New Oklahoma Criminal Laws in 2016 – Summary

This post summarizes each new Oklahoma law relating to criminal justice that went into effect in 2016. When I originally started this endeavor, I thought I would be making a handful of posts. I ended up making 22 posts. I’m confident that my site has the most comprehensive analysis of Oklahoma criminal laws that went into effect in 2016.

Part 1 – DUI prosecutions by municipalities

Part 2 – Discretion to file misdemeanor charges under certain circumstances

Part 3 – Expungement Reform

Part 4 – Reduction of mandatory minimums for drug offenses

Part 5 – Threshold for property crimes to be charged as a felony raised to $1,000

Part 6 – No longer illegal to drive without insurance card

Part 7 – Collection of DNA for felony arrests

Part 8 – Easier to charge domestic violence as a felony

Part 9 – Revenge porn is now illegal

Part 10 – Illegal to commit forcible sodomy on unconscious victims

Part 11 – Courts to consider PTSD when sentencing veterans

Part 12 – Court costs to be reduced if restitution is reduced

Part 13 – Doubling fees to prosecute you

Part 14 – Prison sentence modification period extended to 60 months

Part 15 – Prosecutor can dismiss charge by filing a notice of dismissal

Part 16 – Changing the definition of child abuse

Part 17 – Expanding drug court & community sentencing eligibility

Part 18 – Traditional insanity acquittal abolished

Part 19 – Expanding the force element in specific sexual assault crimes & defining the necessary consent for a sexual act

Part 20 – Granting trial courts authority to waive fines, court costs, & fees

Part 21 – Granting drug courts authority to waive remaining fees, court costs, & fines

Part 22 – Legally carry more types of knives

Hopefully, you found this interesting. My goal is to do this each year. I’ll start earlier in 2017 so that the posts are closer to the day the governor signed the bills.

If you’re been arrested in Oklahoma … Don’t panic! Call Urbanic.

405-633-3420