§ 704 Magistrate may issue subpoena.

If you're involved in a criminal case in Oklahoma, the judge handling the early stages of the case (called a magistrate) has the power to order witnesses to come to court. This applies whether the case started because someone filed a complaint, a grand jury made a formal accusation, or a prosecutor filed charges directly.

This power works both ways. The magistrate can issue these court orders, called subpoenas, for witnesses the state wants to bring in, or for witnesses the defendant wants to bring in. The only requirement is that the witness has to be located somewhere within Oklahoma.

In practice, this means both sides get a fair shot at gathering testimony they need. The defendant isn't stuck relying only on whatever witnesses the prosecution decides to call. If someone has information that could help the defense, the magistrate can order that person to show up and testify.