{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-2-2-702","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-2-2-702","heading":"Referees","body":"A. Any judge who is assigned to hear juvenile cases in counties\n\nhaving a population in excess of eighty thousand (80,000) and where\n\nfunding is available may appoint a suitable person or persons to act\n\nas referee or referees on a full-time or part-time basis, to hold\n\noffice at the pleasure of the judge. Referees shall be licensed to\n\npractice law in this state and shall be specially qualified for\n\ntheir duties. Reasonable compensation shall be fixed by the\n\npresiding judge of the administrative district.\n\nB. All referees are subject to the administrative authority and\n\nassignment power of the chief judge of the juvenile court of the\n\ncounty. The duties and powers of referees shall be to hear and\n\nreport all matters assigned by the chief juvenile judge and to\n\nrecommend findings of fact, conclusions of law, temporary and\n\ninterim orders, and final orders of judgment.\n\nC. 1. Upon the conclusion of the hearing, the referee shall\n\nprovide a copy in writing of the recommended findings, conclusions,\n\nand orders to the parties, counsel and the referring judge\n\ninstanter.\n\n2. Unless stayed by order of the referee or the reviewing\n\njudge, all orders of a referee shall become immediately effective\n\nand shall continue in full force and effect until vacated or\n\nmodified upon rehearing by order of the reviewing judge. Any order\n\nentered by a referee becomes a final order of the reviewing court\n\nupon expiration of three (3) judicial days following its entry,\n\nunless a review was ordered or requested. The chief judge of the\n\njuvenile court may establish requirements that any or all\n\nrecommended orders of the referee must be expressly approved by the\n\nreviewing judge before becoming effective.\n\nD. 1. Any party, as well as the Department of Human Services\n\nwhen the child is in the legal custody of the Department, may file a\n\nwritten objection to the referee’s recommendations within three (3)\n\njudicial days after notice of the recommendations. The objection\n\nshall clearly specify the reason and grounds for the objection. On\n\nreceipt of the objection, the reviewing court shall set a hearing\n\ndate for the review. The objecting party shall promptly provide a\n\ncopy of the objection and notice of the review to the Department and\n\nall parties to the action. Failure to file a timely request for\n\ndistrict court review shall constitute a waiver of any and all\n\nobjections to the recommendations of the referee.\n\n2. The review of the district court shall be limited to a\n\nreview of the record developed before the referee.\n\n3. The court shall accept the findings of fact of the referee\n\nunless they are clearly erroneous. After a review of the objection,\n\nthe court may confirm or reconfirm the recommendations, reject, or\n\nmodify them in whole or in part, receive further evidence, or remand\n\nthem with instructions.","path":["OK Code","Title 10A"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os10A.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"8decef2d4b6f7f05acd63eec25048b813b87c9af5c1e51538f2f2945c7c1e66c","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-2-2-701","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-2-2-703"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}