Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Deserting A Wife Or Young Child - Is A Felony
Abandoning and not providing for the care of a wife and/or kids (15 & under) is still a criminal act, in Oklahoma.
Aside from civil court action and divorce court, the dependents can turn to the police and have the man arrested.
§21-853. Desertion of wife or child under 15 a felony.
Every person who
shall without good cause abandon his wife in destitute or necessitous
circumstances and neglect and refuse to maintain or provide for her, or who
shall abandon his or her minor child or children under the age of fifteen (15)
years and willfully neglect or refuse to maintain or provide for such child or
children, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof,
shall be punished by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for any period of
time not less than one (1) year or more than ten (10) years.
Added by Laws 1915, c. 149, §
1. Amended by Laws 1923, c. 78, p. 144,
§ 2, emerg. eff. March 28, 1923; Laws 1997, c. 133, § 253, eff. July 1, 1999;
Laws 1999, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 5, § 157, eff. July 1, 1999.
NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended
the effective date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 253 from July 1, 1998, to July 1,
1999.
§21-854. Proof of marriage - Wife as competent witness - Duty of County Attorney to prosecute.
No
other evidence shall be required to prove marriage of such husband and wife, or
that such person is the lawful father or mother of such child or children than
is or shall be required to prove such fact in a civil action, and such wife shall
be a competent witness to testify in any case brought under this act, and to
any and all matters relevant thereto, including the fact of such marriage and
the parentage of such child or children.
It shall be the mandatory duty of each district attorney of this state
to diligently prosecute all persons violating any of the provisions of this
chapter (Chapter 31, Title 21 O.S.1951), and in all cases where the evidence is
deemed sufficient to justify a prosecution for such violation, any district
attorney who shall willfully fail, neglect or refuse to institute criminal
proceedings to enforce such provisions, shall be subject to removal from
office.
Laws 1915, c.
149, § 2; Laws 1949, p. 203, § 1.
