{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-51-51-163","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 51, § 51-163","heading":"Venue - Parties - Real party in interest - Service of","body":"process.\n\nA. Venue for actions against the state within the scope of this\n\nact shall be either the county in which the cause of action arose or\n\nOklahoma County, except that a constitutional state agency, board or\n\ncommission may, upon resolution filed with the Secretary of State,\n\ndesignate another situs for venue in lieu of Oklahoma County.\n\nB. Actions against all political subdivisions within the scope\n\nof this act shall be brought in the county in which the situs of the\n\npolitical subdivision is located or in the county in which the cause\n\nof action arose; provided, any action brought against a municipality\n\nwhich is an owner of a dam, based upon the construction,\n\nmaintenance, or operation of the dam, shall be brought in the county\n\nwhere the dam or a major portion of the dam is located.\n\nC. Suits instituted pursuant to the provisions of this act\n\nshall name as defendant the state or the political subdivision\n\nagainst which liability is sought to be established. In no instance\n\nshall an employee of the state or political subdivision acting\n\nwithin the scope of his employment be named as defendant with the\n\nexception that suits based on the conduct of resident physicians and\n\ninterns shall be made against the individual consistent with the\n\nprovisions of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes.\n\nD. All actions against the state or political subdivision shall\n\nbe filed in the name of the real party or parties in interest, and\n\nin no event shall any claim be presented nor recovery be made under\n\nthe right of subrogation.\n\nE. In all actions against the state, service shall be perfected\n\nby mailing, by certified mail, return receipt requested, a summons\n\nand a copy of the petition to the Attorney General. Claimant shall\n\nalso mail, by certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy of\n\nthe summons and a copy of the petition to the administrative head of\n\nthe state agency or agencies involved and a copy of the summons and\n\na copy of the petition to the Risk Management Administrator of the\n\nPurchasing Division of the Office of Management and Enterprise\n\nServices.\n\nF. In suits against political subdivisions the petition and\n\nsummons shall be served in the manner prescribed by law for civil\n\ncases generally. If no method is prescribed by law, then service\n\nmay be had on the administrative head of the political subdivision\n\nbeing sued, if available, and if not, the court in which the suit is\n\npending may authorize service in such manner as may be calculated to\n\nafford the political subdivision a fair opportunity to answer and\n\ndefend the suit.\n\nG. No attempt shall be made in the trial of any action brought\n\nagainst the state or any political subdivision or employee within\n\nthe scope of this act to suggest the existence of any insurance\n\nwhich covers in whole or in part any judgment or award which may be\n\nrendered in favor of the plaintiff.","path":["OK Code","Title 51"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os51.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"0297fe82f44866e5af836d924a94a1d737f4ff1b42bf9170e31340cc04292b98","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-51-51-162","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-51-51-164"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}