CHANGES COMING TO OKLAHOMA DRUG LAWS: WHAT DO THE NEW LAWS DO?

Here are some things to know about the new drug classification laws passed by Oklahoma voters in November 2016 and set to take place soon:

• The choice to go to drug court to resolve a charge against you may be diminished. Simple possession will no longer be considered a felony, which for some counties means the option to go to drug court as part of the judicial resolution of your case no longer exists. Without this alternative, we might see a spike in the population of our already overcrowded prisons.

• Will local police be given the power to ticket an offender for simple possession, regardless of the substance? The answer is “it is a possibility”, but the ticket would be a city ticket and never find its way to county court. That means the prosecution would not have any record of the ticket, which could save a defendant the need to enter a treatment program as part of their case. Whether this is a plus or a minus remains to be seen, because sometimes these programs offer help that certain defendants are not able to get elsewhere.

• Drugs at or near schools and other facilities where children are will now be considered misdemeanors. The idea is that if the offender is youthful, treatment and rehabilitation are better choices than jail time.

Here at the Hosty Law Office we keep on top of changes to the laws in areas we practice, so we can continually give you the best advice and offer the highest level of representation. If you have questions about how these new laws might impact you, call us to learn more. Every case is different, and application of the law to the specific facts of your case requires thoughtful analysis. We work hard to strike just the right balance between fairness and equality, while respecting the process and those that work within the system.

Contact us by email today: kelly.horner@hostylaw.com or by calling the office at (405) 235-4040.