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Oklahoma · Snapshot open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14

Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-1-4-502: Jury trial

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. OK Code
  2. Title 10A

A. A parent entitled to service of summons, the state or a

child shall have the right to demand a trial by jury on the sole

issue of termination of parental rights only in the following

circumstances:

1. When the initial petition to determine if a child is

deprived also contains a request for termination of parental rights

in which case the court shall determine if the child should be

adjudicated deprived and, if so, the jury shall determine if

parental rights should be terminated; or

2. When, following a hearing in which the child is adjudicated

deprived, a request for termination of parental rights is filed by

the state or the child.

B. The demand for a jury trial shall be granted unless waived,

or the court on its own motion may call a jury to try any

termination of parental rights case.

C. 1. If the jury trial to determine whether parental rights

should be terminated is waived, the court shall issue a scheduling

order within thirty (30) days. A bench trial shall commence within

ninety (90) days of the issuance of the scheduling order unless the

court issues a written order with findings of fact supporting a

determination that there exists an exceptional circumstance to

support the delay or that the parties and the guardian ad litem, if

any, agree to such continuance.

2. Upon a demand for a trial by jury, the court shall issue a

scheduling order within thirty (30) days. A jury trial shall

commence within six (6) months of the issuance of the scheduling

order unless the court issues a written order with findings of fact

supporting a determination that there exists an exceptional

circumstance to support the delay or that the parties and the

guardian ad litem, if any, agree to such continuance. The jury

shall consist of six (6) persons. A party who requests a jury trial

and fails to appear in person for such trial, after proper notice

and without good cause, may be deemed by the court to have waived

the right to such jury trial, and the termination of parental rights

shall be by nonjury trial unless another party demands a jury trial

or the court determines on its own motion to try the case to a jury.

Collected 2026-09-14T18:32:36Z. Source file · JSON

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