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If you are charged with a misdemeanor in the City of Tulsa Municipal Court (or "City Court") you are generally in a better situation than if you are charged with a misdemeanor in County Court. Municipal Court misdemeanors are generally less serious than misdemeanors in County Court. The punishment ranges for the violation of a municipal ordinances are generally less than the punishment ranges for violation of state misdemeanors that are prosecuted in County Courts. If you end up on probation in Municipal Court the terms are generally much more favorable than the terms for probation in County Courts. Fines and costs associated with Municipal misdemeanors are less than the fines and costs associated with county misdemeanors. And you have the same constitutional protections in Municipal Courts that you have in county courts. Where is the City of Tulsa Municipal Court Located?
How to tell if you are charged in Municipal Court or County Court
- It you were given a ticket it will tell you on the ticket, generally at the top of the ticket. See the example below, the ticket "In the Municipal Criminal Court of Record of the City of Tulsa".
Often times "City Tickets" or Municipal Tickets will also tell you on other locations of the ticket as well. For example with a City of Tulsa Municipal Ticket it will also give you the location of the Court, which tells you whether or not you are charged in Municipal Court or County Court. See the example below:
- If you have a pink ticket it is not a Tulsa County ticket, it is likely a Tulsa Municipal Ticket. However, the City of Tulsa also issues tickets that are printed from a computer printer and those tickets are white, not pink.
- If you have to appear at 8:30 am in Division 1, 2 or 3, than you have a Tulsa Municipal Ticket. If given a ticket it will tell you on the ticket where and when you must appear at Court. Below is an example from a City of Tulsa Municipal Ticket.
If you have to appear in Room 173 at 9:00 am than you have been charged in Tulsa County Court.
You are less likely to be sentenced to jail in Municipal Court
If you are charged with a municipal misdemeanor and you are worried about being sent to jail, relax. That is probably not going to happen. In almost 15 years of practing criminal law, I have never had a client that was out of custody sentenced to jail because of a municipal misdemeanor. Most municipal court cases can be resolved without the prosecution ever even seeking jail time. (The one exception to this, is prosecutors in the City of Tulsa Municipal Court always ask for jail time on prostitution charges.) .
If you hire a lawyer you do not have to appear for the arraignmnet in Municipal Court
Missing work is often times a problem for people facing criminal charges. If you are charged with a misdemeanor and you hire a lawyer before the arraignment, your lawyer can handle the first appearance for you, so you do not have to miss work for the first appearance. However, if you do not have a lawyer hired that is going to appear for you, than you must appear at Court or a warrant for your arrest will be issued.
What to expect in Tulsa Municipal Court
Based on my experience listed below is an idea of what you can expect in Tulsa Municipal Court for common charges. What a prosecutor may offer on a particular case will depend upon the record of the defendant and the particular facts of the case.
(PLEASE REMEBER-EVER CASE IS DIFFERENT AND THIS DOES NOT MEAN THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN YOUR PARTICULAR CASE.)
Shoplifting
Shoplifting is covered by Title 27 Section 2003 of the Tulsa Municipal Ordinances. Shoplifting carries upto a $500 fine and not more than 6 months days in jail. However, generally speaking in my experience most defendants charged with shoplifting in Tulsa Municipal Court are offered an opportunity to either plead guilty, pay a fine and Court Cost and have a conviction or they are offered 6 months probation, work hours, a shoplifting prevention class and if succesful they would have the case dismissed upon payment of an administrative fee, probation fees and costs.
DUI
DUI is covered by Title 37 Section 649 of the Tulsa Municipal Ordinances. DUI carries upto a $1,000 fine and from 10 days to 6 months in jail. However, generally speaking in my experience most defendants charged with DUI in Tulsa Municipal Court are offered an opportunity to either plead guilty, pay a fine and Court Cost and have a conviction or they are offered 6 months probation, work hours, Drug and Alcohol Assement, DUI School, Victim Impact Panel and if succesful they would have the charge reduced to Reckless Driving upon payment of fines and costs, probation fees and costs.
Assualt and Battery
Assault is covered by Title 27 Section 400 of the Tulsa Municipal Ordinances. Assalt carries upto a $500 fine and not more than 30 days in jail. However, generally speaking in my experience most defendants charged with assault in Tulsa Municipal Court are offered an opportunity to either plead guilty, pay a fine and Court Cost and have a conviction or they are offered 6 months probation, work hours, and if succesful they would have the case dismissed upon payment of an administrative fee, probation fees and costs.
Battery is covered by Title 27 Section 401 of the Tulsa Municipal Ordinances. Assalt carries upto a $1,000 fine and not more than 90 days in jail. However, generally speaking in my experience most defendants charged with assaulkt in Tulsa Municipal Court are offered an opportunity to either plead guilty, pay a fine and Court Cost and have a conviction or they are offered 6 months probation, work hours, and if succesful they would have the case dismissed upon payment of an administrative fee, probation fees and costs.
Prostitution
Prostitution is covered by Title 27 Section 600 of the Tulsa Municipal Ordinances. Prostitution carries from 30 days to 6 months in jail. In my experience prosecutors in the City of Tulsa Municipal Court will always seek jail time in prostitution cases. It is my understanding that they are told by their boss that they have to seek jail time in all prostitution cases. This does not mean that defendants charged with prostitution in Tulsa Municipal Court always go to jail. I have represented Defendants that did not go to jail. However, we had to plead the case to the judge and let the judge decide.
If you or someone you know are facing Municipal Criminal charges feel free to contact me to discuss your case.
Email your questions to Lawyeradams@me.com.I try to respond to all inquires as quickly as possible. If you need immeadiate assistance you can call my office (918) 582-1313.