An action to recognize a foreign-country judgment must be commenced within the earlier of the time during which the foreign-country judgment is effective in the foreign country or fifteen (15) years from the date that the foreign-country judgment became effective in the foreign country.
§ 718.9.Statute of Limitations
Chapter 12: Judgment · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 718.9 requires an action to recognize a foreign-country judgment to be filed within the earlier of however long the judgment stays effective in the foreign country or fifteen years after it first became effective there.
Full Text of § 718.9
Amendment History
Added by Laws 2009, SB 887, c. 283, §9, eff. 11/1/2009.
Plain-English Summary
Recognition claims don't last forever. Section 718.9 sets the deadline for filing an action to recognize a foreign-country judgment as the earlier of two measures: the time during which the judgment remains effective under the foreign country's own law, or fifteen years from the date the judgment became effective there.
Whichever of those two periods runs out first controls, so a judgment that stays effective abroad for longer than fifteen years still faces the fifteen-year outer limit in Oklahoma.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to bring an action to recognize a foreign-country judgment?
Within the earlier of the time the judgment remains effective in the foreign country, or fifteen years from when it became effective there.
What if the foreign judgment is still effective abroad after fifteen years?
The fifteen-year outer limit still applies, since the deadline is whichever of the two periods expires first.
When does the clock start running under this section?
From the date the foreign-country judgment became effective in the foreign country.
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 statute of limitations foreign judgment recognition12 O.S. § 718.9fifteen year limit foreign country judgmentdeadline to recognize foreign judgment Oklahoma