Oklahoma
Can my neighbor do that? What Oklahoma law allows if you have issues
Help us recognize Oklahoma’s Women of USA 250
From civil rights leaders to everyday changemakers, we are inviting the public to nominate women who helped shape their communities.
Wondering if you can park in front of someone else’s house, or fly a drone over your neighbor’s home? There’s a statute for that.
Oklahoma law can clarify if you can legally cut the overhanging limbs, drive in the left lane, be on your phone during a school zone and much more. Oftentimes, the common sense law may come into play, but that should not distract you from knowing the precise law before you decide to refurbish the shared fence.
If you’re looking for what to know about general neighborly deeds or casual traffic laws, here’s what to know according to state law, legal experts and city/state codes.
Is it illegal to park in front of a stranger’s house in Oklahoma?
According to Nolo, a publishing company for the legal industry, it’s not illegal for someone to park in front of a stranger’s house on a public street.
Generally speaking, you can park along any neighborhood street.
“An individual citizen does not ‘own’ or have any ongoing exclusive right to use a parking space on a public street,” attorney Brian Farkas wrote in a 2023 Nolo article. “These spaces are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.”
There are some glaring exceptions to the rule, however, like in front of any driveway, near safety zones and more.
More: Read where you can and can’t park your car in Oklahoma.
When can kids stay home alone in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma doesn’t have a law dictating the age, but the state’s Department of Humans Services does have some guidelines.
Generally speaking, children under the age of six should never be left unsupervised, while those six and seven may be left alone but only for less than an hour.
The ages continue to vary depending on the age of the child and what the parent assesses the child’s development and functioning patterns.
More: Can I leave my child home alone? See what ages DHS recommends in Oklahoma
Is it legal to trim a neighbor’s tree hanging over the fence?
Generally speaking, the law allows property owners to maintain their belongings as they see fit. That includes trimming branches that grow past the property line. Edmond, for example, has explicitly said landowners have the right to trim trees or bushes that encroach on the property.
If the tree trunk or bush straddles the property line, both property owners are responsible for caring for shared trees and other shrubbery.
Be careful, though. Oklahoma courts can order you to pay 10 times the cost of someone else’s tree if it’s wrongfully damaged.
More: Can I cut a tree limb from my neighbor’s tree? See how state boundaries work
Is it legal in Oklahoma to shoot a drone hovering over your property?
The simple answer is no, you cannot shoot down a drone that’s over your or anyone else’s property.
For over a decade, both Congress and the Federal Aviation Administration have classified drones as aircraft.
It means that when it comes to disrupting something that’s flying in the air, the United States treats drones the same way as any other aircraft that can actually carry people. It’s also terribly unsafe to fire a gun into the air, and you may be liable in civil court for disrupting a business’ legitimate operation.
More: Can I shoot down a drone hovering over my property? Here’s why state law says no.
Can I shoot a gun on my property in Oklahoma?
It depends on local ordinances, but state ordinance notes that every person who fires a pistol, rifle, shotgun, air gun or other weapon in any place where anyone can be harmed can receive a misdemeanor charge.
What Oklahomans may do, as stated by officials with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, is that when firing guns, either privately practicing with targets or hunting, users need to ensure bullets do not leave the property and/or harm an individual.
More: How to make a proper backstop when shooting my gun? See what Oklahoma law says.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma City police investigating early morning shooting
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Oklahoma City police are investigating an early morning shooting that left one man injured in northeast Oklahoma City.
Around 3 a.m. on Thursday, emergency crews were called to a reported shooting near Kelley and Wilshire Blvd.
Investigators say the shooting occurred between a couple inside the home, adding that the woman shot the man.
However, police say they are trying to determine if the shooting was accidental.
The victim was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
The woman has been taken into custody for questioning, but it is unknown if she will face charges just yet.
Oklahoma
North Carolina, Oklahoma advance to the Men’s College World Series finals
Oklahoma is just three outs away from steamrolling through the right side of the bracket and knocking out Georgia to reach the championship finals.
To prepare, let’s take a look at what arms we should expect for the Sooners just like we did for the North Carolina earlier.
The Sooners have leaned heavily on their freshmen pitching trio in Cord Rager, Xander Mercurius and Nick Wesloski throughout Omaha. The first two went at least seven innings, while Wesloski tossed 5.2 innings on Wednesday. Even though they used relievers LJ Mercurius and Jackson Cleveland in the first two games, neither pitched more than two innings nor allowed a run.
If LJ, who entered for Wesloski on Wednesday, finishes the game, he will have gone 3.1 innings.
That sets up Oklahoma very well to matchup with UNC, which went 3-0 and also hasn’t used many arms up to this point.
If OU does win, expect Rager, Xander Mercurius and Cleveland to be ready to go. Rager, who hasn’t pitched since their first round game against Alabama on Saturday, June 13, would have a full week of rest.
Oklahoma
Rep. Kevin Hern wins Oklahoma GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, governor’s race heads to runoff
U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern easily won Oklahoma’s GOP nomination for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, and the race for a new governor in the deeply conservative state began with Republicans Gentner Drummond and Mark Mazzei advancing to a runoff.
In a primary that again tested President Donald Trump’s status as Republican Party kingmaker, both Hern and Mazzei carried his endorsement in their bids to win open races for two of Oklahoma’s biggest offices. With nearly all the votes counted, Drummond, the state’s attorney general, was narrowly ahead of Mazzei, a former state senator.
The primary had Republicans picking their preferred successor to outgoing Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt and a nominee for the Senate seat once held by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Democrats haven’t won a Senate seat in Oklahoma since 1990.
Hern’s most serious potential GOP rivals stayed out of the Senate race after Trump endorsed him even before Mullin was confirmed as a replacement for fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Hern received more than 50% of the primary vote to avoid a runoff.
He struck a somewhat bipartisan tone in speaking with reporters after winning big, touting his experience as a House member working on issues such as trade and energy. He promised to represent conservative principles and “Oklahoma ideologies” in the Senate and noted he already has relationships with senators.
“We have a lot of friends in a lot of different states, including blue states,” Hern said.
READ MORE: Live Results: Oklahoma midterm primaries
Trump endorsed Mazzei last month in a hotly contested race that also had other major candidates, including former Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall and Chip Keating, a former state public safety director who is the son of a two-term governor.
Drummond told reporters at his watch party that he had expected a runoff after Trump endorsed Mazzei and suggested that Trump could reconsider his endorsement of Mazzei, saying, “who knows?”
“Mr. Mazzei got a bump, but now he’s got to earn the rest,” Drummond said.
Trump repeated his endorsement of Mazzei on his Truth Social platform on Monday. Mazzei told supporters Tuesday night, “All I can say is, ‘Wow.’
“Eighteen months ago when we started this adventure, no one thought this was possible,” he said. “The political insiders said we had no chance. We started at zero, but who in here actually had faith we could get the job done and get in the runoff? You did.”
Mazzei also boosted his campaign with personal funds — nearly $10.9 million, or almost 95% of the $11.5 million he raised, according to campaign finance reports. Drummond put $2.5 million from his own pocket in raising about $7.2 million. Together, Drummond, Mazzei, Keating and McCall contributed $22.5 million of their own funds to their campaigns, or 72% of their combined fundraising of more than $31 million.
READ MORE: Oklahoma begins choosing a new U.S. senator and governor in crowded primary
The winner of the GOP runoff will face Oklahoma House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, who won the Democratic nomination Tuesday by a wide margin.
In a solidly Republican state, the races for two of Oklahoma’s biggest offices set off a political scramble. To replace Mullin in the Senate through this year, Stitt appointed Republican Alan Armstrong, an energy executive, but state law prohibited him from seeking a full term.
In November, Hern will face the winner of a Democratic runoff between N’Kiyla Thomas, a nurse and community activist, and Jim Priest, an attorney and minister.
The governor’s race is open because Stitt is finishing his second four-year term and cannot serve a third under the state constitution. Trump has seemed eager for him to go.
As head of the National Governors Association, Stitt drew Trump’s ire earlier this year over a dispute over invitations to White House events at the group’s annual meeting. The fallout led to Trump attacking Stitt on social media as a “RINO,” meaning Republican in Name Only.
A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue.
-
Movie Reviews52 seconds agoMovie Review: ‘Leviticus’ makes a demon out of desire in an auspicious debut for Adrian Chiarella – Sentinel Colorado
-
World13 minutes agoVideo: A Small Election Could Change British Politics
-
News16 minutes agoInside Trump’s Touring Exhibition of American Heroes
-
Politics21 minutes agoVideo: Erika Kirk’s Message for Women at Turning Point USA
-
Lifestyle51 minutes agoThe second life of a classic: ‘Amores Perros’ is remastered and back in theaters
-
Technology1 hour agoValve is so behind on Steam Controller orders that some won’t ship until 2027
-
World1 hour agoFrom bear hugs to handshakes: How India lost its edge with Trump while Pakistan quietly gained ground
-
Politics1 hour agoNew poll reveals where Americans stand after Trump agreement with Iran