Domestic Violence in Oklahoma Oklahoma has a number of statutes on the books that are meant to protect children from domestic violence. Sometimes, children witness domestic violence. Other times, they are the victims of domestic violence. Having a domestic violence conviction can make things dicey for a parent seeking custody or visitation with their child. Sometimes, a … [Read more...] about In Oklahoma, Does a Domestic Violence Conviction Make You an Unfit Parent?
Lawyers
Audrey Howitt 
Audrey Howitt
Child Support and Visitation: Separate Legal Issues Intertwined Emotionally You may find yourself in a situation in which you are paying child support but not allowed visitation. These two issues can seem like a single issue to the parent paying support. Emotionally, it is difficult to pay support for a child that you long to see but cannot. But legally, child support and … [Read more...] about What To Do When You Are Paying Child Support but Not Allowed Visitation
Audrey Howitt
Understanding Marital Property is Important in a Wagoner County DivorceIf you are either contemplating or in the midst of a divorce, you may have heard the term “marital” property. This is a term that is used often in divorces, and it is important to understand what it means legally. Marital property is the term usually used to indicate property acquired by a … [Read more...] about Wagoner County Divorce: What is Marital Property?
Audrey Howitt
Most kids get into some kind of trouble during their younger years. Sometimes that trouble involves legal trouble. If you were once adjudicated as a delinquent minor, being caught with a firearm could get you into more trouble than you might expect. When minors get into trouble with the law, the courts can deal with the minor in several ways. A minor can be charged and … [Read more...] about How is Possession of a Firearm by an Adjudicated Delinquent Defined in Wagoner, Oklahoma?
Audrey Howitt
Robbery with a Firearm is a Serious Crime in Wagoner, Oklahoma Robbery in and of itself is a serious crime in Oklahoma. Using a firearm during the commission of a robbery adds years to an already long jail term. Here is what you need to know about robbery with a firearm. Oklahoma law differentiates theft crimes in many ways. One way it does that is to separate crimes … [Read more...] about Examining Robbery with a Firearm in Wagoner
Audrey Howitt
Indecent Exposure Spells Big Trouble Indecent exposure is a sex crime in Oklahoma. It moves far beyond innocent mooning or college high jinks into the world of sex offenses. The same statute that covers indecent exposure also covers child pornography and soliciting a minor to perform in child pornography. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1021. Oklahoma law enforcement treats indecent … [Read more...] about What is Indecent Exposure in Wagoner, Oklahoma?
Audrey Howitt
What is Larceny? In Oklahoma, larceny is defined as taking someone else's property, with the intent to deprive them of it, through the use of fraud or stealth. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 1701. This is a broadly written statute and it can be construed to apply to a number of situations. It is divided between petit larceny for amounts under $500 and grand larceny for amounts $500 or … [Read more...] about Fighting a Wagoner Larceny From a House Charge
Audrey Howitt
Larceny: A Theft Crime Larceny is a theft crime. It is a crime against property as opposed to a crime against a person. Because we value human life more than we do property, crimes against people are generally more serious than crimes against property. Such is the case in Oklahoma. Larceny is a less serious crime than robbery. Under Oklahoman law, larceny is defined as the … [Read more...] about I Am Charged with Petit Larceny in Wagoner, Okla. Now What Do I Do?
Audrey Howitt
Possession of Child Pornography Spells Serious Trouble With the advent of the internet, it has become ever easier to download and share child pornography. And as pedophiles become experts at obtaining child pornography through internet and other sources, government law enforcement agencies have stayed in lockstep, cracking down fiercely on possession. Oklahoma has a number … [Read more...] about How Can I Fight a Charge of Possession of Child Pornography in Wagoner?
Audrey Howitt
What Is a Protective Order in Wagoner? In order to understand what a violation of a protective order is, you need to know what a protective order is, how it functions, and what it does. At its simplest, a protective order is designed to protect one person against the actions of another person. A protective order is an order issued by a court, most often in a case of either … [Read more...] about How Does a Wagoner Court Define Violation of a Protective Order?
Audrey Howitt
Arson is the intentional setting of a fire, with the intent to destroy a structure or its contents. It is always a felony in Oklahoma. Arson in Wagoner, Oklahoma can be classified as of the first, second, third or fourth degree. In order to be found guilty, you need to have either set the fire, have aided in the setting of the fire, or procured the services of someone else to … [Read more...] about Examining the Crime of Arson in Oklahoma
Audrey Howitt
In Oklahoma, possession of a stolen vehicle is a felony. It is called Receiving or Disposing of a Vehicle or Implement of Husbandry. For crimes alleged to have occured on or after Nov. 1, 2018, maximum sentence for receiving a stolen vehicle is two years. For allegations involving registered agricultural implements after that date, the penalty can be one to five years in … [Read more...] about Charged with Possession of a Stolen Vehicle in Wagoner
Audrey Howitt
For victims, investigators, prosecutors and the public at large, rape by instrumentation is a horrendous crime that can cause eggregious physical and emotional damage to the victim. It is considered a violent crime, always charged as a felony count. It is also a crime that can spark emotional outrage. When someone alleges rape, investigators can lose sight of facts and seek … [Read more...] about Rape by Instrumentation in Wagoner: What You Need to Know
Audrey Howitt
Drug trafficking in Oklahoma mostly likely means jail time for a person caught and convicted. Oklahoma is fierce about confronting drug dealers. And unlike mere possession, trafficking can mean enhanced prison sentences with no probation, suspension or deferral. In Oklahoma, a conviction for drug trafficking can often depend more on how much of an illegal drug is seized, … [Read more...] about Contesting an Trafficking Illegal Drugs Charge in Wagoner Oklahoma
Audrey Howitt
Never ignore a debt. It is good advice in the best of circumstances. For a person without money to pay a debt owed, however, it can be frustrating advice easily ignored. If the matter is a court fine, ignoring the problem will usually lead to an arrest warrant. Wagoner lawyers see it all the time. Failure to pay is one of the most common reasons people are arrested. A … [Read more...] about How Can I Resolve A Warrant For Failure To Pay Court Costs In Oklahoma?
Audrey Howitt
Vehicle Burglary Can Have Serious Consequences Burglary of all sorts is a crime of stealth. The term conjures images of a masked man carrying a bag in which he will put his loot as he steps lightly making his getaway. And the images are warranted to some extent. In Oklahoma, burglary is an illegal breaking and entering into the property of another with the intent to take … [Read more...] about In Wagoner What is Vehicle Burglary?
staff 
The Social Security Administration provides financial and medical benefits to people who qualify for disability insurance.Under the Social Security Administration, there are two programs to which disabled individuals can apply to receive Social Security benefits: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – if you are disabled and have insufficient income and financial … [Read more...] about How To Know If You Qualify For SSDI Or SSI
staff
When a person dies, something has to be done with the estate (assets and debts) the decedent leaves behind. This process, which is based on the Latin word “probo,” meaning to prove and which involves verifying of the decedent’s will, is called probate. Probate can be costly and time consuming for the decedent’s family, so people often take measures to avoid probate if possible. … [Read more...] about Ways to Avoid Probate in Wagoner County
staff
If you are injured on the job in Oklahoma, you may be eligible to receive workers compensation. Oklahoma workers compensation laws allow you to be compensated for any medical expenses and any financial losses you suffer due to any work-related injury or illness. Here is a brief explanation of how you can determine if you are eligible for workers compensation in Oklahoma.What is … [Read more...] about How To Know If You Are Eligible For Workers Compensation in Oklahoma
staff
Regardless of your age, if you become disabled and unable to work, you may be entitled to receive benefits from the Social Security Administration. This article is an explanation of the types of Social Security benefits available and how to qualify for them.Social SecurityThere are four general categories of Social Security benefits: Retirement benefits. Disability … [Read more...] about Types Of Social Security Benefits
staff
If you are a debtor burdened with overwhelming debt and harassment by creditors, Chapter 7 bankruptcy can relieve you of your debt and get the creditors off your back. But in order to obtain relief under Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you must first meet certain statutory requirements pertaining to your income and ability to repay your debts.To Qualify for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in … [Read more...] about Qualifying For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
staff
Probate is not a term that you hear all the time. Unfortunately, when we talk about probate, it is normally related to a person's death or in anticipation of one dying.What is Probate in Wagoner County?In basic terms, probate is the court-supervised process of finalizing a person's estate after he or she has died. This process entails two basic things:1. Proving that the … [Read more...] about Probate In Wagoner County
staff
Oklahoma has been touted as one of the most recession-proof states in the country. This provides very little comfort for Oklahomans who are struggling through financial difficulties, though.If you are having trouble paying your bills, you should know that federal and state bankruptcy laws allow individuals and businesses to eliminate or restructure their debt while … [Read more...] about Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
staff
Everyone has an estate, big or small, that needs to be managed in some way. Your estate consists of all the things you own - your house, furnishings, clothes, books, cars, bank accounts, investment portfolios, insurance policies, etc. Every estate differs in complexity and composition. But one fact remains the same for everyone: we can take none of it with us when we die.In … [Read more...] about So, What is Estate Planning?
staff
The purpose of preparing a will before you die is two-fold: to insure that your estate is disposed of in the manner you wish and to save your family time and money, and the need to make difficult decisions while grieving your death. Ordinarily, you do not need an attorney to prepare a will in Oklahoma. However, there are a number of circumstances when hiring an attorney to … [Read more...] about Should I Hire a Wagoner Lawyer to Prepare a Will in Oklahoma?
