The Oklahoma Uniform Arbitration Act (OUAA) is codified at 12 O.S. §§ 1851-1881. It provides a framework for the governance and execution of arbitration proceedings in the state. The OUAA applies to arbitration agreements made on or after January 1, 2006 and can govern earlier agreements with the consent of all the involved parties. 

The OUAA follows closely the FAA in many respects. For example, the OUAA provides, consistent with the FAA, that arbitration agreements shall be "valid, enforceable, and irrevocable except upon a ground that exists at law or in equity for the revocation of a contract." Indeed, even where the FAA is not the governing statute, Oklahoma courts "look to the FAA in interpreting Oklahoma's arbitration laws...."

The following articles are all available via Westlaw: 

• Charles S. Plumb, Costly Question: Can I Make Arbitration Agreement Stick, 14 No. 8 Okla. Emp. L. Letter 5 (2006).  

• Charles S. Plumb, U.S. Supreme Court Enforces Oklahoma Arbitration Agreement, 20 No. 12 Okla. Emp. L. Letter 6 (2012).  

  • This article provides a succinct explanation of the impact of Nitro-Lift. 

• McAfee & Taft, Arbitration Agreements: A Blessing and a Potential Curse, 27 No. 3 Okla. Emp. L. Letter 7 (2019).    

• Charles S. Plumb, Strengthening Arbitration Agreements, 18 No. 9 Okla. Emp. L. Letter 5 (2010). 

  • This article explores the Rent-A-Center decision and emphasizes the importance of strong language in delegating arbitrability. 

• Sam R. Fulkerson, Employment Arbitration in Oklahoma: Two New Cases, 18 No. 6 Okla. Emp. L. Letter 4 (2010).  

• Steven K. Metcalf, Just When You Thought Arbitration Was a Good Thing: Avoiding Negative Results, 8 No. 2 Okla. Emp. L. Letter 4 (2000). 

• McLaine Dewitt Herndon, Employer Can’t Force Employee to Arbitrate Claim, 15 No. 12 Okla. Emp. L. Letter 4 (2007). 

• P. Bradley Bendure, Tenth Circuit Tees Off on Unfair Arbitration Provision in Golf Course’s Handbook, 10 No. 10 Okla. Emp. L. Letter 6 (2002).  

• Doerner, Saunders, Daniel & Anderson, LLP, U.S. Supreme Court Says ‘No’ to Arbitration of Discrimination Claims, 7 No. 1 Okla. Emp. L. Letter 5 (1999).  

• Charles S. Plumb, Limits Placed on Enforcing Agreements to Arbitrate Discrimination Claims, 7 No. 2 Okla. Emp. L. Letter 6 (1999).  

  • Explores the Shankle decision and unconscionability.

• R. Carson Fisk, Maximizing the Benefits of Arbitration, 91 Okla. B.J. 9 (2020) 
  • This article discusses the benefits of arbitration and reasons to include arbitration clauses in your contracts (available via OBA).
• Byrne A. Bowman, Oklahoma’s New Uniform Arbitration Act, 50 Okla. B.J. 1337 (1979). 
  • Written alongside the adoption and passage of the original OUAA, this article discusses many of the issues raised by this guide: It provides a summary of Oklahoma’s Act, describes the interplay between the OUAA and the FAA, including which act governs, jurisdiction, selection of arbitrators, etc. (available on HeinOnline). 
• Ronald Ricketts, Oklahoma’s Revised Arbitration Act, 83 Okla. B.J. 138 (2012). 
  • This article discusses the revision to the Oklahoma Revised Uniform Arbitration Act, adopted in 2005. It discusses the ways in which the Act was revised to provide a more efficient and modern arbitration process (available via OBA).

• Jeffrey S. Wolfe, The New Oklahoma Revised Uniform Arbitration Act, 77 Okla. B. J. 2463 (2006). 

  • This article addresses the drafting and enforcement of arbitration agreements under the Oklahoma Revised Uniform Arbitration Act (available at Oklahoma Digital Prairie).

• Jeffrey S. Wolfe, Oklahoma as Lex Mercatoria – Scrutinizing Oklahoma’s New Arbitral Remedy, 80 Okla. B.J. 36 (2009) 

  • This article critiques Section 1870 of Oklahoma's Act and argues that it creates a statutory ambiguity which may limit the arbitral remedy (available via OBA).

• Patricia Ledvina Himes, New Oklahoma Supreme Court Decisions Regarding Arbitration – Sustaining Constitutionality and Expanding the Role of District Courts, 67 Okla. B.J. 2887, (1996).  

  • This article provides a sample of Oklahoma Primary Authorities (available on HeinOnline). 

• Stanley M. Hubble, Court-Annexed Arbitration: The Trend Toward Mandatory Arbitration Travels Across the Country And Into Oklahoma’s Western District, 57 Okla. B.J. 3179 (1986). 

  • This article discusses the rise, and general characteristics, of mandatory arbitration in Oklahoma (available on HeinOnline). 

The following is a list of practice materials tailored to Oklahoma employment arbitration. A plain language search of the relevant database will provide access. 

• Westlaw 
  • 9 OKPRAC S 8:4 
  • 3C VRN-OKFORM S 14.39 
    • This work provides commentary upon sample employment arbitration provisions. 
• Lexis - Practical Guidance 
  • Arbitration Agreement (Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate Employment Related Disputes) (OK) 
    • Template 
  • Arbitration (OK)
    • State Q&A 
  • Arbitration State Law Survey