Only officers of the court or persons, firms or corporations holding a certificate of authority pursuant to the Oklahoma Abstractors Law, Section 227.10 et seq. of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes and other authorized court personnel may remove records or case files from the office of the court clerk for a period not to exceed twenty-four (24) hours. Rules for the removal of records or case files shall be promulgated by the district court having jurisdiction over the county in which such records or case files are situated.
§ 31.1.Removal of Records Or Files From Office of Court Clerk
Chapter 2: General Provisions · Last amended November 1, 1986 · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 31.1 limits who may take records or case files out of the court clerk's office to court officers, certified abstractors under the Oklahoma Abstractors Law, and other authorized court personnel, and caps any removal at twenty-four hours, subject to local district court rules.
Full Text of § 31.1
Amendment History
Added by Laws 1986, SB 493, c. 214, § 1, eff. 11/1/1986.
Plain-English Summary
Section 31.1 controls who can walk out of the court clerk’s office with a case file. Only court officers, firms or individuals holding a certificate of authority under the Oklahoma Abstractors Law (74 O.S. § 227.10 et seq.), and other authorized court personnel may remove records or files at all — and even they can’t keep them out more than twenty-four hours.
The section leaves the details to the local bench: the district court with jurisdiction over the county where the records sit writes the actual rules governing removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can take a case file out of the Oklahoma court clerk's office?
Section 31.1 limits removal to court officers, persons or companies holding a certificate of authority under the Oklahoma Abstractors Law, and other authorized court personnel.
How long can someone keep a court record out of the clerk's office?
Section 31.1 caps removal at twenty-four hours.
Who sets the specific rules for removing records from the clerk's office?
Section 31.1 assigns that to the district court with jurisdiction over the county where the records or case files are located.
What is the Oklahoma Abstractors Law reference in Section 31.1 about?
Section 31.1 lets abstractors holding a certificate of authority under that law, codified at 74 O.S. § 227.10 et seq., qualify as authorized persons who may remove records for up to twenty-four hours.
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: removing case files from court clerk office24 hour rule court records oklahomaabstractor certificate court records removalauthorized personnel court file removal