OK Civ. App Case Review – Wilson v. Franek
Wilson v. Franek This is a local case in which the Court of Civil Appeals again shows that it is nearly impossible to overturn a trial court’s determination of custody. In this case, mom had been primary caretaker of the child since birth, and in fact father showed little interest in the child until the case was filed. The parties had... Read More
The Injustice of Oklahoma Sentencing
Last week I wrote a blog about the injustice of letting a man who actually violently killed a person live, while executing the man who was alleged to have only been an accomplice. This week, Oklahoma’s screwed up sense of justice is in the news again. Tondolo Hall was convicted of “enabling child abuse” and received 30 years. The actual... Read More
6 Tips for Your First Divorce Consultation
Meeting with an attorney for the first time can be intimidating and scary. You don’t know what to expect, what you may need to bring or what is going to happen. Hopefully this blog will help alleviate some of your concerns and make the first consultation go smoothly and quickly. Make Sure You Make an... Read More
To Plea or to Blind Plea
It is said that 90% of criminal cases are ultimately resolved by plea agreement. In NW Oklahoma, it seems to be an even higher percentage. Therefore, it is important to understand the different options you have when entering a Guilty or No Contest plea. Negotiated Plea: A negotiated plea is one in which you have reached... Read More
OCCA Case Review – State v. Nelson, 2015 OK CR 10
Mr. Nelson was charged with Obstruction of an Officer, Resisting an Officer, Failure to Carry Insurance Verification and Failure to Signal. The officer testified at the Motion to Suppress hearing that Mr. Nelson did not use his turn signal to turn from the street into a parking lot. While an officer was writing the ticket to the... Read More
Is Mediation Right for You?
Divorce is always difficult and all too often brings out the worst in people. Whether it be fighting over custody, property, alimony or the family dog, it seems like splitting up usually starts World War 3. And where does all this fighting get them? A large attorney fee bill, more hurt feelings and sometimes hurt... Read More
Effects of a DUI Arrest on Your Driver’s License
Navigating the difficult waters of keeping your driver’s license (DL) after being arrested for DUI or Actual Physical Control (APC) can be very difficult. The rules and regulations are confusing even to experienced criminal defense attorneys. This post will talk about some of the most common issues surrounding a typical Oklahoma case. Remember, this is general... Read More
Joint Custody v. Sole Custody
I get asked often about joint custody and usually find that people confuse CUSTODY with VISITATION, which are two totally separate matters. Custody generally refers to who has the primary decision making authority with regards to the main decisions in the child’s life, such as where the child goes attends school, major medical care and general... Read More
Revictimizing the Victim
I have represented many, many people that have been charged with Domestic Abuse. In a large percentage of these cases (probably much higher than 50%), the alleged victim in these cases does not want to prosecute the case. In most Oklahoma counties, the case will be prosecuted anyway, because the District Attorney will have what they call a... Read More
The State Killing Innocent People
Growing up, I was one of the most ardent supporters of the death penalty. When people committed heinous crimes, I thought they deserved the ultimate punishment. At the time I was forming many of these opinions, there was much publicity around here about the Murrah Building Bombing and Timothy McVeigh. If that guy didn’t deserve the... Read More