Criminal Procedure

Cruelty to animals in Oklahoma is a felony crime with severe consequences in Tulsa.

An animal is defined as any mammal (other than humans), bird, fish, reptile, or invertebrate, including wild and domesticated species. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1680.1

Acts of Cruelty to Animals in Oklahoma

Maltreating, abusing, or neglecting animals is considered cruelty to animals in Oklahoma.

Acts of cruelty include:

• willfully or maliciously torturing, destroying, or killing; or
• cruelly beating or injuring, maiming, or mutilating an animal; or
• depriving any such animal of necessary food, drink, shelter, or veterinary care to prevent suffering; or
• causing, procuring, or permitting an animal to be so tortured, destroyed, or killed; or cruelly beaten, injured, maimed, or mutilated; or
• instigating, engaging in, or in any way furthering any act of cruelty to any animal.

Penalties

Cruelty to animals in Oklahoma is a felony crime punishable by up to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1685

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry may deny a license, or renewal thereof, or revoke a license of any applicant who fails to meet the standards of animal care or if they have been convicted of a crime involving animal cruelty. Okla. Stat. tit. 4 § 30.7

Also, a defendant may be required to pay restitution to animal facilities for medical care and any boarding costs of injured animals.

Initial Consultation: Tulsa Criminal Defense Attorney

If you or someone you know is accused of cruelty to animals in Oklahoma, please contact a Tulsa criminal defense attorney to discuss your available legal options.

Consult with an experienced attorney at Wirth Law Office – Tulsa today, by calling 918-756-9600 or toll free at 1-888-447-7262 (Wirth Law).

If you prefer, you can use the box in the upper right-hand corner of this page to send a question or brief message.

Anyone who has been convicted of a crime that requires jail time in Tulsa, Oklahoma may be eligible to serve time on probation instead. This is called a suspended sentence.

However, if you fail to abide by the conditions of your probation, the prosecutor may file an application to revoke probation in Oklahoma.

Understanding Suspended Sentences

If a judge orders you to serve a suspended sentence, you will have to serve on probation for the length of what would be your prison sentence.

So, if you’ve been convicted of a crime and the judge sentences you to five years in jail, he may suspend that sentence and you can serve five years on probation instead.

Probation is not complete freedom, however. You will be required to follow several rules and guidelines to stay out of jail.

Penalties for Probation Violations

When you’ve violated the terms of your probation, a court may impose relatively minor penalties, which may include:

• a short-term jail sentence;
• required attendance in a day treatment center;
• required community service completion;
• participation in outpatient or inpatient treatment;
• monetary fines,
• or stricter curfews.

The Application to Revoke Probation in Oklahoma

When someone on probation has either repeatedly failed to abide by their probation or has committed another crime during this time, a prosecutor may file an application to revoke probation in Oklahoma.

The judge will hold a hearing to determine if your probation should be revoked. If he determines that he should revoke your probation, you will have to serve the remained of your sentence in jail.

The hearing will only address whether you have violated your probation, but you will be entitled to an attorney. (Ok. Stat. Tit. 22 Sec. 991(b))

Initial Consultation: Tulsa Probation Lawyer

If an application to revoke probation in Oklahoma is filed against you, it could cause the loss of your liberty.

Consult with an experienced attorney at the Tulsa Criminal Defense Law Firm today at (918) 256-3400, or call toll-free at 1-(888) 447-7262 (Wirth Law).

If you prefer, you can use the box in the upper right-hand corner of this page to send a question or brief message.

The criminal act of fraud should not be taken lightly in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

False impersonation charges in Oklahoma are usually constituted as fraud, and can lead to serious legal troubles.

If you face false impersonation charges in Oklahoma, contact an experienced Tulsa fraud defense lawyer today.

Types of False Impersonation Charges in Oklahoma

There are several ways someone can face false impersonation charges in Oklahoma.

One of the more widely-known ways is impersonating an officer. Under Oklahoma law, anyone who wears an officer’s uniform or any other insignia of office or represents themselves as a police officer is guilty of impersonating an officer.

In fact, it is illegal to impersonate any type of “public officer, civil or military, any firefighter, any law enforcement officer, any emergency medical technician or other emergency medical care provider, or any private individual having special authority by law to perform any act affecting the rights or interests of another.”

Anyone found guilty of impersonating an officer may face a misdemeanor conviction, six months in county jail, and a $2,000 fine. (Ok. Stat. Tit. 21 Sec. 1533).

Anyone who was impersonating an officer to create a “sham legal process,” may face a felony conviction, two years in state prison, and a $5,000 fine.

Impersonating another person under the following circumstances also carries strict penalties:

1. Marrying or pretends to marry, or to sustain the marriage relation toward another, with or without the permission of such other person; or,
2. Becoming bail or surety for any party, in any proceeding whatever, before any court or officer authorized to take such bail or surety; or,
3. Subscribing, verifying, publishing, acknowledging or proving, in the name of another person, any written instrument, with intent that the same may be delivered or used as true; or,
4. Doing any other act whereby, if it were done by the person falsely personated, he might in any event become liable to any suit or prosecution, or to pay any sum of money, or to incur any charge, forfeiture or penalty, or whereby any benefit might accrue to the party personating, or to any other person.

Anyone who does any of the above may be convicted of a felony offense and can face up to 10 years in state prison. (Ok. Stat. Tit. 21 Sec. 1532)

Lastly, impersonating someone else in order to receive money or property, knowing it is intended to be delivered to the individual being impersonated is also a crime punishable by ten years in prison. (Ok. Stat. Tit. 21 Sec. 1533)