The Discovery Code shall be construed, administered and employed by courts and parties to secure the just, speedy and inexpensive determination of every action.
§ 3225.Construction
Chapter 41: Discovery Code · Last amended November 1, 2017 · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceDirects courts and parties to construe, administer, and apply the Discovery Code to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action, language that echoes the purpose clause opening the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Full Text of § 3225
Amendment History
Amended by Laws 2017, c. 378, s. 2, eff. 11/1/2017. Added by Laws 1982, HB 1912, c. 198, § 2, eff. 10/1/1982; Renumbered from 12 O.S. § 3202 by Laws 1989, HB 1154, c. 129, §14, eff. 11/1/1989.
Plain-English Summary
Section 3225 is a one-sentence compass for the rest of the Discovery Code. Courts and parties alike must construe, administer, and employ the Code to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action -- a standard that reappears whenever a discovery dispute turns on cost, delay, or proportionality.
The wording tracks FRCP 1, which sets the same "just, speedy, and inexpensive" goal for the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure as a whole, though the federal version governs every civil rule, not discovery alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the purpose clause for Oklahoma's discovery rules?
Section 3225: the Discovery Code must be construed, administered, and employed by courts and parties to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action.
Does this section mirror a federal rule?
Yes, in wording. FRCP 1 uses nearly identical "just, speedy, and inexpensive" language, though it applies to the whole set of federal civil rules rather than discovery specifically.
Who has to follow this standard?
Both courts and parties -- the statute names both as bound to construe and apply the Code toward that goal.
Can I cite this section in a discovery fight over cost or delay?
Yes, it supplies the backdrop the courts use when weighing proportionality and expense objections under the more specific provisions of Section 3226.
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 discovery code construction clause12 O.S. § 3225just speedy inexpensive determination oklahomapurpose of oklahoma discovery rules