SB1821

Oklahoma SB1821 requires a separate court to conduct bench trials for termination of parental rights.

Oklahoma SB1821 amends the termination of parental rights process by requiring a separate court to conduct bench trials. If a jury trial is waived, a scheduling order must be issued within 30 days, and the bench trial must commence within 90 days. The court conducting the bench trial must be different from the one that conducted any prior hearings. The bill also mandates that judges who presided over non-evidence hearings cannot preside over subsequent trials where evidence rules apply. The act becomes effective November 1, 2026.