Oklahoma

Stalking

• § 1173. Stalking-Penalties

Related Offenses

• § 60.14. Address confidentiality program.
• § 60.2. Protective order--Petition--Complaint requirement for certain stalking victims--fees.
• § 1171. Peeping Tom--Use of photographic, electronic or video equipment--Offenses and punishment-Definition.
• § 1172. Obscene, threatening or harassing telecommunication or other electronic communications-Penalty

Analyzing Stalking Laws

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Stalking

21 Okl. St. § 1173. Stalking-Penalties. (2000)
A. Any person who willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows or harasses another person in a manner that:

1. Would cause a reasonable person or a member of the immediate family of that person as defined in subsection F of this section to feel frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested; and

2. Actually causes the person being followed or harassed to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested, upon conviction, shall be guilty of the crime of stalking, which is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one (1) year or by a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($ 1,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

B. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection A of this section when:

1. There is a permanent or temporary restraining order, a protective order, an emergency ex parte protective order, or an injunction in effect prohibiting the behavior described in subsection A of this section against the same party, when the person violating the provisions of subsection A of this section has actual notice of the issuance of such order or injunction; or

2. Said person is on probation or parole, a condition of which prohibits the behavior described in subsection A of this section against the same party or under the conditions of a community or alternative punishment; or

3. Said person, within ten (10) years preceding the violation of subsection A of this section, completed the execution of sentence for a conviction of a crime involving the use or threat of violence against the same party, or against any member of the immediate family of such party, upon conviction, shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for a term not exceeding five (5) years or by a fine of not more than Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

1. "Harasses" means a pattern or course of conduct directed toward another individual that includes, but is not limited to, repeated or continuing unconsented contact, that would cause a reasonable person to suffer emotional distress, and that actually causes emotional distress to the victim. Harassment shall include harassing or obscene phone calls as prohibited by Section 1172 of this title and conduct prohibited by Section 850 of this title. Harassment does not include constitutionally protected activity or conduct that serves a legitimate purpose;

2. "Course of conduct" means a pattern of conduct composed of a series of two (2) or more separate acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of "course of conduct";

3. "Emotional distress" means significant mental suffering or distress that may, but does not necessarily require, medical or other professional treatment or counseling;

4. "Unconsented contact" means any contact with another individual that is initiated or continued without the consent of the individual, or in disregard of that individual's expressed desire that the contact be avoided or discontinued. Constitutionally protected activity is not included within the meaning of unconsented contact. Unconsented contact includes but is not limited to any of the following:

a. following or appearing within the sight of that individual,

b. approaching or confronting that individual in a public place or on private property,

c. appearing at the workplace or residence of that individual,

d. entering onto or remaining on property owned, leased, or occupied by that individual,

e. contacting that individual by telephone,

f. sending mail or electronic communications to that individual, and

g. placing an object on, or delivering an object to, property owned, leased, or occupied by that individual; and

5. "Member of the immediate family", for the purposes of this section, means any spouse, parent, child, person related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity or any other person who regularly resides in the household or who regularly resided in the household within the prior six (6) months.

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Related Offenses

21 Okl. St. § 60.14. Address confidentiality program (2008)
A. The Legislature finds that persons attempting to escape from actual or threatened domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking frequently establish new addresses in order to prevent their assailants or probable assailants from finding them. The purpose of this section is to enable state and local agencies to respond to requests for public records without disclosing the location of a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, to enable interagency cooperation with the Attorney General in providing address confidentiality for victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, and to enable state and local agencies to accept an address designated by the Attorney General by a program participant as a substitute mailing address.

B. As used in this section:

1. "Address" means a residential street address, school address, or work address of an individual, as specified on the application of an individual to be a program participant under this section;

2. "Program participant" means a person certified as a program participant under this section;

3. "Domestic abuse" means an act as defined in Section 60.1 of this title and includes a threat of such acts committed against an individual in a domestic situation, regardless of whether these acts or threats have been reported to law enforcement officers; and 

4. "Stalking" means an act as defined in Section 60.1 of this title regardless of whether the acts have been reported to law enforcement.

C. The Address Confidentiality Program shall be staffed by unclassified employees, who have been subjected to a criminal history records search.

D.

1. An adult person, a parent or guardian acting on behalf of a minor, or a guardian acting on behalf of an incapacitated person, as defined by Section 1-111 of Title 30 of the Oklahoma Statutes, may apply to the Attorney General to have an address designated by the Attorney General serve as the address of the person or the address of the minor or incapacitated person. The Attorney General shall approve an application if it is filed in the manner and on the form prescribed by the Attorney General and if it contains:

a. a sworn statement by the applicant that the applicant has good reason to believe:

(1) that the applicant, or the minor or incapacitated person on whose behalf the application is made, is a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, and

(2) that the applicant fears for the safety of self or children, or the safety of the minor or incapacitated person on whose behalf the application is made, 

b. a designation of the Attorney General as agent for purposes of service of process and for the purpose of receipt of mail,

c. the mailing address where the applicant can be contacted by the Attorney General, and the phone number or numbers where the applicant can be called by the Attorney General,

d. the new address or addresses that the applicant requests not be disclosed for the reason that disclosure will increase the risk of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, and

e. the signature of the applicant and application assistant who assisted in the preparation of the application, and the date on which the applicant signed the application.

2. An adult or minor child who resides with the applicant who also needs to be a program participant in order to ensure the safety of the applicant may apply. Each adult living in the household must complete a separate application. An adult may apply on behalf of a minor.

3. Applications shall be filed with the Office of the Attorney General.

4. Upon filing a properly completed application, the Attorney General shall certify the applicant as a program participant. Applicants shall be certified for four (4) years following the date of filing unless the certification is withdrawn or invalidated before that date. The Attorney General shall by rule establish a renewal procedure.

5. A person who falsely attests in an application that disclosure of the address of the applicant would endanger the safety of the applicant or the safety of the children of the applicant or the minor or incapacitated person on whose behalf the application is made, or who knowingly provides false or incorrect information upon making an application, may be found guilty of perjury under Sections 500 and 504 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

E.

1. If the program participant obtains a name change, the participant loses certification as a program participant.

2. The Attorney General may cancel the certification of a program participant if there is a change in the residential address, unless the program participant provides the Attorney General notice no later than seven (7) days after the change occurs.

3. The Attorney General may cancel certification of a program participant if mail forwarded by the Attorney General to the address of the program participant is returned as nondeliverable.

4. The Attorney General shall cancel certification of a program participant who applies using false information.

F.

1. A program participant may request that state and local agencies use the address designated by the Attorney General as the address of the participant. When creating a new public record, state and local agencies shall accept the address designated by the Attorney General as a substitute address for the program participant, unless the Attorney General has determined that:

a. the agency has a bona fide statutory or administrative requirement for the use of the address which would otherwise be confidential under this section, and

b. this address will be used only for those statutory and administrative purposes.

2. A program participant may use the address designated by the Attorney General as a work address.

3. The Office of the Attorney General shall forward all first class, certified and registered mail to the appropriate program participants for no charge. The Attorney General shall not be required to track or otherwise maintain records of any mail received on behalf of a participant unless the mail is certified or registered mail.

G. The Attorney General may not make any records in a file of a program participant available for inspection or copying, other than the address designated by the Attorney General, except under the following circumstances:

1. If directed by a court order, to a person identified in the order; or

2. To verify the participation of a specific program participant to a state or local agency, in which case the Attorney General may only confirm information supplied by the requester. No employee of a state or local agency shall knowingly and intentionally disclose a program participant's actual address unless disclosure is permitted by law.

H. The Attorney General shall designate state and local agencies, federal government, federally recognized tribes, and nonprofit agencies to assist persons in applying to be program participants. A volunteer or employee of a designated entity that provides counseling, referral, shelter, or other services to victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking and has been trained by the Attorney General shall be known as an application assistant. Any assistance and counseling rendered by the Office of the Attorney General or an application assistant to applicants shall in no way be construed as legal advice.

 I. The Attorney General may enter into agreements with the federal government and federally recognized tribes in the State of Oklahoma or other entities for purposes of the implementation of the Address Confidentiality Program, including the use and acceptance of the substitute address designated by the Attorney General.

 J. Effective July 1, 2008, all administrative rules promulgated by the Office of the Secretary of State to implement this program shall be transferred to and become part of the administrative rules of the Office of the Attorney General. The Office of Administrative Rules in the Office of the Secretary of State shall provide adequate notice in "The Oklahoma Register" of the transfer of such rules, and shall place the transferred rules under the Administrative Code section of the Attorney General. Such rules shall continue in force and effect as rules of the Office of the Attorney General from and after July 1, 2008, and any amendment, repeal or addition to the transferred rules shall be under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General. The Attorney General shall adopt and promulgate rules to implement this program, as applicable.
K. Beginning July 1, 2008, the Director of the Address Confidentiality Program shall cease to be a position within the Office of the Secretary of State. All unexpended funds, property, records, personnel, and outstanding financial obligations and encumbrances related to the position and the Office of Address Confidentiality Program with the Office of the Secretary of State shall be transferred to the Office of the Attorney General. All personnel shall retain their employment position and status as unclassified employees, any leave, sick and annual time earned, and any retirement and longevity benefits which have accrued during tenure with the Office of the Secretary of State.

21 Okl. St. § 60.2 Protective order--Petition--Complaint requirement for certain stalking victims--Fees (2010)
A. A victim of domestic abuse, a victim of stalking, a victim of harassment, a victim of rape, any adult or emancipated minor household member on behalf of any other family or household member who is a minor or incompetent, or any minor age sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years may seek relief under the provisions of the Protection from Domestic Abuse Act.

1. The person seeking relief may file a petition for a protective order with the district court in the county in which the victim resides, the county in which the defendant resides, or the county in which the domestic violence occurred. If the person seeking relief is a victim of stalking but is not a family or household member or an individual who is or has been in a dating relationship with the defendant, the person seeking relief must file a complaint against the defendant with the proper law enforcement agency before filing a petition for a protective order with the district court. The person seeking relief shall provide a copy of the complaint that was filed with the law enforcement agency at the full hearing if the complaint is not available from the law enforcement agency. Failure to provide a copy of the complaint filed with the law enforcement agency shall constitute a frivolous filing and the court may assess attorney fees and court costs against the plaintiff pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection C of this section. The filing of a petition for a protective order shall not require jurisdiction or venue of the criminal offense if either the plaintiff or defendant resides in the county. If a petition has been filed in an action for divorce or separate maintenance and either party to the action files a petition for a protective order in the same county where the action for divorce or separate maintenance is filed, the petition for the protective order may be heard by the court hearing the divorce or separate maintenance action if:

a. there is no established protective order docket in such court, or

b. the court finds that, in the interest of judicial economy, both actions may be heard together; provided, however, the petition for a protective order, including, but not limited to, a petition in which children are named as petitioners, shall remain a separate action and a separate order shall be entered in the protective order action. Protective orders may be dismissed in favor of restraining orders in the divorce or separate maintenance action if the court specifically finds, upon hearing, that such dismissal is in the best interests of the parties and does not compromise the safety of any petitioner.

If the defendant is a minor child, the petition shall be filed with the court having jurisdiction over juvenile matters.

2. When the abuse occurs when the court is not open for business, such person may request an emergency temporary order of protection as authorized by Section 40.3 of this title.

B. The petition forms shall be provided by the clerk of the court. The Administrative Office of the Courts shall develop a standard form for the petition.

C.

1. Except as otherwise provided by this section, no filing fee, service of process fee, attorney fees or any other fee or costs shall be charged the plaintiff or victim at any time for filing a petition for a protective order whether a protective order is granted or not granted. The court may assess court costs, service of process fees, attorney fees, other fees and filing fees against the defendant at the hearing on the petition, if a protective order is granted against the defendant; provided, the court shall have authority to waive the costs and fees if the court finds that the party does not have the ability to pay the costs and fees.

2. If the court makes specific findings that a petition for a protective order has been filed frivolously and no victim exists, the court may assess attorney fees and court costs against the plaintiff.

D. The person seeking relief shall prepare the petition or, at the request of the plaintiff, the court clerk or the victim-witness coordinator, victim support person, and court case manager shall prepare or assist the plaintiff in preparing the petition.

 E. The person seeking a protective order may further request the exclusive care, possession, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either the petitioner, defendant or minor child residing in the residence of the petitioner or defendant. The court may order the defendant to make no contact with the animal and forbid the defendant from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal.

21 Okl. St. § 1171. Peeping Tom--Use of photographic, electronic or video equipment--Offenses and punishment-Definition. (2008)
A. Every person who hides, waits or otherwise loiters in the vicinity of any private dwelling house, apartment building, any other place of residence, or in the vicinity of any locker room, dressing room, restroom or any other place where a person has a right to a reasonable expectation of privacy, with the unlawful and willful intent to watch, gaze, or look upon any person in a clandestine manner, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor. The violator shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a term of not more than one (1) year, or by a fine not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($ 5,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

21 Okl. St. § 1172. Obscene, threatening or harassing telecommunication or other electronic communications-Penalty.  (2005)
A. It shall be unlawful for a person who, by means of a telecommunication or other electronic communication device, willfully either:

1. Makes any comment, request, suggestion, or proposal which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, or indecent;

2. Makes a telecommunication or other electronic communication with intent to terrify, intimidate or harass, or threaten to inflict injury or physical harm to any person or property of that person;

3. Makes a telecommunication or other electronic communication, whether or not conversation ensues, with intent to put the party called in fear of physical harm or death;

4. Makes a telecommunication or other electronic communication, whether or not conversation ensues, without disclosing the identity of the person making the call or communication and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person at the called number;

5. Knowingly permits any telecommunication or other electronic communication under the control of the person to be used for any purpose prohibited by this section; and

6. In conspiracy or concerted action with other persons, makes repeated calls or electronic communications or simultaneous calls or electronic communications solely to harass any person at the called number(s).

B. As used in this section, "telecommunication" and "electronic communication" mean any type of telephonic, electronic or radio communications, or transmission of signs, signals, data, writings, images and sounds or intelligence of any nature by telephone, including cellular telephones, wire, cable, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic or photo-optical system or the creation, display, management, storage, processing, transmission or distribution of images, text, voice, video or data by wire, cable or wireless means, including the Internet. The term includes:

1. A communication initiated by electronic mail, instant message, network call, or facsimile machine; and

2. A communication made to a pager.

C. Use of a telephone or other electronic communications facility under this section shall include all use made of such a facility between the points of origin and reception. Any offense under this section is a continuing offense and shall be deemed to have been committed at either the place of origin or the place of reception.

D. Except as provided in subsection E of this section, any person who is convicted of the provisions of subsection A of this section, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

E. Any person who is convicted of a second offense under this section shall be guilty of a felony.

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