Oklahoma City Municipal Court – Oklahoma City, OK

Oct 26, 2021

A municipal court is a court with restrictive area of authority over criminal offenses and civil disputes inside its location. These courts can be located at the city or county tier.

Oklahoma City Municipal Court INformation

Court: Oklahoma City Municipal Court
Address: “700 Couch Drive, PO Box 26487, Oklahoma City, OK 73126”
Phone: 405-297-2361

City: Oklahoma City
County: Oklahoma
State: Oklahoma

What is the role of the Oklahoma City Municipal Court?

Municipal Courts are commonly called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they work with minor crimes, civil matters, and traffic violations. Courthouses like Oklahoma City Municipal Court are the first level of court for these types of cases.

On the other hand, the role of a county court is to deal with a large number of civil disputes within the respective region. Most cases involve divorce or other family matters, personal injury cases, more serious criminal charges, or breaches of contract.

County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil matters that can not exceed the amount of $15,000, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and more expansive civil matters.

TYPES OF Legal Matters HEARD IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Municipal courts are the entry level of courts in the U.S.. They are usually found within the jurisdiction where they are located, but some jurisdictions share municipal courts with other municipalities.

This can be done to better help their population or to save money on costs. The matters that could be heard by a municipal court vary depending on the municipality, but typically include traffic tickets, low level crimes and code violations.

There is no set definition for what constitutes a misdemeanor charge versus a felony, but generally speaking felonies would require more time in jail than misdemeanor charges and fines may also be higher for felonies. Traffic violations usually result in points against your driver’s license as well

How are cases handled in the municipal court in Oklahoma City?

Municipal courts are the lowest level of the court system in the United States. They have jurisdiction over minor crimes, traffic matters, and other civil matters. Municipal courts are popularly known city courts or town courts. Cases are handled by a magistrate who is usually a lawyer, judge, or retired judge. Magistrates may be appointed by the mayor or city council members to help for a specific time.

Judges preside over hearings to determine:

Probable cause for arrest
Set bail amounts and the conditions of release
Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against individuals by police officers
Distribute search warrants to police officers in order to seize evidence from crime locations
start preliminary inquiries to establish if there is enough evidence to issue a charge

The common process of a Municipal Court Case

The common process of a municipal court case can be tricky. The next portion is an overview of the steps involved in a regular municipal court case.

First Step: An Issuance of Summons

A summons is sent when someone has been charged with violating a local ordinance or state law. The citizen who has received the summons from the court will need to appear at their assigned time and place, which is usually the municipal courtroom, to respond for the charge(s) against them. If they never appear, they may be found guilty anyways and could be fined up to $1000 or given a jail sentence if it’s a serious enough offense.

Step Two: Show Up before Judge or Magistrate

If someone fails to show up after being summoned by the judge, there may be a warrant issued for the person.

Municipal Court Penalties in Oklahoma City, OK

Penalties change often, which is why it’s good to speak with licensed lawyer near you. The material below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Oklahoma City Municipal Court.

A violation is an offense that carries a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor charge can carry penalties up to $1000 or one year in jail. A person’s driving privileges may be suspended for six months if they receive three speeding tickets within 12 months.

The penalties for different offenses in municipal courthouses vary depending on the severity of an offenses. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a prescription for it then you will be fined up to $2,000 or spend up to six months in jail.

Oklahoma City Municipal Court Records

Municipal Court records from a municipal government may be difficult to find because they are not always stored in one place or system. The records that a person might need to depend on the type of charge they have in front of the court, where it’s at in the process, and what kind of of information is needed by law to be available.

Common Questions ABOUT the Oklahoma City Municipal Court

What is municipal court in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma?

In Oklahoma, the municipal court is a lower court with civil and criminal jurisdiction within a city or municipality. Municipal courts thus have a small location and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty charges and misdemeanor crimes.

What does the municipal court handle in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma?

Depending on the area of the municipality, a municipal court can handle a civil division (cases with less than $15,000 at issue), a traffic/criminal division, or a housing and environmental division. Serious cases/crimes are handled by higher authorities.

How many judges does the Oklahoma City Municipal Court have?

The number of judges depends on the municipality’s population.

How are cases heard in municipal courts in Oklahoma?

A municipal court judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set term of years or until they retire. Judges are sometimes chosen by precincts with each precinct’s results evaluated based on population. Municipal magistrates are often not attorneys but have some legal education and must complete several hours of continuing courses every period to maintain their credentials.