In all cases the jury shall render a general verdict, and the court may in any case at the request of the parties thereto, or either of them, in addition to the general verdict, direct the jury to find upon particular questions of fact, to be stated in writing by the party or parties requesting the same.
§ 588.General and Special Findings
Chapter 11: Trial · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 588 makes a general verdict mandatory in every case, but lets the court, at either party's request, also direct the jury to answer particular written questions of fact alongside that verdict.
Full Text of § 588
Amendment History
R.L. 1910, § 5013.
Plain-English Summary
Every case gets a general verdict from the jury. On top of that, the court may -- at the request of either or both parties -- direct the jury to find on particular questions of fact, which the requesting party or parties state in writing. Those particular findings supplement the general verdict rather than replace it, unlike the pure special verdict Section 587 describes. Section 589 covers what happens when a particular finding under this section conflicts with the general verdict.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a general verdict required in every Oklahoma civil jury trial?
Yes. The jury shall render a general verdict in all cases.
Can a party get the jury to answer specific factual questions too?
Yes, at the request of either party, in addition to the general verdict.
Who submits the particular questions the jury answers?
The party or parties requesting them state the questions in writing.
Is this the same as the "special verdict" described in Section 587?
No. Section 587's special verdict replaces the general verdict with pure fact-finding; this section's particular findings supplement a general verdict the jury still must render.
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: special interrogatories to jury oklahomageneral verdict required oklahoma12 O.S. § 588