stillthelaw:

  If you were born after July 1, 1974, it is illegal for anyone to call you ‘illegitimate’ or ‘bastard’. the state legislature says that free speech rights do not extend to the freedom to describe a person pertaining to their lineage using those to terms.

§10-6.5.  Use of certain words in reference to children born out of wedlock prohibited.

A.  On and after the date upon which this act becomes operative, the designations “illegitimate” or “bastard” shall not be used to designate a child born out of wedlock.

B.  No person, firm, corporation, agency, organization, the State of Oklahoma nor any of its agencies, boards, commission officers or political subdivisions, nor any hospital, nor any institution supported by public funds, nor any employee of any of the above, shall use the term “illegitimate” or “bastard” in referring to or designating any child born on or after the operative date of this act.

Laws 1974, c. 297, § 1, operative July 1, 1974.

stillthelaw:

  While your health insurance policy may not pay for that little purple pill, your marriage may depend on it.  It seems that a woman has legal grounds for divorcing her man if his medical condition results in a significant lack of ‘stamina’.

§43-101.  Grounds for divorce.

The district court may grant a divorce for any of the following causes:

1. First.  Abandonment for one (1) year.
2. Second.  Adultery.
3. Third.  Impotency.
4. Fourth.  When the wife at the time of her marriage was pregnant by another than her husband.
5. Fifth.  Extreme cruelty.
6. Sixth.  Fraudulent contract.
7. Seventh.  Incompatibility.  Provided, however, where the interest of a child under eighteen (18) years of age is involved, the adult parties shall attend an educational program concerning the impact of divorce on children as provided in subsection B of Section 107.2 of this title.
8. Eighth.  Habitual drunkenness.
9. Ninth.  Gross neglect of duty.
10. Tenth.  Imprisonment of the other party in a state or federal penal institution under sentence thereto for the commission of a felony at the time the petition is filed.
11. Eleventh.  The procurement of a final divorce decree without this state by a husband or wife which does not in this state release the other party from the obligations of the marriage.
12. Twelfth.  Insanity for a period of five (5) years, the insane person having been an inmate of a state institution for the insane in the State of Oklahoma, or inmate of a state institution for the insane in some other state for such period, or of a private sanitarium, and affected with a type of insanity with a poor prognosis for recovery; provided, that no divorce shall be granted because of insanity until after a thorough examination of such insane person by three physicians, one of whom shall be a superintendent of the hospital or sanitarium for the insane in which the insane defendant is confined, and the other two to be appointed by the court before whom the action is pending, and any two of such physicians shall agree that such insane person, at the time the petition in the divorce action is filed, has a poor prognosis for recovery; provided, further, however, that no divorce shall be granted on this ground to any person whose husband or wife is an inmate of a state institution in any other than the State of Oklahoma, unless the person applying for such divorce shall have been a resident of the State of Oklahoma for at least five (5) years prior to the commencement of an action; and provided further, that a decree granted on this ground shall not relieve the successful party from contributing to the support and maintenance of the defendant.  The court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the insane defendant, which appointment shall be made at least ten (10) days before any decree is entered.

R.L. 1910, § 4962.  Amended by Laws 1947, p. 79, § 1, emerg. eff. Feb. 24, 1947; Laws 1953, p. 59, § 1; Laws 1955, p. 141, § 1, emerg. eff. March 3, 1955.  Renumbered from § 1271 of Title 12 by Laws 1989, c. 333, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1989.  Amended by Laws 2014, c. 428, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2014.

stillthelaw:

  Either judges don’t want the competition, or they just don’t want to make weddings that convenient. For whatever the reason, you’ll have to go find an officiant off the courthouse grounds.

§43-16.  Soliciting in or near court house or grounds prohibited.

It shall be unlawful for any person to solicit directly or indirectly within any courthouse, premises or grounds or lots on which a courthouse may be located in any county within the State of Oklahoma for himself or for and on behalf of any minister of the Gospel or other person, the performance of a marriage ceremony. Laws 1941, p. 169, § 1.

§43-17.  Punishment for violations.

Any person violating this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not to exceed Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) for the first conviction, and for any second or subsequent conviction by a fine of not less than Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) nor more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).

Laws 1941, p. 170, § 2.

stillthelaw:

   In Oklahoma any private person or corporate interest can seek to initiate an eminent domain action. While utilities and mass transit are more likely to seek these powers to remove others; our state statutes allow anyone to make a case for why it is an essential improvement in the public interest of the whole. This doesn’t mean any petition will be granted, but it does mean everyone is supposed to be on a ‘level playing field’.

§27-6.  Private person or corporation - Eminent domain by.

Any private person, firm or corporation shall have power to exercise the right of eminent domain in like manner as railroad companies for private ways of necessity or for agriculture, mining and sanitary purposes.

R.L. 1910, § 3189.

§27-9.  Application.

The provisions of this act shall be applicable to the acquisition of real property under the laws of this state for public use in any project or program in which federal, state or local funds are used.

Laws 1971, c. 355, § 1, eff. July 1, 1972.

§27-10.  Reimbursement of owner for expenses after acquisition.

Any person, agency or other entity acquiring real property for public use under the laws of this state shall, as soon as practicable after the date of payment of the purchase price or the date of deposit into court of funds to satisfy the award of compensation in a condemnation proceeding to acquire real property, whichever is the earlier, reimburse the owner for expenses he necessarily incurred… 

stillthelaw:

 It’s quite plausible that most Oklahoma polling places are opened within half a mile of some retail beer sales. A restaurant, night club, convenience store, grocer, or liquor store; are all granted licenses to freely sell on election days. But both the retail clerk and the patron are immediately committing criminal acts if a polling place is within half a mile (as the crow flies).

I guess it’s yet another way in which opioids and cannabis are regarded more favorably than a can of beer, in the Sooner State?

Even driving home from the grocery store and coming within 2640 ft. of a polling place could trigger your arrest?

§26-16-112.  Intoxicating liquors.

Any person who takes intoxicating liquors of any kind or quantity to within one-half (½) mile of any polling place on an election day shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.

Laws 1974, c. 153, § 16-112, operative Jan. 1, 1975.

stillthelaw:

We Don’t Put Up With Kiss'n Cousins… (Unless They Came That Way)

  We understand that the bible is okay with cousin couples, but we still forbid it, in Oklahoma. Now, if you come from a state that allows ‘cousin couples’ then you can get married there and Oklahoma will respect your marriage as valid.

§43-2. Consanguinity.

Marriages between ancestors and descendants of any degree, of a stepfather with a stepdaughter, stepmother with stepson, between uncles and nieces, aunts and nephews, except in cases where such relationship is only by marriage, between brothers and sisters of the half as well as the whole blood, and first cousins are declared to be incestuous, illegal and void, and are expressly prohibited. Provided, that any marriage of first cousins performed in another state authorizing such marriages, which is otherwise legal, is hereby recognized as valid and binding in this state as of the date of such marriage.

R.L.1910, § 3884; Laws 1965, c. 101, § 1; Laws 1967, c. 344, § 1; Laws 1969, c. 139, § 1, emerg. eff. April 9, 1969.

§43-17. Punishment for violations.

Any person violating this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not to exceed Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) for the first conviction, and for any second or subsequent conviction by a fine of not less than Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) nor more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).

Laws 1941, p. 170, § 2.

§43-18. Injunction against violations.

In addition to the penalty provided in Section 2 hereof for a violation of this act, a cause of action shall exist in favor of any citizen of any county, or in favor of the State of Oklahoma on the relation of the district attorney of any county where the offense is committed to apply to the district court of the county for an injunction restraining the violation of this act.

Laws 1941, p. 170, § 3.

stillthelaw:

Oklahoma Has An Official Militia, You’re Probably In It!

  The term ‘militia’ has historically been a term referring to the armed forces within a colony, territory, or state. George Washington was an officer of the Virginia militia several years prior to the American Revolution.

  This tradition lives on, today. Oklahoma has three classes of militia. Every one of these three is officially recognized by the constitution of the state. Men and women between the ages of 17-70 who are or intend to be citizens of Oklahoma, are included in the ‘unorganized militia’.

§44-41. Composition of Militia - Classes.

The Militia of the State of Oklahoma shall consist of all able-bodied citizens of the United States and all other able-bodied persons who shall be or shall have declared their intentions to become citizens of the United States, who shall be more than seventeen (17) years of age and not more than seventy (70) years of age, and said militia shall be divided into three (3) classes: The National Guard, the Oklahoma State Guard, and the Unorganized Militia.

Laws 1951, p. 115, art. 3, § 1, eff. May 16, 1951; Laws 1957, p. 422, § 1, eff. May 24, 1957; Laws 1968, c. 299, § 1, emerg. eff. May 3, 1968; Laws 1981, c. 136, § 1; Laws 1985, c. 96, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1985.

§44-41. Composition of Militia - Classes.

The Militia of the State of Oklahoma shall consist of all able-bodied citizens of the United States and all other able-bodied persons who shall be or shall have declared their intentions to become citizens of the United States, who shall be more than seventeen (17) years of age and not more than seventy (70) years of age, and said militia shall be divided into three (3) classes: The National Guard, the Oklahoma State Guard, and the Unorganized Militia.

Laws 1951, p. 115, art. 3, § 1, eff. May 16, 1951; Laws 1957, p. 422, § 1, eff. May 24, 1957; Laws 1968, c. 299, § 1, emerg. eff. May 3, 1968; Laws 1981, c. 136, § 1; Laws 1985, c. 96, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1985.

stillthelaw:

The Insurrection Counties, & Their Sympathizers

  The early days of our state were filled with talk of wars. Sure there was talk of Indian Tribes ‘on the war path’ but there was also talk of war against Texas. Another concern was them county governments and the need to bring them into submission to the state.

  Here’s how the state legislature created some ‘get tough’ language to deal with rebel counties. But this law was update just 18 years ago!

§21-539. Resisting execution of process in time of insurrection.

Any person who, after proclamation issued by the Governor declaring any county to be in a state of insurrection, resists or aids in resisting the execution of process in the county declared to be in a state of insurrection, or who aids or attempts the rescue or escape of another from lawful custody or confinement, or who resists or aids in resisting a force ordered out by the government to quell or suppress an insurrection, shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for not less than two (2) years.

R.L. 1910, § 2251. Amended by Laws 1997, c. 133, § 209, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 5, § 117, eff. July 1, 1999.

NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 209 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.