A. Petitions, motions, or other pleadings filed by an inmate as defined in paragraph 2 of subsection B of Section 566 of Title 57 of the Oklahoma Statutes appearing pro se shall be on forms approved by the district court and supplied without charge by the clerk of the district court upon request.
§ 2003.1.Commencement of Actions By Inmates
Chapter 39: Oklahoma Pleading Code · Last amended April 27, 2004 · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 2003.1 requires inmates who sue pro se to use court-approved forms and disclose a detailed set of facts about their claim, including every lawsuit they have filed as an inmate in the past ten years, and lets a court dismiss a noncompliant filing with prejudice if the inmate knowingly and willfully ignored these requirements.
Full Text of § 2003.1
B. The following information shall be supplied by an inmate who is seeking relief in a civil action:
1. Plaintiff's full name;
2. Place of plaintiff's residence;
3. Name(s) of defendant(s);
4. Place(s) of defendant(s) employment;
5. Title and position of (each) defendant;
6. Whether the defendant(s) was (were) acting under color of state law at the time the claim alleged in the complaint arose;
7. Brief statement of the facts;
8. Grounds upon which plaintiff bases allegations that constitutional rights, privileges, or immunities have been violated, together with the facts which support each of these grounds;
9. A statement of prior judicial and administrative relief sought, copies of which shall be attached to the petition;
10. A statement of the relief requested; and
11. A complete list, supported by affidavit under penalty of perjury, of all lawsuits filed by the inmate as an inmate in the previous ten (10) years in state and federal courts and the disposition of each case.
C. In all cases in which the petitioner, movant, or plaintiff is an inmate of a penal institution and desires to proceed in forma pauperis, the proof of poverty required by the Oklahoma Statutes shall be submitted.
D. If the court determines that the filing is a noncomplying petition, motion, or other pleading filed by an inmate in a penal institution appearing pro se, the action may not proceed, and it shall be returned together with a copy of this statute and a statement of the reason or reasons for its return. If the court determines that the inmate-plaintiff knowingly and willfully failed to comply with all the requirements of this section, the court may dismiss the case with prejudice.
E. If the defendant claims either qualified or absolute immunity in its answer, the court may order the plaintiff to file a detailed reply to the answer pursuant to subsection A of Section 2007 of this title.
F. The Administrative Office of the Courts shall adopt forms to be used by inmates of penal institutions appearing pro se pursuant to this section.
Amendment History
Added by Laws 1995, HB 1177, c. 141, §1, eff. 11/1/1995; Amended by Laws 2002, HB 2416, c. 402, §6, emerg. eff. 7/1/2002; Amended by Laws 2004, SB 1397, c. 168, §4, eff. 11/1/2004 (eff. date changed to 4/27/2004, by Laws 2004, HB 2205 (2d), c. 382, § 4, eff. 6/3/2004).
Plain-English Summary
This section is Oklahoma's screening mechanism for prisoner litigation, aimed at frivolous or repetitive inmate suits. An inmate representing themselves must file on forms the district court approves and the clerk supplies free of charge, and the filing must include eleven categories of information: names and addresses of the parties, whether the defendants acted under color of state law, a brief statement of the facts, the constitutional grounds claimed, prior relief sought, the relief requested, and -- notably -- a sworn list of every lawsuit the inmate has filed as an inmate over the preceding ten years, with how each case ended.
An inmate seeking to proceed without paying costs must still submit the standard proof of poverty required elsewhere in the Oklahoma Statutes. If a filing doesn't comply, the court returns it with a copy of the statute and its reasons; only if the court finds the inmate knowingly and willfully ignored the requirements can it dismiss the case with prejudice. If a defendant answers by raising qualified or absolute immunity, the court can order the plaintiff to reply in detail under subsection A of Section 2007. The Administrative Office of the Courts is directed to create the standard forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an inmate suing pro se have to use special court forms?
Yes -- subsection A requires petitions, motions, or other pleadings filed by an inmate appearing pro se to be on forms approved by the district court and supplied free by the clerk.
What has to be disclosed about the inmate's litigation history?
Paragraph 11 of subsection B requires a complete, affidavit-supported list of every lawsuit the inmate has filed as an inmate in the previous ten years in state and federal court, along with how each case was resolved.
Can a noncompliant filing be thrown out for good?
Only if the court finds the inmate knowingly and willfully failed to comply with the section's requirements -- otherwise the filing is returned with an explanation, and the case may proceed once corrected.
What happens if the defendant claims immunity?
Under subsection E, if the defendant's answer asserts qualified or absolute immunity, the court may order the plaintiff to file a detailed reply under subsection A of Section 2007.
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
Also known as: oklahoma inmate pro se lawsuit rules12 O.S. § 2003.1prisoner litigation form oklahomainmate civil rights complaint requirements oklahoma