2019 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 47. Motor Vehicles
§47-7-505. Relief by court in cases of hardship.

A. In order to furnish a means of relief from extreme and unusually severe hardship in the application of Article II or Article III of this chapter, it is hereby provided that any owner or operator whose driving privilege has been suspended by the Department of Public Safety under the provisions of Article II or Article III of this chapter for failure to furnish security or for failure to satisfy a judgment may make application for modification of the order of suspension to the district court of the county where such owner or operator resides.

The application shall contain the following:

1. The name and address of the applicant;

2. The date and location of the accident, names of any fatality or fatalities, names of persons injured, and/or names of persons whose real or personal property was damaged in the accident;

3. A statement that the applicant has failed to comply with the provisions of Article II or Article III of this chapter by either failing to post security or to satisfy a judgment;

4. The facts creating the unusual or severe hardship impairing the ability of the applicant to earn a livelihood;

5. That the applicant has initiated action to post proof of financial responsibility by a method enumerated in Section 7-320 of this title;

6. A true copy of the order of suspension attached thereto; and

7. A verification by the applicant.

B. The district court shall set the application for hearing not less than fifteen (15) days nor more than thirty (30) days from the date of filing the application.

C. A certified copy of the application, bond, order for hearing and any other pleadings shall be served upon the Department of Public Safety, all judgment creditors and/or persons on whose behalf security has been required or by mailing a copy to their last known address at least ten (10) days before the hearing.

D. Persons required to be notified of the hearing may appear and resist the application of Article II or Article III of this chapter. At the hearing the court shall take testimony concerning the hardship of the applicant, testimony of any interested party, and allow the driving record and accident record of the applicant to be introduced into evidence by the Department of Public Safety. After hearing on the application, but not before, if the court finds that the suspension has resulted or will result in extreme and unusually severe hardship, seriously impairing the ability of the applicant to earn a livelihood, the court may modify, but not vacate, the order of suspension and the extent to which the applicant shall comply with the provisions of Articles II and III of this chapter with respect to furnishing security or satisfying a judgment. If the court finds the order of suspension should be modified, then the court shall require that the applicant furnish proof of financial responsibility by a method enumerated in Section 7-320 of this title. The proof of financial responsibility shall be furnished to the Department of Public Safety. The modification shall not become effective until the proof of financial responsibility is furnished to the Department together with a certified order of the court setting forth the modification.

E. An appeal may be taken by any interested party from the order of the district court to the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma.

F. It shall be the duty of the district attorney in the county where the application is filed to represent the Department of Public Safety in the proceedings under the statute upon request from the Department of Public Safety.

Added by Laws 1961, p. 366, § 7-505. Amended by Laws 1994, c. 181, § 15, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Laws 2009, c. 62, § 26, eff. Nov. 1, 2009.