Skiatook Municipal Court – Skiatook, OK

Oct 26, 2021

A municipal court is a court with restrictive area of authority over criminal charges and civil matters within its geographic area. These courts can be located at the city or county tier.

Skiatook Municipal Court INformation

Court: Skiatook Municipal Court
Address: “110 North Broadway, Skiatook, OK 74070”
Phone: 918-396-2797 ext. 106

City: Skiatook
County: Osage
State: Oklahoma

What is the purpose of the Skiatook Municipal Court?

Municipal Courts are commonly called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they handle minor crimes, civil matters, and traffic matters. Courts like Skiatook Municipal Court are the first level of court for this group of matters.

In other situations, 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, injury cases, more serious criminal infractions, or lawsuits.

County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil matters that won’t exceed the amount of $15k, while the circuits courts handle felony matters and more expansive civil cases.

TYPES OF affairs adjudicated IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Skiatook, Oklahoma

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

This can be done to better service their people or to save money on administrative costs. The matters that will be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic matters, low level criminal charges and code violations.

You will not see a set definition for what constitutes a misdemeanor crime 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 Skiatook?

Municipal courts are the first tier of the court system in the United States. They have jurisdiction over minor crimes, traffic crimes, and other civil matters. Municipal courts are have often been called city courts or town courts. Matters 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 serve for a specific period of time.

Magistrates preside over hearings to determine:

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

The typical process of a Municipal Court Case

The common process of a municipal court case can be difficult to navigate. The next portion is an overview of the common items involved in a regular municipal court matter.

Step One: An Issuance of Summons

A summons is issued when an individual has been charged with violating a town rule or state law. The person who has received the summons will need to be present at their assigned time and place, which is usually the municipal courtroom, to answer for the charge(s) against them. If they don’t appear, they may be found guilty anyways and could be fined up to $1,000.00 or given a jail term if it’s a serious enough offense.

Second Step: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate

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

Municipal Court Penalties in Skiatook, OK

Penalties change often, which is why it’s good to speak with licensed attorney. The information below represents common penalties, but may not be 100% accurate for the Skiatook Municipal Court.

A violation is a crime that has a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor charge can have penalties up to $1,000.00 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 charges in municipal courthouses vary depending on the severity of an crimes. 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.

Skiatook Municipal Court Records

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

FAQs ABOUT the Skiatook Municipal Court

What is municipal court in Skiatook, Oklahoma?

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

What does the municipal court handle in Skiatook, Oklahoma?

Depending on the size 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 Skiatook Municipal Court have?

The count 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 retirement. Judges are sometimes chosen by the people with each precinct’s results evaluated according to the number of people. Municipal judges are generally not attorneys but have some legal education and must finish many hours of ongoing education every period to maintain their credentials.