Access Legal Assistance: Connect With Attorneys Through Rodney’s Bail Bonds

If you have been arrested on a Felony or Misdemeanor, you will likely be required by the court to hire an attorney. If you are not sure if you will need an attorney, you can ask the judge when you go in for arraignment. If your case requires that you hire an attorney, we recommend that you talk to several to find the right one for you and your case. Most attorneys will offer a free, no-obligation consultation. We have provided a partial list of local attorneys to help you get started in your search.

Public defenders are appointed by the court for defendants who cannot afford to hire an attorney. In order to apply for a Public Defender, you will be required to complete an application requesting a public defender for your case. In Oklahoma County, the applications are available online or at the Public Defender’s office located on the sixth floor of the Oklahoma County Court House. (Here is a link to commonly asked questions from Oklahoma Co’s PD website.) In Cleveland County, applications are available at the Court Clerk’s office. There is a small fee required to apply for a Public Defender. Paying the fee and filling out the application does not guarantee that you will get one. There will be a hearing where the court in your case will review your application and determine if you will be appointed a PD.  Please keep reading.

It is important to know that making a bond creates a presumption that you are financially able to hire a private attorney. This presumption does not mean that you cannot get a public defender; it simply means that you must demonstrate financial need to the judge before he or she will appoint a public defender for you. If, for example, you are unable to work due to a disability and your only source of income is disability income, a judge may agree that you are unable to afford to hire a private attorney.

Your first court date is usually called an arraignment or initial appearance. If you do not already have a court date, have not seen a judge, or do not have a permanent case number, you will need to go before a judge for an arraignment. (You do not need an attorney for this). Courts vary in how they handle arraignments; here are a few examples:

Cleveland County no longer has walk in arraignment times available.  If you bond out of jail, the jail will provide you with a court date when you are released from custody.

You may also look in OSCN for your next court date or contact the district attorney's office or the court clerk.

• Oklahoma County Temp Cases– If the District Attorney has not yet filed any charges in your case, you will have a temporary case number. These cases are also referred to as “Temp Cases” or “CPC Cases.” (CPC stands for Criminal Probable Cause.) You will be given your first arraignment date when you bond out. If the District Attorney has not filed charges by that date, you will need to return for a second arraignment date approximately four weeks later.

• Norman City Court- You must go to the Norman Municipal Court and report to the Municipal Court Clerk within five business days of being bonded out. When you report in, the clerk will tell you your assigned court date.

• Moore City Court– If you have bonded out on City of Moore charges, your court date was assigned when the bond was posted. If you did not receive this information from the jail, contact the Moore Municipal Court or call our office at 405-205-0603.

Yes, most county-level criminal cases, including Oklahoma County and Cleveland County cases, can be tracked online at  www.OSCN.net. At the top of the home page, select “Court Dockets” and then “Search Dockets” from the menu on the left side of the screen. Search by your name or case number.

Some city dockets are available online, such as Oklahoma City cases and Moore Case Lookup.

If something happens and you do miss court, call your attorney and Rodney ASAP. We can help you to get a new court date. (If you miss a court date and do nothing, you will have a Failure to Appear, the court will issue an arrest warrant, your bond will be forfeited, and you will end up back in jail. The courts don’t forget, and charges will not just disappear.) So, if you miss a court date, call, and we will help you.

That being said, go to court! As one of our clients wants to say, “Nothing good comes from the missing court.” It is very important that you go to court. Always be on time, arrive 30 minutes early, and dress appropriately—no shorts, t-shirts, or flip-flops. Also, turn off your phone and other devices. What you wear and how you act will make an impression on the judge and the District attorney, good or bad.

Yes, you will need to report to your bondsman every Wednesday. You can go to our website, call, or send a text to Rodney to check in. It is very important that you communicate with your bondsman and that your bondsman is able to contact you. Call Rodney ANY time you have a change, for example, if you get a new phone number, your work or address change, or if you get a court date. Also, please let Rodney know who you hired as your attorney.