Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 22-769
This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 22-769, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 22, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 22,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Taking and authentication of testimony
Official statutory text
The testimony given by the witness must be reduced to writing.
The magistrate before whom the examination is had may, in his
discretion, order the testimony and proceedings to be taken down in
shorthand, and for that purpose he may appoint a shorthand reporter.
The deposition or testimony of the witness must be authenticated in
the following form:
1. It must state the name of the witness, his place of
residence and his business or profession.
2. It must contain the questions put to the witness and his
answers thereto, each answer being distinctly read to him as it is
taken down, and being corrected or added to until it conforms to
what he declares is the truth; except in cases where the testimony
is taken down in shorthand, the answer or answers of the witness
need not be read to him.
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 22. Criminal Procedure Page 238
3. If the witness declines answering a question, that fact with
the ground on which the answer was declined must be stated.
4. The deposition must be signed by the witness, or if he
refuse to sign it, his reason for refusing must be stated in writing
as he gives it; except in cases where the deposition is taken down
in shorthand, it must not be signed by the witness.
5. It must be signed and certified by the magistrate when
reduced to writing by him or under his direction; and when taken
down in shorthand, the manuscript of the reporter, appointed as
aforesaid, when written out in longhand writing, and certified as
being a correct statement of such testimony and proceedings in the
case, shall be prima facie a correct statement of such testimony and
proceedings. The reporter shall within five (5) days after the
close of such examination transcribe into longhand writing his said
shorthand notes, and certify and deliver the same to the magistrate,
who shall also certify the same and transmit such testimony and
proceedings, carefully sealed up, to the clerk of the court in which
the action is pending or may come for trial.
The magistrate before whom the examination is had may, in his
discretion, order the testimony and proceedings to be taken down in
shorthand, and for that purpose he may appoint a shorthand reporter.
The deposition or testimony of the witness must be authenticated in
the following form:
1. It must state the name of the witness, his place of
residence and his business or profession.
2. It must contain the questions put to the witness and his
answers thereto, each answer being distinctly read to him as it is
taken down, and being corrected or added to until it conforms to
what he declares is the truth; except in cases where the testimony
is taken down in shorthand, the answer or answers of the witness
need not be read to him.
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 22. Criminal Procedure Page 238
3. If the witness declines answering a question, that fact with
the ground on which the answer was declined must be stated.
4. The deposition must be signed by the witness, or if he
refuse to sign it, his reason for refusing must be stated in writing
as he gives it; except in cases where the deposition is taken down
in shorthand, it must not be signed by the witness.
5. It must be signed and certified by the magistrate when
reduced to writing by him or under his direction; and when taken
down in shorthand, the manuscript of the reporter, appointed as
aforesaid, when written out in longhand writing, and certified as
being a correct statement of such testimony and proceedings in the
case, shall be prima facie a correct statement of such testimony and
proceedings. The reporter shall within five (5) days after the
close of such examination transcribe into longhand writing his said
shorthand notes, and certify and deliver the same to the magistrate,
who shall also certify the same and transmit such testimony and
proceedings, carefully sealed up, to the clerk of the court in which
the action is pending or may come for trial.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Oklahoma?
Find a Oklahoma lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.