Okla. Stat. tit. 21, §§ 1351–1357 § 1351
Penalty for Procuring Violence During Forcible Entry and Detainer
Operative Text
Every person guilty of using or procuring, encouraging or assisting another to use any force, or violence in entering upon or detaining any lands or other possessions of another except in the cases and manner allowed by law, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Under 21 O.S. § 1351, Oklahoma law treats the use of force or violence to take over or hold onto someone else's land or property as a criminal offense, specifically a misdemeanor. This applies not only to the person who directly uses force, but also to anyone who encourages, procures, or assists in such conduct. The law carves out an exception for situations where force is expressly permitted by law, but outside those narrow circumstances, any forcible entry or detention of another's property is prohibited.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under 21 O.S. § 1351, property owners and managers who need to recover possession of a rental unit are expected to rely exclusively on the formal legal eviction process rather than any self-help measures involving force or intimidation. Compliant operators document disputes, file the appropriate court actions, and allow law enforcement to carry out any authorized removal — they do not enlist others to physically remove tenants or their belongings. Encouraging or directing employees, contractors, or third parties to use force in a property dispute can expose an operator to misdemeanor criminal liability under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
21 O.S. § 1351 provides tenants with a legal protection against landlords or their agents who use or arrange for the use of physical force to remove them from or prevent them from accessing a rental property. If a tenant believes a landlord has engaged in such conduct, that conduct may constitute a criminal misdemeanor, and the tenant may have grounds to report the incident to local law enforcement or the district attorney's office. Tenant-rights organizations can help individuals understand how this provision interacts with civil remedies and what documentation may be useful when reporting a potential violation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.