Oklahoma Court & Family Education Guide
Information for anyone navigating a court order, custody case, or probation requirement in Oklahoma that involves anger management, parenting, co-parenting, or substance-abuse education.
What does Clearway offer?
People are sometimes ordered or referred to an educational program as part of a family-law, custody, probation, or other Oklahoma court-related matter. The type of program required can depend on the circumstances of the case and the exact wording of the court order.
Clearway Institute offers four self-paced online courses: anger management, parenting, co-parenting, and substance-abuse education. Not every course is appropriate for every court order, and completing an online course does not automatically mean a particular Oklahoma court, probation department, or agency will accept it — always read your order carefully and confirm the required program with the court, probation officer, attorney, or other referring agency when you're not sure.
Which type of class do you need?
Start with whichever matches your order or situation — each course page has the full curriculum before you enroll.
What if a Oklahoma court ordered it?
Oklahoma does have a statewide rule for domestic abuse convictions. Under 21 O.S. § 644, the court must order counseling or treatment as a condition of a suspended or deferred sentence, including an assessment and a batterer-intervention program certified by the Attorney General that runs at least 52 weeks. 22 O.S. § 60.6 applies similar terms to protective-order violations and says anger management or couples counseling alone does not qualify.
On the civil side, a final protective order under 22 O.S. § 60.4 lasts for a fixed period of no more than five years unless extended, modified or vacated, and a court may set a longer order on specific findings. In custody cases, 43 O.S. § 112.2(B) presumes against custody for a parent convicted of domestic abuse within the past five years, though the parent may rebut it. Confirm exactly what your own order requires before enrolling in any course.
What's the difference between classes?
Parenting vs. co-parenting. Parenting covers general child-development, discipline, and communication skills, and comes up in a wide range of family cases. Co-parenting is built specifically for separated or divorcing parents — coordinating two households, handling custody transitions, and keeping kids out of the middle — and is the more common requirement in a custody or divorce order.
Anger management vs. a certified intervention program. Many states, Oklahoma included, treat general educational anger-management coursework as legally distinct from a state-certified batterer intervention, family-violence intervention, or abuser-treatment program ordered specifically in a domestic-violence case — see “What if a Oklahoma court ordered it?” above for how that distinction works here. If your order names a specific certified program by name, an educational anger-management course usually isn't an automatic substitute — check with your court.
Where can I verify requirements?
The most reliable answer always comes from whoever issued your order — the court clerk, your probation or parole officer, your attorney, or the agency that referred you. Below are free, Oklahoma-specific places to start if you need legal help, counseling, or crisis support along the way.
Legal reference material
For anyone who wants to read the underlying statutes for themselves, here is the reference material this guide is based on — Oklahoma civil and family-law sections first, then criminal law.
Civil & family law
Protective orders22 O.S. § 60.4
Under the Protection from Domestic Abuse Act, the court sets a full hearing within 14 days of the petition when grounds are sufficient. A final order lasts no more than five years unless extended, and the court can issue a continuous order with no end date on specific findings, such as a prior violent felony or a prior final protective order.
Custody presumption after a domestic abuse conviction43 O.S. § 112.2(B)
A court presumes custody or guardianship should not go to a parent convicted of domestic abuse within the past five years, or one living with such a person. The presumption can be rebutted with evidence.
Risk of harm and supervised visitation43 O.S. § 112.2(C)–(D)
Custody, guardianship or visitation may not be granted if it would likely expose the child to a foreseeable risk of material harm. Court-ordered supervised visitation generally runs through the Oklahoma Child Supervised Visitation Program.
Criminal law
Assault and battery21 O.S. § 644(A)–(B)
Misdemeanor offenses covering assault and unlawful physical force against another person, with assault and battery carrying a higher range of punishment than assault alone.
Domestic abuse21 O.S. § 644(C), (G), (J)
Assault and battery against a current or former intimate partner or a family or household member, as defined in 22 O.S. § 60.1. Repeat offenses, abuse in a child's presence and strangulation are treated more seriously, and every conviction brings a counseling requirement.
Violation of a protective order22 O.S. § 60.6
Knowingly violating an ex parte or final protective order is a crime, with a first violation generally a misdemeanor and repeat violations or violations causing injury treated more seriously. Courts may also order GPS monitoring as a sentence condition.
Stalking21 O.S. § 1173
Willfully and maliciously following or harassing someone in a way that would frighten a reasonable person and does so, through a course of conduct of two or more acts. It is a felony, with higher tiers for conduct such as violating a protective order.