District employees also are finding new clients for hot checks among businesses and even individuals.

"It's a system," Hudson said, "that's available to anyone in the public."

The Oklahoma County office has two people whose full-time job is to meet merchants in the community and convince them to let the district attorney's office pursue their hot checks.

Lane said the bogus check division is "not unlike any small business."

"People like the program and we're doing some innovative programs around the state, trying to be more competitive with more high-tech standards," Lane said. "We've got some things in the mill that we hope will make us more competitive nationally against collection agencies."

Even before Wal-Mart's decision, district attorneys realized going after hot checks could be a dwindling venture anyway as more payments are made electronically.

Lane said his office is "taking steps that will take us to the next generation of electronic payments," including a partnership in the works with a high-tech finance recovery group.

James S. Tyree is CNHI News Service Oklahoma reporter.