The verdict shall be written, signed by the foreman and read by the clerk to the jury, and the inquiry made whether it is their verdict. If any juror disagrees, the jury must be sent out again; but if no disagreement be expressed, and neither party requires the jury to be polled, the verdict is complete and the jury discharged from the case. If, however, the verdict be defective in form only, the same may, with the assent of the jury, before they are discharged, be corrected by the court.
§ 586.Requisites of Verdicts - Reading and Inquiry By Clerk - Correction of Defects In Form
Chapter 11: Trial · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 586 requires a written verdict signed by the foreman and read back to the jury for confirmation, treats an unchallenged, unpolled verdict as complete grounds for discharging the jury, and lets the court fix a verdict that's defective only in form with the jury's assent before it's discharged.
Full Text of § 586
Amendment History
R.L. 1910, § 5011.
Plain-English Summary
The verdict has to be written and signed by the foreman, and the clerk reads it to the jury and asks whether it's their verdict. If a juror disagrees, the jury goes out again. If no one disagrees and neither party requires polling, the verdict is complete and the jury is discharged from the case.
This reading-and-inquiry step is distinct from the polling Section 585 allows either party to demand. And if the verdict is defective only in form -- not in substance -- the court may correct it before the jury is discharged, but only with the jury's assent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Oklahoma jury's verdict have to be in writing?
Yes. It must be written and signed by the foreman.
What's the difference between the clerk's inquiry under this section and polling the jury?
The clerk's inquiry under Section 586 asks the jury collectively whether the written verdict, as read, is their verdict; polling under Section 585 asks each juror individually.
Can a court fix a mistake in the verdict's wording?
Yes, but only if the defect is one of form rather than substance, and only with the jury's assent before it's discharged.
When is the jury considered discharged from the case?
Once the verdict is read and no disagreement is expressed, and neither party requires the jury to be polled.
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: written verdict requirements oklahomacorrecting a defective verdict oklahoma12 O.S. § 586