A person generally commits the criminal offense of public lewdness or lewd conduct in public if the person knowingly engages in any of the following acts in a public place—or, if not in a public place, the person is reckless about whether another is present who will be offended or alarmed by the person’s (1) act of sexual intercourse; (2) act of deviate sexual intercourse; (3) act of sexual contact with a person’s own private parts or those of another.

Public lewdness laws vary from state to state, and some states define and charge such criminal offenses under indecent exposure laws. Public lewdness is usually a misdemeanor offense, but may be a felony offense under some circumstances. And in some states a conviction for public lewdness may require the defendant to register as a sex offender.

In Oklahoma, public lewdness is addressed under the state's indecent exposure laws. According to Oklahoma statutes, specifically 21 O.S. § 1021, it is illegal for a person to willfully and knowingly engage in any lewd or indecent act, including the acts of sexual intercourse, deviate sexual intercourse, or sexual contact in a public place or in any place where there is a reasonable expectation that they might be observed by others who would be offended or alarmed by the act. Public lewdness is generally considered a misdemeanor in Oklahoma. However, if the act is performed in the presence of a minor or if the individual has prior convictions, the offense can be elevated to a felony. Additionally, depending on the circumstances and the severity of the offense, a conviction for public lewdness in Oklahoma could potentially lead to the requirement for the defendant to register as a sex offender under the state's Sex Offenders Registration Act.