{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-17-17-525","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 17, § 17-525","heading":"Willful and knowing entry upon premises, failure to post","body":"bond, failure to request appraisers, etc. - Treble damages - Trial\n\nde novo.\n\nUpon presentation of clear, cogent and convincing evidence that\n\nthe operator willfully and knowingly entered upon the premises for\n\nthe purpose of commencing the drilling of a well before giving\n\nnotice of such entry or without the agreement of the surface owner,\n\nthe court may, in a separate action, award treble damages. The\n\nissue of noncompliance shall be a fact question, determinable\n\nwithout jury, and a de novo issue in the event of appeal.\n\nAny operator who willfully and knowingly fails to keep posted\n\nthe required bond or who fails to notify the surface owner, prior to\n\nentering, or fails to come to an agreement and does not ask the\n\ncourt for appraisers, shall pay, at the direction of the court,\n\ntreble damages to the surface owner.\n\nDamages collected pursuant to this act shall not preclude the\n\nsurface owner from collecting any additional damages caused by the\n\noperator at a subsequent date.","path":["OK Code","Title 17"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os17.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"8fe3269a3e3cc33cba5729ab40af2b47689cd58ffb165aef6bdb99a198b7bb22","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-17-17-524","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-17-17-53"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}