There are few times of the year more stressful than the holiday season, particularly for those in relationships going through turbulent times.

Challenges many couples encounter include everything from disagreements about child custody and visitation rights to what the holiday spending budget should be. These disputes can become so heated that they can ultimately lead to false restraining orders being filed.

Also known as Protection or Protective Orders, It is estimated that over 700,000 restraining orders are issued based on false claims of abuse, the repercussions on the legal and social systems are detrimental and may affect the accused person’s life to the point that their standard of living is extremely affected. If you believe you are the victims of one of these orders being filed against you, you need to consult with an experienced Tulsa restraining order defense attorney as soon as possible.

The trial attorneys at Fry & Elder not only empathize with this those going through this type of unfortunate scenario but want you to know that if you are the victim of a frivolous protective order filed against you, we have the resources, knowledge, and acumen in place to turn the tables on the accuser.

“We will make them fit the bill,” Fry & Elder attorney Preston Bennet said.

Indeed, the prominent Tulsa family law firm has a history of having frivolous or false restraining orders ruled in their clients’ favor.

Fry & Elder attorney Kevin Glasco not only recently successfully defended a client from a protective order he had it ruled frivolous, meaning the petitioner had to “fit the bill” for the court costs and attorney fees.

Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. was no doubt pleased to hear about Glasco’s verdict. The well-known Tulsa attorney has also been able to successfully defend many clients from of protective orders and has had several ruled as frivolous.

“A request for a frivolous ruling from the court is unusual, primarily because most people don’t know that it is available and must be alleged in a response to an emergency protective order,” Robert Fry said.

Fry remembers the court stating the following after one such case.

“The court finds Petitioner filed this Protective Order action against Defendant to ‘retaliate’ against Petitioner’s wife and her family and to cover and distract from his own violations of the emergency protective order then in effect against him. The Court finds Petitioner filed the instant protective order action frivolously and no victim exists.”

What Are Restraining Orders or Protective Orders?

Protective orders in Oklahoma are defined and governed by the “Protection from Domestic Abuse Act.” Protective orders are typically entered against a family or household member when a victim has experienced or feels a threat of:

• Domestic violence
• Harassment
• Stalking
• Sexual assault

There are two types of protective orders which can be filed in Oklahoma: an emergency ex parte order of protection and a final or permanent order of protection.

Why You Need An Experienced Tulsa Restraining Order Defense Attorney

Having a protective or restraining order filed against you can have very serious consequences which can potentially affect your parenting rights and employment opportunities.

With domestic violence, stalking and rape all being separate and very serious crimes, having someone one file a protective order means they are accusing the other side of criminal activity. If you are the accused, you need a lawyer who can help you fully assess your situation and advise you about your rights for the protective order, for your family law case, and for any criminal investigation or charges. 

Once a protective order has been served, the defendant may not have contact with the person protected by the order until the protective order is lifted. Violation of a protective order can result in criminal charges. It is imperative that you immediately seek consultation with an attorney if you have been served a protective order. 

Experience the Fry & Elder Difference

With roots dating back to 1932, Fry & Elder has long epitomized Tulsa legal excellence in family law, criminal law, and personal injury law. The firm has also achieved national notoriety having been named to the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms List every year since 2014.

Contact Fry & Elder today to set up a personal consultation with an experienced and knowledgeable Tulsa attorney.

With origins dating all the way back to 1932, Fry & Elder is one of the oldest and most established Tulsa law firms.

It also is one of the best law firms in Tulsa.

The U.S. News & World Report revealed its highly anticipated 2023 Best Law Firms List and rankings, and Fry & Elder once again found itself on the esteemed list – for a ninth consecutive year.

“Tremendous honor,” Fry & Elder managing partner Simon Harwood said. “These types of awards, especially one of this stature, are never taken lightly. More than anything, I think it reaffirms our passion and commitment to our clients and our standing and reputation within Tulsa and the rest of the nation.”

Indeed, the recognition that comes with making the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms List for 2023 is noteworthy.

According to a news release put out by the U.S. News & World Report, Fry & Elder is in extremely elite legal company.

“To produce the 13th edition, the Best Lawyers research team analyzed almost 124,000 client responses, 12.2 million evaluations of more than 115,000 lawyers from more than 22,000 firms and conducted hundreds of interviews with law firm leaders. This process resulted in 2,071 firms earning a national recognition, and 15,825 firms earning a metropolitan recognition. Of those, only 571 firms earned a national Tier 1 recognition and only 64 firms earned a “Law Firm of the Year” designation.”

To be eligible for inclusion a firm must have at least one attorney who has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America©.

Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr. more than fits the bill, as he was selected for a 13th consecutive year to Best Lawyers® earlier this year. The honor Fry received only goes to the “top 5% of private practicing lawyers in the United States.”

Fry, who continues to actively practice high-conflict, high-resolution divorce and child custody cases at the firm, likes the direction the firm is going under the leadership of Simon Harwood.

“Simon is doing a great job carrying the torch here just as I did under C. Lawrence Elder,” Robert Fry said. “We have a great mix of attorneys in place now – many of whom are experienced and several of which are up-and-coming attorneys. I feel really good about where are as a firm and the direction we are headed.”

Fry & Elder provides extensive legal services in both family law and criminal defense.

To set up a personal consultation with an experienced and knowledgeable attorney from one of the most established and Best Law Firms in Tulsa, contact Fry & Elder today.   

With eight attorneys in place now, Fry & Elder continues to evolve as an in-demand, high-volume Tulsa law firm. The firm handles criminal law defense matters and one of its attorneys – Preston Bennett – recently won a school bullying case. Still, the prestigious Tulsa law firm has long been known for its excellence in family law thanks in large part to the efforts of Robert G “Hap” Fry Jr.

Fry has been synonymous with Tulsa family law excellence for over 50 years during what has been a remarkable legal career at Fry & Elder, and his notoriety and popularity both locally and nationally only continues to grow.

Best Lawyers® recently tabbed Fry for inclusion in its 2023 legal directory.  This year’s selection marks the 13^th consecutive year that Robert G Fry Jr. has been selected, which exceeds that of many other family law attorneys in the Tulsa area. 

“I’ve been very fortunate to have had a career which has given me longevity, and that I continue to be passionate about,” Robert G Fry Jr. said. “I really enjoy working and developing relationships with clients and helping develop and construct the best legal plan for them moving forward. To be honored by Best Lawyers® is an honor that I don’t take lightly. There are many excellent attorneys in this area. To continually be included in Best Lawyers® is flattering.”

Best Lawyers® is widely viewed as the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.

Much of this has to do with the rigorous selection process Best Lawyers® employs. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be recognized by Best Lawyers.

As the website states:

“Recognition by Best Lawyers® is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

“Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer-review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.”

Fry’s passion for his work has been well-documented and has not gone unnoticed for some time.  He was proactive in embracing and advancing the changes in child support guidelines in the 1980s, which drew national attention. He was interviewed on CBS The Early Showin a divorce series entitled, “What About the Kids?”

He has shepherded many attorneys over a spectacular career – three of whom have also gone on to become Fellows of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.   

“He’s a machine,” Fry & Elder managing attorney Simon Harwood said. “It’s really an honor to work with him and be under his tutelage. The fact that he continues to operate and work at such a high level after 50 years really speaks volumes about the passion he has for his clients and the legal process in general. I’ve learned quite a lot from him”

Contact Fry & Elder today to set up a personal consultation with Robert G Fry Jr. or another knowledgeable and experienced Tulsa attorney.  

Misdemeanors are the most common criminal charge for good reason. They encompass everything from property crimes, like theft and vandalism, to drug crimes, like marijuana possession or public intoxication. Even traffic violations are considered misdemeanor offenses, even though most people don’t even think of traffic offenses as actual crimes. Believe it or not, a speeding ticket is treated the same as domestic abuse.  

Depending on the nature of the misdemeanor, they can present significant roadblocks particularly when applying for a number of jobs. For example, not matter how much experience you have, an employer will likely view you differently if your record contains a “resisting arrest” or “domestic abuse” or “assault and battery” arrest.

The good news though is that expungement of a misdemeanor in Oklahoma is possible from your record no matter what type of misdemeanor was committed or what the outcome was so long as you meet certain requirements.

The attorneys of Fry & Elder wish to help navigate you through the complicated process of having a misdemeanor expunged.

How do you know if you qualify to have a misdemeanor expunged in Oklahoma?

You may be eligible to get that misdemeanor erased from your record. If there are no other charges for a felony or misdemeanor pending against you and you have never in the past been convicted of said offenses, a misdemeanor on your record is eligible for expungement if:

• All charges were dismissed against you;
• You have successfully completed a deferred judgment and 1 year has passed since the misdemeanor charge was dismissed;
• The fine for your conviction was less than Five Hundred One Dollars and you served no jail time;
• 5 years have passed since you served a prison term or suspended sentence; or
• You received a fine exceeding Five Hundred Dollars for a misdemeanor conviction (22 O.S. § 18)

The expungement process can be complicated, but it is worth it. Hire a skilled expungement attorney to assure that you can get your misdemeanors sealed and removed. Just like it never happened!

What are the benefits of getting your record expunged?

The benefits are numerous. For starters, you can legally deny the arrest or charge ever happened. That means that when you are applying for a job, for university financial aid, for housing or for anything, you can legally deny in writing that you were ever arrested/charged/convicted.

Second, it is illegal for any of the above institutions to use expunged information against you.

Finally, getting your records expunged can allow you to reach your full potential. No longer will you have this thing holding you back.

The attorneys of Fry & Elder are here to help

Whether you are attempting to get an expungement of a misdemeanor in Oklahoma, or you are going through another legal issue, our nationally acclaimed law firm has the resources and attorneys in place to help creatively construct the best course of action to ensure you have the best opportunity for a successful outcome.