OKLAHOMA CITY – Reducing the cost of civil judgment could help Oklahomans who are suffering from financial abuse, a group of state lawmakers said.
Recently state Reps. Andy Fugate, D-Del City; Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, and Aletia Timmons, D-Oklahoma City, conducted an interim study which examined ways to expunge civil judgments.
Experts said reducing the court costs could help Oklahomans who are being financially abused.
“For many survivors of abuse, civil judgments are not the result of poor choices but of manipulation, coercion or control,' Hasenbeck said. 'Abusers often use financial tools like credit cards and loans to trap their victims in cycles of debt and dependence. When those survivors finally find the courage to leave, they’re left carrying the financial scars of someone else’s actions, further burdening them as they attempt to heal. Civil judgment expungement gives them a chance to break free from that burden and truly start over.”
Currently, Oklahoma has little to no recourse for those ensnared in financial abuse.
The study showed that Oklahoma does not have a civil judgment expungement system. Instead, the closest thing to expungement would be to seal the court record. However, sealing a record takes time and those involved must be able to provide proof that sealing the public record is in the interest of justice.
Timmons said victims of domestic violence often have to move out of their homes to escape. She said civil expungement of evictions advances protections to some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable.
Fugate agreed. He said Oklahomans who work closely with domestic violence survivors know escaping abuse is “only the beginning.”
“Survivors are left with lasting emotional scars and financial devastation,” he said. “Coerced debt, ruined credit, and civil judgments trap survivors in a fiscal prison long after they’ve escaped the physical one. Civil judgment relief in the form of a Survivors Act 2.0 will give survivors essential relief and help them rebuild their lives.”
The study comes at the same time two new laws go into effect that could help victims.
House Bills 1460 and 1462, both authored by Rep. Tammy West, would eliminate several fines and fees while securing victim restitution payments.
'For too long, court fines and fees have worked against rehabilitation,' West said in a media statement. 'When someone leaves incarceration, they owe thousands of dollars of debt before they've even found a job or housing. That's not a fair second chance. These reforms are about giving people who’ve paid their debt to society a fair shot at rebuilding their lives. By eliminating unnecessary fees and ensuring victims are prioritized, the road to restitution and rehabilitation is smoother for everyone. This will make our justice system more efficient, more compassionate and more focused on true second chances.'
HB 1460 would eliminate six fees across Oklahoma’s justice system, West said, adding that the measure strengthens the court fee waiver process. She said HB 1462 directs court clerks to certify restitution has been paid to victims before accepting payment toward other fines and fees.
West said the bills were sparked by an interim study last year. That study, she said, was designed to learn more about the scope of fees that may be charged to Oklahomans throughout the criminal justice process.
Many fees have collections rates as low as 25% and cost the state more to attempt collection than they bring in, often leaving departments with an unreliable revenue source, she said.
Offenders who can't keep pace with their fines and fees may face license suspension, re-arrest or even more jail time, adding further financial burdens.
The idea is also being supported by Gov. Kevin Stitt, who highlighted reduced fines and fees as one of his legislative priorities during his 2025 State of the State address.
'We know that high fees keep people trapped in this cycle and contribute to higher recidivism,' Stitt said in his February speech. 'That doesn’t make sense. I want to change that structure and make sure that a second chance is actually a second chance and get rid of fines, fees and court costs for good.'
State lawmakers will return to the Capitol next February for the Second Session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature.