Finding the Right Courthouse
If you are charged in Oklahoma state court you will attend court at the county courthouse of the county you are charged in. Once formal charges have been filed against you your case will appear on either the Oklahom Sumpreme Court Network or On Demand Court Records, depending on the county you are charged in. If you are charged in federal court, in Oklahoma, charges have been filed against you in the Western District, in Oklahoma City, Northern District, in Tulsa, or the Eastern District, in Muskogee . If you are charged with a felony in federal court, this page is not for you. This page only describes the state felony process.
Hiring A Lawyer
If you are facing felony charges I suggest that you read Hiring the Best Lawyer for Your Case before you retain a criminal attorney. It may also be helpful to read Analyzing Criminal Cases so that you will better understand the process that good criminal lawyers go through to analyze criminal cases. Understanding how good criminal lawyers do their jobs will help you select the right lawyer for your case
Posting Bond
If you are charged with a state felony you will generally be required to post a bond to get out of jail. It is important to hire a reputable bondsman, hiring a bad bondsman can cause a lot of problems. You should also be aware that while most bondsmen charge a fee of ten (10) precent of the total amount of the bond, there are bondsman that will negotiate their fee. You may be able to negotiate a fee less than ten (10) percent or find a bondsman that allows you to make a downpayment and to pay the remaining balance by payments. Read this before you hire a bondsman.
“Arrested on Probable Cause” or “Arrested on a Warrant”
Everyone charged with a felony offense is arrested, some are arrested by law enforcement on probable cause and others are arrested on a warrant after formal charges are filed. This page will explain the difference between being arrested on probable cause and being arrested after the issuance of a warrant.
The Formal Felony Process
The formal felony process begins with the filing of the “Information”, this page explains the beginning of the formal felony process.
Initial Appearance/Arraignment
The first court appearance a defendant must make fter being arrested is the Initial Appearance/Arraignment, this page will explain what to expect during that appearance.