what does a district attorney do in oklahoma

by Mr. Isaias Morar 9 min read

District Attorneys (or "D.A.s") represent the state by prosecuting cases within their district, typically covering one or more counties. Oklahoma has 27 judicial districts covering the state's 77 counties, each with its own D.A.'s office.

In partnership with community and law enforcement agencies, the District Attorney's Office is responsible for the ethical prosecution of criminal offenses committed in Oklahoma County.

Full Answer

Who is the District Attorneys Council in Oklahoma?

Duties of an Oklahoma State District Attorney. 19 O.S. 215.4 & 215.5. The District Attorney, Assistant District Attorney, or Special District Attorney shall: - appear in all trial courts and prosecute all actions for crimes committed in their respective district. - prosecute or defend in all courts, state and federal, in any county in this state, all civil actions or proceedings in …

How does the Oklahoma County district attorney's office handle misdemeanor cases?

Mar 20, 2019 · District Attorneys (or "D.A.s") represent the state by prosecuting cases within their district, typically covering one or more counties. Oklahoma has 27 judicial districts covering the state's 77 counties, each with its own D.A.'s office.

What is the role of the district attorney?

The Oklahoma District Attorneys Council primary mission is to provide training and support for the 27 elected District Attorneys and their staff. Together, we have a shared vision to seek justice, promote public safety, and elevate the voices …

What is the Oklahoma District Attorney Council Gang Task Force program?

The District Attorneys Council (DAC) is a state agency which provides administrative, financial, and personnel support to the 27 Oklahoma district attorneys and their offices throughout the state. Additionally, the DAC provides CLE training and legal resources for Oklahoma prosecutors.

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What do district attorneys do?

A district attorney is a public official who is appointed or elected to represent the state in criminal judicial proceedings in a particular judicial district or county; an appointed or elected officer who prosecutes cases in a particular judicial district.

Are district attorneys elected in Oklahoma?

No. The 27 district attorneys in the state are elected officials and answer to registered voters in their respective judicial districts. The District Attorneys Council has no authority regarding a district attorney's decision to prosecute or not prosecute a criminal case.

How many district attorneys are in Oklahoma?

The Oklahoma District Attorneys Council primary mission is to provide training and support for the 27 elected District Attorneys and their staff.

Who is the current District Attorney of Oklahoma?

The current Executive Coordinator is Trent Baggett....Oklahoma District Attorneys Council.Agency overviewAnnual budget$100 millionMinister responsibleRusty Rhoades, Secretary of Safety and SecurityAgency executiveTrent H. Baggett, Executive CoordinatorWebsiteDistrict Attorneys Council4 more rows

How much does a DA make?

How much does a District Attorney make? The average District Attorney in the US makes $77,118. The average bonus for a District Attorney is $7,054 which represents 9% of their salary, with 100% of people reporting that they receive a bonus each year.

How much does an Ada make in Oklahoma?

The estimated total pay for a Assistant District Attorney is $74,158 per year in the Oklahoma area, with an average salary of $56,937 per year.

What does an assistant district attorney do?

The assistant district attorney (assistant DA, ADA) (or state prosecutor or assistant state's attorney) is a law enforcement official who represents the state government on behalf of the district attorney in investigating and prosecuting individuals alleged to have committed a crime.

Who is the Assistant District Attorney of Oklahoma?

Leann Paczkowski - Assistant District Attorney - Oklahoma County District Attorney | LinkedIn.

Who is the Oklahoma County Assistant District Attorney?

Peter Shadid - Assistant District Attorney - Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office | LinkedIn.

Who is the district attorney for Tulsa?

Steve KunzweilerWhat Does the District Attorney Do? Steve Kunzweiler, the State's prosecutor for the Fourteenth Judicial District of Oklahoma, serves the citizens of Tulsa County. Approximately 50 attorneys and 70 support staff work under his direction.

Where is Tamara Pratt now?

My most important job is raising Kathryn and Alexander, but I serve as the Deputy Director at the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism.

Who is the assistant district attorney in Tulsa?

Overseeing all of the Assistant District Attorneys in the office is First Assistant District Attorney Erik Grayless. A native of Tulsa, Mr. Grayless graduated from Union High School and the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science.

How many judicial districts are there in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma has 27 judicial districts, each comprising at least one county and as many as six counties. If you would like to learn more about your local district or need to contact the D.A., click on the corresponding link below.

Who is the highest ranking prosecutor in Oklahoma?

The highest-ranking prosecutor and law enforcement official is the Oklahoma Attorney General ("A.G."), who represents the state in matters of litigation whereas the D.A.s prosecute state crimes within their respective districts. In addition to investigating white collar crimes, consumer fraud, and other high-level crimes, the A.G.'s office provides legal services for the state (including victim services ), enforces federal and state civil rights laws, and performs various other duties.

How does a criminal case start in Oklahoma?

In most states, a criminal case begins only after the District Attorney files charges or when a grand jury decides to indict a defendant. District Attorneys (or "D.A.s") represent the state by prosecuting cases within their district, typically covering one or more counties. Oklahoma has 27 judicial districts covering the state's 77 counties, each with its own D.A.'s office. After charges are filed, the defendant will face a bail hearing and will be arraigned, where they're formally informed about the charges against them and enter their plea.

What is a DAC in Oklahoma?

In the 2020 Oklahoma Legislative Session, HB 2877 set forth minimum requirements for Victim Impact Panels (VIP) and required the District Attorneys Council (DAC) to be the repository of certain information of statutorily compliant VIPs.

How to contact DAC?

The DAC can be reached by telephone at (405)264-5000 and by fax at (405)264-5099. In addition, you may contact the agency electronically at [email protected].

Who is the District Attorney of Oklahoma?

Today, David Prater humbly serves as your elected choice for Oklahoma County District Attorney where he fights every day for "justice for all." Regardless of race, creed, religion, or socioeconomic status, David Prater desires to see justice served for all people of Oklahoma County.

Who is David Prater?

David Prater began his law enforcement career at 19 years of age when he was hired by the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office as a Deputy Sheriff. At the age of 20, Mr. Prater became the youngest cadet ever to graduate from the Norman Police Academy. During his time with the NPD, he was a dedicated and respected Master Police Officer. In addition to his patrol duties, he was a member NPD's Tactical Unit, Underwater Rescue and Recovery Team and the Norman Police Department's Pistol Team. Additionally, he was responsible for training other officers in patrol techniques, firearms, and Emergency Vehicle Operations and was awarded more than 20 commendations from Norman's Chief of Police.#N#In 1988, Mr. Prater left the police department to complete his Law Enforcement Administration Degree from the University of Oklahoma. In 1991, he began law school at the University of Oklahoma, graduating in just two and a half years. From 1993 until 2001, he served Oklahoma County and the state as an Assistant District Attorney under Bob Macy and as an Assistant Attorney General, in the Grand Jury Unit, under Attorney General Drew Edmondson.

What is a misdemeanor sentence?

Crimes are generally classified as felonies or misdemeanors. Generally, felonies are punished by a sentence of one year or more in prison. Misdemeanors are generally punished by one year or less in a county jail. Probation is also a possibility. Under probation, a person would not serve any time in jail or prison.#N#The following definitions are provided to explain the criminal justice process:

What is a certification hearing?

Certification. Certification studies are conducted at the order of the Court. The certification hearing is conducted when the District Attorney has filed a “Motion for Certification” on a juvenile and the court has found prosecutable merit in the case.

When was the Crime Victims Compensation Act created?

History of the Program. The Crime Victims Compensation Program was created in 1981 with the passage of the Crime Victims Compensation Act.

What is probation in juvenile court?

Probation is a service that provides the community with protection, accountability of the juvenile, and promotes competency (rehabilitation of the juvenile). Juveniles are monitored by Officers of the Court (Juvenile Officers).

What is a preliminary hearing?

Generally, these hearings are a time for your attorney and the prosecutor to discuss your case. The prosecutor will make a plea bargain offer which you and your attorney will discuss. If you decide to accept the offer, you would waive or give up your right to a trial and set your case for a date for you to plead guilty. If you do not accept the plea offer, you will have your case set for a preliminary hearing.

How many district attorneys are there in Oklahoma?

There are 27 district attorney districts in Oklahoma. The voters from every county in a district elect one district attorney every four years. The counties in each district are shown in Table 2. By law, a district attorney must be a licensed lawyer and cannot maintain a private practice while in office. The latter requirement serves to protect the public from the dis­trict attorney becoming involved in practices that might be in conflict with one’s role as a public official. Duties performed by the district attorney are as follows:

How long does a district attorney serve?

Statutory law establishes the county or counties comprising a district. Each elected officer serves a four year term in office.

What is public utility property?

Public utility property — electrical utilities, pipelines and transportation facilities such as railroads. The county assessor only computes the taxes owed by most of the public utilities since by law the State Board of Equalization is responsible for appraising and assessing public utility property.

How many county commissioners are there in Oklahoma?

The elected officials are three county commissioners, a county clerk, a county assessor, a county treasurer, a county sheriff, a court clerk and a district attorney.

What is a county commissioner?

Many citizens perceive a county commissioner as mainly being responsible for maintaining and constructing the county roads and bridges. While these are important duties required by the office, a county commissioner, as a member of the board, is also responsible for setting and administering policies for the county.

Who keeps county records?

Records and financial accounts belonging to the county are also kept by the county clerk. By law, the county clerk also serves as the secretary to several boards, including the board of county commissioners, the county excise board, the county board of equalization and the board of tax roll corrections.

What powers does the board of commissioners have?

The board of county commissioners has legal powers when acting in the county’s welfare. Among the powers granted by law are the authority to: Sell or purchase public land or buildings for the county.

What are the expenses of a criminal case?

Some types of expenses the Court may consider include: 1 Property damage resulting from the crime 2 Value of property or money stolen that could not be recovered 3 Medical, counseling, or dental expenses resulting from the crime 4 Loss of income resulting from the crime 5 Funeral expenses the family has incurred, if the victim died as a result of the crime 6 Other documented expenses resulting from the crime

Can a defendant be ordered to pay restitution in Oklahoma?

Restitution in Oklahoma District Courts. Oklahoma State Statutes provide that as part of the sentence or plea agreement, the Court can order the defendant to pay restitution to the victim of the crime. Restitution may only be ordered in cases where evidence is shown to the Court of actual expenses the victim has incurred because of the crime.

What is a district attorney?

A district attorney typically works for a county or state government and acts as the prosecutor in criminal cases. Each state maintains a justice department responsible for criminal prosecutions. Cities, towns and counties also maintain justice departments responsible for prosecuting crimes against local and state ordinances.

Requirements for a district attorney

Here are the requirements that aspiring district attorneys need to fulfill before finding work in the field:

Top skills for district attorney

Here are the top skills that a district attorney typically needs to succeed:

Work environment for district attorneys

While much of a district attorney's job can take place in a legal office, they can also work in other locations like libraries and courtrooms.

Salary and job outlook for district attorneys

The national average salary for attorneys in the United States, including district attorneys, is currently $94,578 per year, which is a very competitive salary. However, the compensation that a district attorney receives can vary depending on their education level, experience and skills obtained throughout their career.

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Meet The District Attorney

  • David Prater began his law enforcement career at 19 years of age when he was hired by the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office as a Deputy Sheriff. At the age of 20, Mr. Prater became the youngest cadet ever to graduate from the Norman Police Academy. During his time with the NPD, he was a dedicated and respected Master Police Officer. In addition to his patrol duties, he was …
See more on oklahomacounty.org

Criminal Process

  • Crimes are generally classified as felonies or misdemeanors. Generally, felonies are punished by a sentence of one year or more in prison. Misdemeanors are generally punished by one year or less in a county jail. Probation is also a possibility. Under probation, a person would not serve any time in jail or prison. The following definitions are provided to explain the criminal justice process: Arr…
See more on oklahomacounty.org

Preliminary Hearings

  • Preliminary Hearing Conference
    This hearing may also be called a pre-preliminary hearing or an announcement docket. Generally, these hearings are a time for your attorney and the prosecutor to discuss your case. The prosecutor will make a plea bargain offer which you and your attorney will discuss. If you decid…
  • Preliminary Hearing
    If you are charged with a felony you have a right to a preliminary hearing. A preliminary hearing is a court hearing where witnesses testify and the Judge decides whether there is enough evidence against you to order you to have a trial. If the court believes there is enough evidence to believe …
See more on oklahomacounty.org

Sentences

  • Deferred Sentence
    You are not convicted of a crime until you are found guilty and punished for the crime. With a deferred sentence, the Judge finds you guilty of the crime but post pones, delays or defers sentencing until a later date (from one day to five years). If you do everything the court orders yo…
  • Suspended Sentence
    You are convicted of a crime but are on probation for all or part of the sentence; it is suspended so you do not have to go to prison for that amount of time, as long as you satisfy the conditions of probation. The probation may be "supervised" or "unsupervised." If it is "supervised," you must re…
See more on oklahomacounty.org