Located in the southeastern part of Oklahoma, Pushmataha County was created in 1907 at the statehood of Oklahoma and named after Chief Pushmataha, a prominent Choctaw chief. It has a land area of 1,396 square miles and an approximate population of 10,812. Antlers is its county seat and largest city.

Courts in Pushmataha County

The county system in Pushmataha County comprises district and municipal courts. Pushmataha County District Court, as the highest court in the county, has general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases but typically hears cases beyond the jurisdiction of municipal courts. It hears all civil cases with claims without financial limits and all criminal cases, such as misdemeanors and felonies. It also handles juvenile, domestic relations, and probate matters, including paternity, termination of parental rights, divorces, annulments, maintenance, delinquency, dependency, admission of wills, appointment of guardianships, and administration of estates.

Municipal courts in Pushmataha County hear municipal ordinance infractions and traffic offenses within their jurisdictions. The county has three municipal courts: Rattan, Clayton, and Antlers.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Pushmataha County

Public court records in Pushmataha County are records that can be examined and copied by anyone. These records include warrants, court filings, writs, court proceedings, and verdicts from the county courts. The Pushmataha County Clerk maintains these records in compliance with state and county regulations.

Anyone can examine and request copies of pertinent public court records by visiting any of the county's courts. They can also search for Pushmataha County public court records using the state-provided On Demand Court Records Portal.

Types of Public Court Records in Pushmataha County

The right of the public in Pushmataha County to access nonconfidential court records is enshrined in the Oklahoma Constitution and helps to assure them of the fairness of the judicial system. Pushmataha County makes the following types of court records available to the public unless sealed by a court:

• Criminal Court Records: includes court proceedings and verdicts for felony and misdemeanor cases
• Family Court Records: includes annulments, divorce decrees, emancipation, maintenance orders, and custody judgments
• Civil Court Records: includes eminent domain, personal injury cases,  libel, professional malpractices, product liabilities, employment disputes, trade secrets, mortgage foreclosures, automobile negligence, contract indebtedness, slander, and breaches of contracts
• Probate Court Records: includes documentation of wills, estates, trusts, and guardianships

Confidential Court Records in Pushmataha County

In Pushmataha County, some court documents are sealed to protect confidential information, maintain privacy, or further the interests of justice. These records are either sealed by court orders or sealed by default under Oklahoma law. Confidential court records are not available to the public, unlike public court records. Only those with authorization or court orders may access them. Typically, the following court records cannot be accessed by the public in Oklahoma:

• Records sealed or expunged under Oklahoma sealing and expungement laws
• Unprosecuted charges
• Most juvenile delinquency records
• Adoption records
• Medical and mental health records
• Certain records of victims of domestic violence
• Eligible misdemeanor or felony convictions after certain years
• Certain records of victims of sexual assault
• Substance abuse treatment records
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
• Proceedings for involuntary commitment for mental health evaluation
• HIV/AIDs test results and treatment records

The following are also concealed from public view in Oklahoma:

• Social Security number
• Driver’s license number
• Bank account details
• Tax returns
• Identifying information about jurors
• Identifying information about confidential informants in criminal prosecutions.

Juvenile Delinquency in Pushmataha, OK

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Pushmataha County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Oklahoma often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 41 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Pushmataha County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 41 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Pushmataha County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Pushmataha County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Pushmataha County, OK

https://www.ok.gov/

County Seat:	Antlers
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1907
Total Square Miles:	1,423
2019 Population:	11,173
Persons/Square Mile:	0.13

Pushmataha County, OK Courts