on the commission of an offense involving a controlled dangerous substance described in subsection B of this … [Read more...] about Immunity For Reporting Drug Overdose – 2018 Oklahoma Laws #15

For a very brief time, our DUI statute gave prosecutors the discretion to not use a prior DUI to enhance the punishment on a subsequent DUI. The discretion in this statute was removed when HB 2643 went into effect on April 23, 2018. This discretion was in our DUI law from November 1, 2016-April 23, 2018. Enhancements possible under our DUI law: Second DUI is a felony … [Read more...] about DUI Law Changes – 2018 Oklahoma Laws #14

This law removes the posting of a bond as a rebuttable presumption that the defendant is not indigent. Now, if a defendant is admitted to bail and the defendant, or another person on behalf of the defendant, posts a bond (other than by personal recognizance) the court may consider that in determining whether the defendant is eligible for a public defender/OIDS appointed … [Read more...] about Easier To Get A Public Defender – 2018 Oklahoma Laws #13