An order affecting a substantial right in an action, when such order, in effect, determines the action and prevents a judgment, and an order affecting a substantial right, made in a special proceeding or upon a summary application in an action after judgment, is a final order, which may be vacated, modified or reversed, as provided in this article.
§ 953.Final Order Defined
Chapter 15: Appeal and Error · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 953 defines 'final order' for purposes of Oklahoma's appeal statutes as an order affecting a substantial right that effectively determines the action and blocks judgment, or a similar order in a special proceeding or post-judgment summary application.
Full Text of § 953
Amendment History
R.L. 1910, § 5237.
Plain-English Summary
Appeal statutes keep using the phrase “final order,” and this section supplies the definition. An order counts if it affects a substantial right and, in effect, decides the action while preventing a judgment from being entered.
The same label also covers an order affecting a substantial right made in a special proceeding, or on a summary application filed in a case after judgment. Either way, a final order under this definition can be vacated, modified, or reversed under the rest of this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes an order 'final' under Oklahoma law?
It must affect a substantial right and, in effect, determine the action while preventing a judgment from being rendered.
Does this definition only cover orders issued during a pending lawsuit?
No — it also covers an order affecting a substantial right made in a special proceeding, or on a summary application filed after judgment.
Why does it matter whether an order is 'final'?
Only a final order, as this section defines it, can be vacated, modified, or reversed under this article's appeal provisions.
How old is this definition?
It traces to Oklahoma's 1910 Revised Laws and hasn't been amended since.
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
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