Any duty enjoined by this Code upon a ministerial officer, and any act permitted to be done by him, may be performed by his lawful deputy.
§ 71.Deputy May Perform Official Duties
Chapter 2: General Provisions · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 71 lets a lawful deputy perform any duty this Code imposes on a ministerial officer, or any act the officer is permitted to do.
Full Text of § 71
Amendment History
R.L. 1910, § 5339.
Plain-English Summary
Section 71 confirms that a deputy can stand in for the officer. Any duty the Code puts on a ministerial officer — and any act that officer is allowed to do — can also be performed by his lawful deputy.
That covers the sheriff's duties under Sections 52 through 55, letting a deputy execute and return process, endorse receipt times, or exercise the sheriff's authority when the judge is absent from court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a deputy sheriff do what the sheriff himself is required to do?
Yes, Section 71 lets a lawful deputy perform any duty or permitted act that this Code assigns to a ministerial officer.
Does this apply only to sheriffs?
It applies to any ministerial officer, not just the sheriff, so long as the deputy is lawful.
Does the deputy need a separate court appointment to act, the way a substitute under Section 52 does?
The section doesn't require one — it treats the deputy's authority as flowing directly from the officer's own duties.
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: deputy sheriff perform official duties Oklahomalawful deputy ministerial officer authoritydeputy execute process on officer's behalfdeputy stands in for sheriff