A. When more than one claim for relief is presented in an action, whether as a claim, counterclaim, cross- claim, or third-party claim, or when multiple parties are involved, the court may direct the preparation and filing of a final judgment, decree, or final order as to one or more but fewer than all of the claims or parties only upon an express determination that there is no just reason for delay and upon an express direction for the filing of a final judgment, decree, or final order. In the absence of such determination and direction, any order or other form of decision, however designated, which adjudicates fewer than all the claims or the rights and liabilities of fewer than all the parties shall not terminate the action as to any of the claims or parties, and the order or other form of decision is subject to revision at any time before the final judgment, decree, or final order adjudicating all the claims and the rights and liabilities of all the parties is filed with the court clerk.
§ 994.Judgment Involving Multiple Claims Or Parties
Chapter 15: Appeal and Error · Last amended November 1, 1995 · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 994 lets a trial court enter final judgment on fewer than all claims or parties in a multi-claim case only by expressly finding no just reason for delay, and otherwise treats a partial ruling as non-final and revisable until every claim and party is resolved.
Full Text of § 994
B. When a court has ordered a final judgment, decree, or final order under the conditions stated in subsection A of this section, the court may stay enforcement of that final judgment, decree or final order until the filing of a subsequent final judgment, decree or final order and may prescribe such conditions as are necessary to protect the interests of all parties to the action. If the court stays the enforcement of a final judgment, decree, or final order until the filing of a subsequent final judgment, decree, or final order, notice of the vacation or modification of the stay or of any condition that was imposed on the enforcement of the final judgment, decree, or final order shall be given to the parties affected by the stay or condition.
Amendment History
Added by Laws 1990, SB 881, c. 251, §6, eff. 1/1/1991; Amended by Laws 1991, SB 24, c. 251, §18, emerg. eff. 6/1/1991; Amended by Laws 1993, HB 1468, c. 351, §23, eff. 10/1/1993; Renumbered from 12 O.S. § 1006 by Laws 1993, HB 1468, c. 351, §30, eff. 10/1/1993; Amended by Laws 1995, HB 1500, c. 253, §3, eff. 11/1/1995.
Plain-English Summary
When a case involves more than one claim, or more than one party, a ruling that resolves some of them but not all doesn't automatically become an appealable final judgment. Subsection A lets the court direct entry of a final judgment on the resolved claims or parties, but only on an express finding that there's no just reason for delay, paired with an express direction to file that judgment. Skip that finding, and the partial ruling — however it's labeled — doesn't end the action as to anything; it stays open to revision at any time before every claim and every party's rights are finally resolved.
Subsection B lets the court stay enforcement of a judgment certified this way until the remaining claims are resolved, and impose whatever conditions protect the parties in the meantime. If the court changes or lifts that stay, or any condition attached to it, it has to notify the parties the stay affects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a court enter an appealable judgment on just one claim in a multi-claim lawsuit?
Yes, but only if the court expressly finds there's no just reason for delay and expressly directs entry of that judgment as to those claims or parties.
What happens to a partial ruling if the court doesn't make that express finding?
It doesn't terminate the action as to any claim or party, and it stays open to revision at any time before a final judgment resolves everything.
Can the court stay enforcement of a partial final judgment?
Yes, subsection B lets the court stay enforcement until the remaining claims are resolved and impose conditions to protect the parties.
Is Oklahoma's rule here similar to the federal Rule 54(b) certification?
The mechanics are similar — an express finding of no just reason for delay before a partial ruling becomes final and appealable — though this section is Oklahoma's own statute, not the federal rule.
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: no just reason for delay Oklahoma final judgment12 O.S. § 994partial final judgment multiple parties Oklahomacertification of final judgment Oklahoma statute