If an original pleading be lost or withheld by any person the court may allow a copy thereof to be substituted.
§ 310.Lost Pleadings
Chapter 8: Pleadings · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 310 authorizes a court to allow a copy of an original pleading to be substituted whenever the original has been lost or is being withheld by someone.
Full Text of § 310
Amendment History
R.L. 1910, § 4783.
Plain-English Summary
Litigation doesn't stall just because an original pleading goes missing or someone won't hand it over. Section 310 lets the court allow a copy to stand in for the lost or withheld original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can be done in Oklahoma if an original pleading is lost?
The court may allow a copy of the pleading to be substituted for the lost original.
Does this apply if someone is deliberately withholding a pleading rather than it being lost?
Yes. The statute covers a pleading that is lost or withheld by any person, not just accidental loss.
Who decides whether to allow a copy to replace a lost pleading?
The court — the statute gives the court discretion to allow a copy to be substituted.
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: lost pleading substitute copy oklahomamissing original pleading court oklahomawithheld pleading court copy