A. Except as otherwise provided in subsections B and C of this section, a court of this state shall recognize a foreign-country judgment to which the Uniform Foreign-Country Money Judgments Recognition Act applies.
§ 718.4.Standards For Recognition of Foreign-Country Judgment
Chapter 12: Judgment · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 718.4 requires Oklahoma courts to recognize a covered foreign-country judgment unless it fails basic due-process or jurisdictional requirements, and lists eight discretionary grounds — like inadequate notice, fraud, or conflicting judgments — on which a court may instead decline to recognize it.
Full Text of § 718.4
B. A court of this state may not recognize a foreign-country judgment if:
1. The judgment was rendered under a judicial system that does not provide impartial tribunals or procedures compatible with the requirements of due process of law;
2. The foreign court did not have personal jurisdiction over the defendant; or
3. The foreign court did not have jurisdiction over the subject matter.
C. A court of this state need not recognize a foreign-country judgment if:
1. The defendant in the proceeding in the foreign court did not receive notice of the proceeding in sufficient time to enable the defendant to defend;
2. The judgment was obtained by fraud that deprived the losing party of an adequate opportunity to present its case;
3. The judgment or the cause of action on which the judgment is based is repugnant to the public policy of this state or of the United States;
4. The judgment conflicts with another final and conclusive judgment;
5. The proceeding in the foreign court was contrary to an agreement between the parties under which the dispute in question was to be determined otherwise than by proceedings in that foreign court;
6. In the case of jurisdiction based only on personal service, the foreign court was a seriously inconvenient forum for the trial of the action;
7. The judgment was rendered in circumstances that raise substantial doubt about the integrity of the rendering court with respect to the judgment; or
8. The specific proceeding in the foreign court leading to the judgment was not compatible with the requirements of due process of law.
D. A party resisting recognition of a foreign-country judgment has the burden of establishing that a ground for nonrecognition stated in subsection B or C of this section exists.
Amendment History
Added by Laws 2009, SB 887, c. 283, §4, eff. 11/1/2009.
Plain-English Summary
The baseline rule is recognition: a court must recognize a foreign-country judgment covered by this act unless one of the exceptions in subsections B or C applies. Subsection B lists the mandatory grounds for refusal — the foreign judicial system lacked impartial tribunals or due-process-compatible procedures, the foreign court lacked personal jurisdiction over the defendant, or it lacked subject matter jurisdiction. Any one of those, and the Oklahoma court may not recognize the judgment.
Subsection C lists eight discretionary grounds instead — the court need not recognize the judgment, but isn't required to refuse it either. These cover things like inadequate notice to the defendant, fraud that denied the losing party a fair chance to present its case, a judgment repugnant to Oklahoma or U.S. public policy, a conflict with another final judgment, a forum-selection agreement the foreign proceeding ignored, a seriously inconvenient forum where jurisdiction rested only on personal service, doubts about the rendering court's integrity, or a specific proceeding incompatible with due process. Whoever resists recognition has the burden of proving one of these grounds applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Oklahoma courts have to recognize every qualifying foreign-country judgment?
Yes, unless one of the mandatory grounds in subsection B or discretionary grounds in subsection C applies, a court of this state shall recognize the judgment.
What makes a court refuse to recognize a foreign judgment outright?
A judicial system lacking impartial tribunals or due-process-compatible procedures, a foreign court that lacked personal jurisdiction over the defendant, or one that lacked subject matter jurisdiction.
Can a court decline to recognize a judgment obtained by fraud?
Yes, fraud that deprived the losing party of an adequate opportunity to present its case is one of the discretionary grounds for nonrecognition under subsection C.
Who has to prove a ground for nonrecognition exists?
The party resisting recognition of the foreign-country judgment carries that burden.
Can a court refuse to recognize a judgment because the foreign forum was inconvenient?
Yes, but only where jurisdiction was based solely on personal service and the foreign court was a seriously inconvenient forum for the trial.
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 standards for recognizing foreign judgment12 O.S. § 718.4grounds to refuse foreign judgment Oklahomadue process foreign court judgment Oklahoma