Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 21-1161
This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 21-1161, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 21, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 21,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
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Unlawful removal of dead body - Violation of or damage to
Official statutory text
casket or burial vault.
A. No person shall intentionally remove the dead body of a
human being or any part thereof from the initial site where such
dead body is located for any purpose, unless such removal is
authorized by a district attorney or his authorized representative
or medical examiner or his authorized representative, or is not
required to be investigated pursuant to the provisions of Section
938 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes, said authorization by the
district attorney or medical examiner shall not be required prior to
the removal of said body. A district attorney having jurisdiction
may refuse to prosecute a violation of this subsection if the
district attorney determines that circumstances existed which would
justify such removal or that such removal was not an act of malice
or wantonness.
B. No person shall remove any part of the dead body of a human
being from any grave or other place where the same has been buried,
or from any place where the same is deposited while awaiting burial,
with intent to sell the same, or to dissect it without authority of
law, or from malice or wantonness.
C. No person shall willfully or with malicious intent violate
or cause damage to the casket or burial vault holding the deceased
human remains.
D. Any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of
this section shall be guilty of a Class D1 felony offense and shall
be punished by imprisonment as provided for in subsections B through
F of Section 20N of this title, or by a fine not exceeding Five
Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.
R.L. 1910, § 2456. Amended by Laws 1986, c. 281, § 1, eff. Nov. 1,
1986; Laws 1989, c. 193, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1989; Laws 1997, c. 133,
§ 300, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 5, § 201, eff.
July 1, 1999; Laws 2025, c. 486, § 401, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.
NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective
date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 300 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.
A. No person shall intentionally remove the dead body of a
human being or any part thereof from the initial site where such
dead body is located for any purpose, unless such removal is
authorized by a district attorney or his authorized representative
or medical examiner or his authorized representative, or is not
required to be investigated pursuant to the provisions of Section
938 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes, said authorization by the
district attorney or medical examiner shall not be required prior to
the removal of said body. A district attorney having jurisdiction
may refuse to prosecute a violation of this subsection if the
district attorney determines that circumstances existed which would
justify such removal or that such removal was not an act of malice
or wantonness.
B. No person shall remove any part of the dead body of a human
being from any grave or other place where the same has been buried,
or from any place where the same is deposited while awaiting burial,
with intent to sell the same, or to dissect it without authority of
law, or from malice or wantonness.
C. No person shall willfully or with malicious intent violate
or cause damage to the casket or burial vault holding the deceased
human remains.
D. Any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of
this section shall be guilty of a Class D1 felony offense and shall
be punished by imprisonment as provided for in subsections B through
F of Section 20N of this title, or by a fine not exceeding Five
Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.
R.L. 1910, § 2456. Amended by Laws 1986, c. 281, § 1, eff. Nov. 1,
1986; Laws 1989, c. 193, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1989; Laws 1997, c. 133,
§ 300, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 5, § 201, eff.
July 1, 1999; Laws 2025, c. 486, § 401, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.
NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective
date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 300 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
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