After the issuing of execution against property, any person indebted to the judgment debtor may pay to the sheriff the amount of his debt, or so much thereof as may be necessary to satisfy the execution; and the sheriff's receipt shall be a sufficient discharge for the amount so paid, or directed to be credited by the judgment creditor on the execution.
§ 846.Debtor of Defendant May Pay Execution - Sheriff's Receipt As Discharge
Chapter 13: Limitation of Actions · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 846 lets anyone who owes money to a judgment debtor pay that debt directly to the sheriff once execution has issued, and treats the sheriff's receipt as a full discharge of the amount paid toward satisfying the execution.
Full Text of § 846
Amendment History
R.L. 1910, § 5194.
Plain-English Summary
Section 846 gives a third-party debtor a shortcut. Once execution has issued against a judgment debtor's property, anyone who owes that debtor money can pay the sheriff directly, up to whatever amount is needed to satisfy the execution, rather than paying the debtor and leaving the money exposed to the debtor's own creditors. The sheriff's receipt discharges the payor for that amount, whether the judgment creditor directs it to be credited on the execution or the payor hands it straight to the sheriff.
Frequently Asked Questions
I owe money to someone who's now a judgment debtor. Can I just pay the sheriff instead?
Yes. Once execution has issued against the debtor's property, you may pay your debt, or enough of it to satisfy the execution, directly to the sheriff.
Does paying the sheriff protect me from having to pay the original debtor too?
Yes. The sheriff's receipt serves as a sufficient discharge for the amount paid.
Do I have to pay the full execution amount?
Only "so much thereof as may be necessary to satisfy the execution" — you pay up to what's needed to cover it.
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: pay sheriff instead of debtor oklahomathird party debtor payment on executionsheriff receipt discharge of debt