Hearsay is not admissible except as otherwise provided by an act of the Legislature.
§ 2802.Hearsay Rule
Chapter 40: Oklahoma Evidence Code · Last amended November 1, 2002 · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceStates the basic rule underlying the whole hearsay article: hearsay is inadmissible except as otherwise provided by an act of the Legislature, leaving every exception and exclusion in the surrounding sections to do the work of carving out room within that general bar.
Full Text of § 2802
Amendment History
Laws 1978, SB 276, c. 285, § 802, eff. 10/1/1978; Amended by Laws 2002, HB 1939, c. 468, §58, eff. 11/1/2002.
Plain-English Summary
Section 2802 is the hearsay bar itself, in a single sentence: hearsay isn't admissible except as otherwise provided by an act of the Legislature. Everything else in this article of the Code -- the exclusions in Section 2801(B), the exceptions in Sections 2803 through 2804.1 -- exists because the Legislature carved out room within that general bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hearsay ever admissible in an Oklahoma court?
Only when an act of the Legislature otherwise provides, including the exceptions and exclusions defined elsewhere in this article.
Where do the exceptions to the hearsay rule come from?
Other sections of the Oklahoma Evidence Code the Legislature has enacted, including Sections 2801(B), 2803, 2804, and 2804.1.
Does this section itself list any exceptions?
No, it states the general rule; the exceptions live in the surrounding sections.
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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