Oklahoma
Can my neighbor do that? What Oklahoma law allows if you have issues
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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.
TULSA, Okla — Tulsa has seen a boost in its food industry, thanks in part to a growing population.
Local News
Study shows Hispanic population boom boosting Tulsa economy
The Hispanic and Latino population has also contributed to the Oklahoma economy through restaurants, catering businesses, and food trucks.
According to a study conducted by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, the number of Hispanic and Latino individuals who have gone into the state’s food service industry has grown by more than 12,000 between 2001 and 2021.
To help continue this growth, the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation is starting up its “Lanzamiento Program” for Spanish speakers who are interested in pursuing a career in the culinary industry.
Local News
Mother Road Market hosts program for Hispanic, Latino food entrepreneurs
The classes are held in partnership with Mother Road Market for 12 weeks.
Wendy Henriquez is the owner of Sugar Crave and completed the program back in 2024.
She said it was a huge help when it came to learning the ins and outs of the industry.
It also helped her that it was all in Spanish, the language she prefers.
“All of the classes were focused on the regulations here in the United States and Oklahoma needing to be met,” she said. “In every class, we had experts talk to us about things like taking out loans, insurance, credit.”
“Wow, I mean it isn’t easy, but it’s possible,” she said. “Perseverance is important.”
Abel Aguilar is the Program Manager in charge of the Lanzamiento course.
“We believe it’s important because not only do we have a strong population of both Hispanic and Latin entrepreneurs here in Tulsa, they may not know the resources that they have available to them,” he said.
While tuition doesn’t start off as being free of charge, there are financial assistance options to help.
We Street Credit Union has also pitched in to offer funds for financial assistance so some weight can be taken off of the participant.
Aguilar also said Lobeck Taylor will work something out if finances are the only obstacle to applying.
For others interested in other resources to help kickstart their business, Avanzando Juntos is also a non-profit organization that can help.
Primarily for Spanish speakers, Avanzando Juntos helps connect business owners with grants and funding that can help eliminate some of the costs that come with starting a business.
For those interested in applying to the “Lanzamiento” Program, you can visit the Kitchen 66 website for the application.
Isabel Flores is your North & East Tulsa reporter.
Is there something you think she should know about or look into?
You can email her at Isabel.Flores@kjrh.com.
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1. Death of inmate at Oklahoma County Detention Center under investigation
Oklahoma County Detention Center.
• 33-year-old Dancing Feathers Whitecrow found unresponsive
• Taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead
• Active investigation ongoing
Officials are investigating the death of an inmate at the Oklahoma County Detention Center.
Officers found 33-year-old Dancing Feathers Whitecrow unresponsive just before 7 p.m. Sunday. She was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. Whitecrow had been booked into the jail in April.
This remains an active investigation.
The Oklahoma County Criminal Investigations Division is investigating after Dancing Feathers Whitecrow, 33, died in custody.
2. Deadly hit-and-run in southwest Oklahoma City
• Pedestrian struck and killed near Southwest 61st and May
• Crash happened just before midnight
• No description of the vehicle yet
Oklahoma City Police are investigating a deadly hit-and-run that happened late Tuesday in southwest Oklahoma City.
One person was struck and killed by a vehicle near Southwest 61st and May just before midnight on Wednesday.
Police say they currently have no description of the vehicle involved.
3. Elderly Moore woman mauled to death by dog
• 86-year-old Beatrice Carruth found dead July 2nd
• Dog belonged to her son, who was previously arrested in a related incident
• Dog has been euthanized
An 86-year-old Moore woman was mauled to death in her home by her son’s dog.
Beatrice Carruth was found dead on July 2nd. Family members say the dog, a Labrador and American Pit Bull Terrier mix, had previously attacked her in May.
The dog was euthanized Monday.
The Moore Police Department arrived at the scene near Northeast 27th Street and Highland Drive to find a woman with severe injuries.
4. Cattle rescue after semi overturns on I-40 near Tinker
News 9
• Mayberry family from Oklahoma City Stockyards helped clear the scene
• 109 head of cattle in trailer; more than 80 survived
• Similar crashes have happened in recent years
A family of ranchers helped rescue cattle after a semi overturned on I-40 near Tinker Air Force Base.
The Mayberry family responded to the scene and worked to safely remove the animals. They say they’ve assisted with several similar crashes over the past four years.
A trailer carrying 62 head of cattle overturned Tuesday morning, leaving only a single westbound lane of I-40 open for hours as crews rescued trapped animals.
5. Attorney General Drummond sues Allstate over insurance practices
• Lawsuit accuses company of denying or underpaying wind and hail claims
• Alleges use of undisclosed restrictive standards
• Similar lawsuit previously filed against State Farm
Attorney General Gentner Drummond is suing Allstate, accusing the insurance company of running a scheme to deny or underpay wind and hail claims.
The lawsuit alleges Allstate used undisclosed restrictive standards to limit coverage for Oklahomans. Drummond says the company is putting profits ahead of policyholders.
A similar lawsuit was previously filed against State Farm.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Cleveland County District Court and alleges violations of state consumer protection and anti-racketeering laws.
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Editor’s note: We used AI tools to help with editing and formatting this story. A human journalist reviewed everything before publication.
The NCAA is not done with Oklahoma State Guard Kashie Natt and his eligibility case, based on the organization’s statement on Tuesday.
On Monday, Natt received an ex parte ruling that kept the NCAA from enforcing its decision to cancel Natt’s waiver request to play in 2026-27. That ruling, from District Judge John Canavan, allows Natt to practice with the team, participate in all team activities and participate in any athletics-related benefits.
It also bars the NCAA from punishing Natt or Oklahoma State while the case is working its way through the court.
By its nature, an ex parte ruling is made after only hearing one side of the case. The NCAA posted a statement disagreeing with the ruling, including an explanation for why they canceled the waiver and will continue to pursue the case in court.
The NCAA’s Statement on Kashie Natt
The NCAA posted the statement to social media and was signed by the organization’s chief legal officer, Scott Bearby.
“The order in the Natt case, issued without the NCAA having any opportunity to respond and by a judge not even assigned to hear the case, is demonstrably flawed and the latest instance of an environment where litigation has become a tool to avoid playing by the rules that everyone has agreed to follow. The student-athlete at issue already benefited from the ‘Pavia waiver,’ which provided him the opportunity to play for a fifth season, and nobody, including the institution where he seeks to compete next year, has ever expressed any doubt that his collegiate career ended when the Pavia waiver expired. We will pursue all remedies to seek reversal of this decision, which contributes to the instability in college sports that only Congress can solve.”
The Pavia case, which was a suit called Pavia v. NCAA, was brought on behalf of Vanderbilt quarterback Deigo Pavia, who started his career in junior college. He received a preliminary injunction in 2025 after he challenged the NCAA’s system for junior college and NCAA eligibility, saying that his juco years counting toward his NCAA eligibility irreparably harmed his ability to leverage NIL.
The NCAA ultimately conceded and granted a blanket waiver that extended an extra year of eligibility to similar athletes. The NCAA believes that bucket includes Natt. He started his career five schools year ago at Southern University-Shreveport, a junior college. He followed that with three years at NAIA LSU-Alexandria and then one more year at Sam Houston.
Natt’s attorney, Darren Heitner, contends that Natt’s NCAA clock should have started when he began his career at LSU-Alexandria and therefore has one more year to play.
The case is still pending. A new court date has not been set yet.
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