As used in the Uniform Arbitration Act:
§ 1852.Definitions
Chapter 38B: Uniform Arbitration Act · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceDefines six terms used throughout Oklahoma's Uniform Arbitration Act -- arbitration organization, arbitrator, court, knowledge, person, and record -- so those words carry the same meaning in every section that follows.
Full Text of § 1852
1. "Arbitration organization" means an association, agency, board, commission, or other entity that is neutral and initiates, sponsors, or administers an arbitration proceeding or is involved in the appointment of an arbitrator;
2. "Arbitrator" means an individual appointed to render an award, alone or with others, in a controversy that is subject to an agreement to arbitrate;
3. "Court" means any court of competent jurisdiction in this state;
4. "Knowledge" means actual knowledge;
5. "Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, public corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity; and
6. "Record" means any information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.
Amendment History
Added by Laws 2005, SB 873, c. 364, §2, eff. 1/1/2006.
Plain-English Summary
Section 1852 sets the vocabulary for the rest of the Uniform Arbitration Act. An "arbitration organization" is a neutral association, agency, board, or other entity that starts, sponsors, or runs an arbitration, or helps appoint an arbitrator. An "arbitrator" is the individual appointed to decide the controversy. "Court" means any Oklahoma court of competent jurisdiction, and "knowledge" means actual knowledge -- not merely what a person should have known.
"Person" is defined broadly, reaching individuals, corporations, trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies, governments, and other legal or commercial entities, so the Act's rules apply whether the party to an arbitration agreement is a person or a business. "Record" is defined just as broadly: any information fixed on a tangible medium, such as paper, or stored electronically and retrievable in a form people can perceive -- a definition written to cover email, PDFs, and other electronic documents alongside paper ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does "knowledge" under this act include what someone should have known?
No. Section 1852 defines "knowledge" as actual knowledge, not constructive knowledge of facts a person could have discovered.
What counts as a "record" under Oklahoma's arbitration act?
Any information fixed on a tangible medium or stored electronically that can be retrieved in a perceivable form, which covers emails and other electronic documents as well as paper.
What is an "arbitration organization"?
A neutral association, agency, board, commission, or other entity that starts, sponsors, or administers an arbitration proceeding, or helps appoint an arbitrator.
Does "person" under this act include a business, not just an individual?
Yes. The definition covers corporations, business trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies, associations, governments, and other legal or commercial entities, along with individuals.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, enacted by the Oklahoma Legislature.
Last verified August 3, 2026.
· Official source
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