Oklahoma 2024 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB325 Engrossed / Bill

Filed 03/05/2024

                     
 
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ENGROSSED SENATE 
BILL NO. 325 	By: Daniels of the Senate 
 
  and 
 
  Duel of the House 
 
 
 
 
An Act relating to criminal prosecutions; amending 22 
O.S. 2021, Sections 812.1 and 812.2, which relate to 
the right to speedy trial; modifying time limits for 
conducting certain criminal proceedings; updating 
statutory references; limiting number of continuances 
on certain grounds; adding permissible grounds for 
delay of certain proceedings; increasing frequency of 
certain required review; updating statutory language; 
and providing an effective date . 
 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     22 O.S. 2021, Section 812.1, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 812.1.  A.  If any person charged with a crime a nd held 
in jail solely by reason thereof is not brought to trial within one 
(1) year after arrest nine (9) months after the person ’s initial 
appearance on the charge , the court shall set the case for immediate 
review as provided in Section 2 812.2 of this act title, to 
determine if the right of the accused to a speedy trial is being 
protected. 
B.  If any person charged with a felony crime who is held to 
answer on an appearance bond is not brought to trial within eighteen   
 
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(18) months after arrest initial appearance, the court shall set the 
case for immediate review as provided in Section 2 812.2 of this 
act, title to determine if the right of the accused to a speedy 
trial is being protected. 
C.  In the event a mistrial is declared or a conviction is 
reversed on appeal, the time limitations provided for in this 
section shall commence to run from the date the mistrial is declared 
or the date of the mandate of the Court of Criminal Appeals. 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     22 O.S. 2021, Section 812 .2, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 812.2.  A.  Whenever the court finds that a case should 
be reviewed to determine if the right of an accused to a speedy 
trial is being protected, the court shall: 
1.  Issue notice to the District Attorney district attorney, the 
accused, and the attorney for the accused that the case will be 
reviewed by the court at a date and time which is not less than ten 
(10) days nor more than twenty (20) days from the date of the 
notice.  Each party shall have the opportunity to present evidence 
or legal authority in support of its position; and 
2.  Take evidence from both parties regarding the 
appropriateness of the cause for the delay.  At the hearing, the 
court shall consider whether the delay has occurred for any of the 
following reasons:   
 
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a. the delay is the result of due to the application of 
the accused or an attorney on behalf of the accused, 
b. the delay is the result of due to the fault of the 
accused or the attorney for the accused, 
c. the accused is incompetent to sta nd trial, 
d. a proceeding to determine the competency of the accused 
to stand trial is pending and a determination cannot be 
completed within the time limitations fixed for trial, 
e. there is material evidence or a material witness which 
is unavailable and that reasonable efforts have be en 
made to procure such evidence or witness, and there are 
reasonable grounds to believe that such evidence or 
witness can be obtained and trial commenced within a 
reasonable time, 
f. the accused is charged as a codefendant or 
coconspirator and the court has determined that the 
codefendants or coconspirators must be tried before 
separate juries taken from separate jury panels, 
g. the court has other cases pending for trial that are 
for persons incarcerated prior to the case i n question, 
and the court does n ot have sufficient time to commence 
the trial of the case within the time limitation fixed 
for trial; provided, no more than three continuances of   
 
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not more than thirty (30) days may be ordered pursuant 
to this subparagraph , 
h. the court, state, accused, or the attorney for the 
accused is incapable of proceeding to trial due to 
illness or other reason and it is unreasonable to 
reassign the case, and 
i. no court reporter is available for the trial of the 
case; provided, if the delay is pursuant to this 
subparagraph, a court reporter shall be assigned for 
trial within sixty (60) days of the hearing, 
j. a continuance is granted to allow the prosecution 
additional time to prepare in a felony case if the 
court enters specific findin gs that additional time is 
justified due to exceptional circumstances, and 
k. due to other reasonable grounds the court does not have 
sufficient time to commence the trial of the case 
within the time limit fixed for trial ; provided, no 
more than one continuance of not more than thirty (3 0) 
days may be ordered pursuant to this subparagraph . 
B.  If, after After hearing all the evidence and the legal 
arguments properly submitted, if the court finds by a preponderance 
of the evidence that the state is not proce eding with due diligence, 
that none of the exceptions set out in paragraph 2 of subsection A 
of this section justify additional delay and the right of the   
 
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accused to a speedy trial as provided in this section and Section 
812.1 of this title has been violated, the court shall dismiss the 
case. 
C.  If a preliminary hearing has been held, the case may be 
refiled, unless the applicable statute of limitations has expired, 
upon a showing of newly discovered evidence which could not have 
been discovered prior to t rial, unless the applicable statute of 
limitations has expired . 
D.  If a preliminary hearing has not been held, the case may be 
refiled, upon good cause shown , unless any applicable statute of 
limitations has expired. 
E.  If, after After hearing all the evidence and the legal 
arguments properly submitted, if the court finds that the right of 
the accused to a speedy trial has not been violated, the court shall 
set the case for review in four (4) within three (3) months.  If the 
case is still pending after th e four-month three-month period, the 
court shall conduct another review within thirty (30) days .  The 
four-month review of pending cases every thirty (30) days shall be a 
continuing responsibility of the court until final disposition of 
the case. 
SECTION 3.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2024.   
 
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Passed the Senate the 4th day of March, 2024. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate 
 
 
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________, 
2024. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Ho use 
 	of Representatives