Chapter 12: Judgment · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 718.5 lists six situations — personal service abroad, voluntary appearance, a prior agreement to jurisdiction, domicile, a local business office tied to the claim, or operating a vehicle or plane there — where a foreign court's personal jurisdiction can't be challenged, and lets courts recognize other bases as well.
A.A foreign-country judgment may not be refused recognition for lack of personal jurisdiction if:
1.The defendant was served with process personally in the foreign country;
2.The defendant voluntarily appeared in the proceeding, other than for the purpose of protecting property seized or threatened with seizure in the proceeding or of contesting the jurisdiction of the court over the defendant;
3.The defendant, before the commencement of the proceeding, had agreed to submit to the jurisdiction of the foreign court with respect to the subject matter involved;
4.The defendant was domiciled in the foreign country when the proceeding was instituted or was a corporation or other form of business organization that had its principal place of business in, or was organized under the laws of, the foreign country;
5.The defendant had a business office in the foreign country and the proceeding in the foreign court involved a cause of action arising out of business done by the defendant through that office in the foreign country; or
6.The defendant operated a motor vehicle or airplane in the foreign country and the proceeding involved a cause of action arising out of that operation.
B.The list of bases for personal jurisdiction in subsection A of this section is not exclusive. The courts of this state may recognize bases of personal jurisdiction other than those listed in subsection A of this section as sufficient to support a foreign-country judgment.
Amendment History
Added by Laws 2009, SB 887, c. 283, §5, eff. 11/1/2009.
Plain-English Summary
Lack of personal jurisdiction is one of the mandatory grounds for refusing to recognize a foreign-country judgment under Section 718.4, but Section 718.5 takes that objection off the table in six specific situations: the defendant was personally served with process in the foreign country; the defendant voluntarily appeared, other than to protect seized property or contest jurisdiction; the defendant had agreed beforehand to submit to that court's jurisdiction over the subject matter; the defendant was domiciled there, or was a business organized under or headquartered in that country; the defendant had a business office there tied to the claim; or the defendant operated a motor vehicle or airplane there and the claim arose from that operation.
That list isn't exclusive. Subsection B lets Oklahoma courts recognize other bases for personal jurisdiction beyond the six listed, as sufficient to support a foreign-country judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I challenge personal jurisdiction if I was served with process while physically in the foreign country?
No, personal service on the defendant within the foreign country is one of the situations where a foreign-country judgment can't be refused recognition for lack of personal jurisdiction.
Does voluntarily appearing in the foreign proceeding waive a jurisdiction challenge?
Generally yes, unless the appearance was only to protect seized or threatened property or to contest the court's jurisdiction over the defendant.
Is this list of jurisdictional bases the only ones Oklahoma courts will accept?
No, subsection B says the list isn't exclusive, and courts may recognize other bases for personal jurisdiction as sufficient.
Does operating a car in the foreign country create jurisdiction there?
Yes, if the defendant operated a motor vehicle or airplane in the foreign country and the claim arose out of that operation.
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 personal jurisdiction foreign judgment12 O.S. § 718.5bases for jurisdiction foreign court judgment Oklahomavoluntary appearance foreign judgment recognition