Oklahoma Code § 10A-2-2-101

Title 10A. Children And Juvenile Code: Taking of child into custody - Detention - Medical
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treatment - Behavioral health treatment - Hearing on order for
medical treatment.
A.  A child may be taken into custody prior to the filing of a
petition alleging that the child is delinquent or in need of
supervision:
1.  By a peace officer, without a court order for any criminal
offense for which the officer is authorized to arrest an adult
without a warrant, or if the child is willfully and voluntarily
absent from the home of the child without the consent of the parent,
legal guardian, legal custodian or other person having custody and
control of the child for a substantial length of time or without
intent to return, or if the surroundings of the child are such as to
endanger the welfare of the child;
2.  By a peace officer or an employee of the court without a
court order, if the child is willfully and voluntarily absent from
the home of the child without the consent of the parent, legal
guardian, legal custodian or other person having custody and control
of the child if the surroundings of the child are such as to
endanger the welfare of the child or, in the reasonable belief of
the employee of the court or peace officer, the child appears to
have run away from home without just cause.  For purposes of this
section, a peace officer may reasonably believe that a child has run
away from home when the child refuses to give his or her name or the
name and address of a parent or other person legally responsible for
the care of the child or when the peace officer has reason to doubt
that the name and address given by the child are the actual name and
address of the parent or other person legally responsible for the
care of the child.  A peace officer or court employee is authorized
by the court to take a child who has run away from home or who, in
the reasonable belief of the peace officer, appears to have run away
from home, to a facility designated by administrative order of the
court for such purposes if the peace officer or court employee is
unable to or has determined that it is unsafe to return the child to
the home of the child or to the custody of his or her parent or
other person legally responsible for the care of the child.  Any
such facility receiving a child shall inform a parent or other
person responsible for the care of the child;
3.  Pursuant to an order of the district court issued on the
application of the office of the district attorney.  The application
presented by the district attorney shall be supported by a sworn
affidavit which may be based upon information and belief.  The

application shall state facts sufficient to demonstrate to the court
that there is probable cause to believe the child has committed a
crime or is in violation of the terms of probation, parole or order
of the court;
4.  By order of the district court pursuant to subsection F of
this section when the child is in need of medical or behavioral
health treatment or other action in order to protect the health or
welfare of the child and the parent, legal guardian, legal custodian
or other person having custody or control of the child is unwilling
or unavailable to consent to such medical or behavioral health
treatment or other action; and
5.  Pursuant to an emergency ex parte or a final protective
order of the district court issued at the request of a parent or
legal guardian pursuant to the Protection from Domestic Abuse Act.
Any child referred to in this subsection shall not be considered
to be in the custody of the Office of Juvenile Affairs.
B.  Whenever a child is taken into custody as a delinquent
child, the child shall be detained, held temporarily in the
custodial care of a peace officer or other person employed by a
police department, or be released to the custody of the parent of
the child, legal guardian, legal custodian, attorney or other
responsible adult, upon the written promise of such person to bring
the child to the court at the time fixed if a petition is to be
filed and to assume responsibility for costs for damages caused by
the child if the child commits any delinquent acts after being
released regardless of whether or not a petition is to be filed.  It
shall be a misdemeanor for any person to sign the written promise
and then fail to comply with the terms of the promise.  Any person
convicted of violating the terms of the written promise shall be
subject to imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6)
months or a fine of not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or
by both such fine and imprisonment.  In addition, if a parent, legal
guardian, legal custodian, attorney or other responsible adult is
notified that the child has been taken into custody, it shall be a
misdemeanor for such person to refuse to assume custody of the child
within a timely manner.  If detained, the child shall be taken
immediately before a judge of the district court in the county in
which the child is sought to be detained, or to the place of
detention or a children's emergency resource center or host home
designated by the court.  If no judge be available locally, the
person having the child in custody shall immediately report the
detention of the child to the presiding judge of the judicial
administrative district, provided that the child shall not be
detained in custody beyond the next judicial day or for good cause
shown due to problems of arranging for and transporting the child to
and from a secure juvenile detention center, beyond the second
judicial day unless the court shall so order after a detention

hearing to determine if there exists probable cause to detain the
child.  The child shall be present at the detention hearing or the
image of the child may be broadcast to the judge by closed-circuit
television or any other electronic means that provides for a two-way
communication of image and sound between the child and the judge.
If the latter judge cannot be reached, such detention shall be
reported immediately to any judge regularly serving within the
judicial administrative district.  If detained, a reasonable bond
for release shall be set.  Pending further disposition of the case,
a child whose custody has been assumed by the court may be released
to the custody of a parent, legal guardian, legal custodian, or
other responsible adult or to any other person appointed by the
court, or be detained pursuant to Chapter 3 of the Oklahoma Juvenile
Code in such place as shall be designated by the court, subject to
further order.
C.  When a child is taken into custody as a child in need of
supervision, the child shall be detained and held temporarily in the
custodial care of a peace officer or placed within a community
intervention center as defined in subsection D of Section 2-7-305 of
this title, a children's emergency resource center or host home, or
be released to the custody of the parent of the child, legal
guardian, legal custodian, attorney or other responsible adult, upon
the written promise of such person to bring the child to court at
the time fixed if a petition is to be filed.  A child who is alleged
or adjudicated to be in need of supervision shall not be detained in
any jail, lockup, or other place used for adults convicted of a
crime or under arrest and charged with a crime.
D.  When any child is taken into custody pursuant to this title
and it reasonably appears to the peace officer, employee of the
court or person acting pursuant to court order that the child is in
need of medical treatment to preserve the health of the child, any
peace officer, any employee of the court or person acting pursuant
to court order shall have the authority to authorize medical
examination and medical treatment for any child found to be in need
of medical treatment as diagnosed by a competent medical authority
in the absence of the parent of the child, legal guardian, legal
custodian, or other person having custody and control of the child
who is competent to authorize medical treatment.  The officer or the
employee of the court or person acting pursuant to court order shall
authorize said medical treatment only after exercising due diligence
to locate the parent of the child, legal guardian, legal custodian,
or other person legally competent to authorize said medical
treatment.  The parent of the child, legal guardian, legal
custodian, or other person having custody and control shall be
responsible for such medical expenses as ordered by the court.  No
peace officer, any employee of the court or person acting pursuant
to court order authorizing such treatment in accordance with the

provisions of this section for any child found in need of such
medical treatment shall have any liability, civil or criminal, for
giving such authorization.
E.  A child who has been taken into custody as otherwise
provided by this Code who appears to be a minor in need of
treatment, as defined by the Inpatient Mental Health and Substance
Abuse Treatment of Minors Act, may be admitted to a behavioral
health treatment facility in accordance with the provisions of the
Inpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment of Minors Act.
The parent of the child, legal guardian, legal custodian, or other
person having custody and control shall be responsible for such
behavioral health expenses as ordered by the court.  No peace
officer, any employee of the court or person acting pursuant to
court order authorizing such treatment in accordance with the
provisions of this section for any child found in need of such
behavioral health evaluation or treatment shall have any liability,
civil or criminal, for giving such authorization.
F.  1.  A child may be taken into custody pursuant to an order
of the court specifying that the child is in need of medical
treatment or other action to protect the health or welfare of the
child and the parent, legal guardian, legal custodian, or other
responsible adult having custody or control of a child is unwilling
or unavailable to consent to such medical treatment or other action.
2.  If the child is in need of immediate medical treatment or
other action to protect the health or welfare of the child, the
court may issue an emergency ex parte order upon application of the
district attorney of the county in which the child is located.  The
application for an ex parte order may be verbal or in writing and
shall be supported by facts sufficient to demonstrate to the court
that there is reasonable cause to believe that the child is in need
of immediate medical treatment or other action to protect the health
or welfare of the child.  The emergency ex parte order shall be in
effect until a full hearing is conducted.  A copy of the
application, notice for full hearing and a copy of any ex parte
order issued by the court shall be served upon such parent, legal
guardian, legal custodian, or other responsible adult having custody
or control of the child.  Within twenty-four (24) hours of the
filing of the application the court shall schedule a full hearing on
the application, regardless of whether an emergency ex parte order
had been issued or denied.
3.  Except as otherwise provided by paragraph 2 of this
subsection, whenever a child is in need of medical treatment to
protect the health or welfare of the child, or whenever any other
action is necessary to protect the health or welfare of the child,
and the parent of the child, legal guardian, legal custodian, or
other person having custody or control of the child is unwilling or
unavailable to consent to such medical treatment or other action,

the court, upon application of the district attorney of the county
in which the child is located, shall hold a full hearing within five
(5) days of filing the application.  Notice of the hearing and a
copy of the application shall be served upon the parent, legal
guardian, legal custodian, or other person having custody or control
of the child.
4.  At any hearing held pursuant to this subsection, the court
may grant any order or require such medical treatment or other
action as is necessary to protect the health or welfare of the
child.
5. a. The parent, legal guardian, legal custodian, or other
person having custody or control of the child shall be
responsible for such medical expenses as ordered by
the court.
b. No peace officer, any employee of the court or person
acting pursuant to court order authorizing such
treatment in accordance with the provisions of this
subsection for any child found in need of such medical
treatment shall have any liability, civil or criminal.
G.  As a part of the intake process, an employee of the Office
of Juvenile Affairs or a county juvenile bureau shall inquire as to
whether there is any American Indian lineage or ancestry that would
make the child eligible for membership or citizenship in a federally
recognized American Indian tribe or nation.  If the employee of the
Office of Juvenile Affairs or a county juvenile bureau determines
that the child may have American Indian lineage or ancestry, the
employee shall notify the primary tribe or nation of membership or
citizenship within three (3) judicial days of completing an intake
of such determination.  Any information or records related to taking
the child into custody shall be confidential, shall not be open to
the general public, and shall not be inspected or their contents
disclosed.
Added by Laws 1995, c. 352, § 114, eff. July 1, 1995.  Amended by
Laws 1996, c. 247, § 18, eff. July 1, 1996; Laws 1997, c. 293, § 15,
eff. July 1, 1997; Laws 1998, c. 268, § 5, eff. July 1, 1998; Laws
2000, c. 177, § 5, eff. July 1, 2000; Laws 2002, c. 327, § 24, eff.
July 1, 2002; Laws 2009, c. 234, § 40, emerg. eff. May 21, 2009.
Renumbered from § 7303-1.1 of Title 10 by Laws 2009, c. 234, § 178,
emerg. eff. May 21, 2009.  Amended by Laws 2013, c. 404, § 4, eff.
Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2015, c. 261, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2015; Laws 2017,
c. 254, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2017.

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