No judicial order, judgment or decree shall direct the payment of attorney fees, child support, alimony, temporary support or any similar type payment through the office of the Court Clerk, except in the case of necessity duly shown by evidence presented to the court. All such payments when ordered to be paid through the office of the court clerk, shall be made only by money order, government check or cashier's check payable to the payee to receive such payment. The court clerk shall make an entry of such payment on the appearance docket, then transmit the money order, government check or cashier's check to the payee in accordance with 43 O.S. § 136. Such payments shall not be subject to the poundage fee.
§ 8.1.Payment of Certain Fees and Costs Through Office of Court Clerk
Chapter 2: General Provisions · Last amended August 1, 2013 · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 8.1 bars a court order from routing attorney fees, child support, alimony, or similar support payments through the court clerk's office except in a shown necessity, and requires such payments to be made by money order, government check, or cashier's check exempt from the poundage fee.
Full Text of § 8.1
Amendment History
Amended by order of the Supreme Court, 2013 OK 68, eff. 8/1/2013.
Plain-English Summary
Section 8.1 discourages routing support payments through the court clerk’s office. A judge can’t order attorney fees, child support, alimony, temporary support, or a similar payment to be paid through the clerk unless the evidence shows a real need for it. When a court does order payments through the clerk, the payer must use a money order, government check, or cashier’s check made out to the person receiving the money — not cash or a personal check.
The clerk logs the payment on the appearance docket and forwards the check or money order to the payee under 43 O.S. § 136. Payments handled this way skip the poundage fee, the percentage-based fee the clerk otherwise charges for collecting and disbursing money through the court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a divorce decree require child support to be paid through the court clerk?
Only if there’s a shown necessity. Section 8.1 says no judgment or decree can direct attorney fees, child support, alimony, or similar payments through the court clerk’s office except where evidence presented to the court establishes a real need for it.
What form of payment does the court clerk accept for support payments?
Section 8.1 requires that payments ordered through the court clerk be made by money order, government check, or cashier’s check payable to the person receiving the payment.
Does the court clerk charge a fee to forward child support payments?
No. Section 8.1 exempts payments made through the court clerk’s office under this section from the poundage fee the clerk would otherwise charge.
What does the clerk do after receiving a support payment?
Section 8.1 requires the clerk to enter the payment on the appearance docket, then transmit the money order, government check, or cashier’s check to the payee in accordance with 43 O.S. § 136.
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: child support through court clerk oklahomapoundage fee exemptioncashier's check alimony paymentcourt clerk payment of judgment