Oklahoma Code § 20-125

Title 20. Courts: Office of secretary-bailiff - Creation - Appointment -
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Compensation and salary - Number - Retirement and other benefits –
CLEET-certified.
A.  In all counties of the state there is created the office of
secretary-bailiff for district judges and associate district judges,
and a secretary-bailiff for business court judges, with each such
secretary-bailiff to be appointed by order of the district judge,
associate district judge, or business court judge to serve at the
will of the appointing judge.  The Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court shall approve by administrative directive the number and
assignments of secretary-bailiffs in all counties of the state.
Each secretary-bailiff shall be paid a salary pursuant to the salary
schedule established by the annual appropriation for the district
courts and in accordance with the job description for the position
to which appointed.  For fiscal year 2023 and each fiscal year
thereafter, each secretary-bailiff shall receive an annual salary of
Forty-two Thousand Dollars ($42,000.00).  In each business court
division, the business court judge may appoint a law clerk, who
shall be an attorney licensed or eligible to become licensed to
practice law in this state, to serve at the will of the appointing
judge with an annual salary to be set by the Chief Justice.  In
every county of the state each district judge and each associate
district judge, including business court judges in counties with a
business court division, may by order appoint additional necessary

court personnel subject to the approval of the Chief Justice.  A
part-time bailiff shall be paid out of the court fund of the county
where appointed at the rate set by administrative directive for each
hour that such person actually attends the court and performs
services, or a pro rata fraction thereof for less than an hour of
service.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each district
judge and associate district judge may contract with the sheriff of
the county to allow a deputy sheriff to provide bailiff service to
the court.
B.  With the approval of the presiding judge, a special judge
may appoint a secretary-bailiff or other personnel in accordance
with the administrative order of the Chief Justice.
C.  No judge shall engage more than one full-time secretary-
bailiff at any given time except only during the progress of a jury
trial, when a part-time bailiff may be engaged subject to the
approval of the Chief Justice.  In the latter event, no more than
one additional bailiff shall be engaged to take charge of the jury.
The costs of meals and lodging of bailiffs ordered to keep a jury
together during the process of a trial or after the jury retires for
deliberation shall be lawfully paid from the court fund.
D.  A district judge who sits regularly in more than one county
may employ only one full-time secretary-bailiff in the judicial
district of the judge, and in any other county of the district the
judge may engage a bailiff only on a part-time basis when such judge
sits in the county as a judge pursuant to the procedures set forth
by the Chief Justice in the administrative directive.  The cost of
the operation of the office of a district judge of a multi-county
judicial district, including the purchase of equipment and supplies,
may be apportioned among the counties of that judicial district, or
appropriate division of that district, based upon the percentage of
revenue collected by the courts of the district.
E.  The Administrative Director of the Courts shall develop and
promulgate job descriptions, salary schedules and time-keeping forms
for part-time bailiff personnel.  The Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court, through the Office of the Administrative Director of the
Courts, shall promulgate rules for the compensation for overtime for
all secretary-bailiff and part-time bailiff personnel employed.
F.  Persons employed by a county that does not meet the
requirements of Section 951 of Title 19 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
and who serve as full-time secretary-bailiffs or full-time bailiffs
shall be eligible to participate in the state retirement system and
state insurance programs and any other benefits as are provided to
state employees in the unclassified service.  All part-time bailiff
personnel shall be compensated by the local court fund.
G.  On October 1, 1989, the position of full-time bailiff shall
be redesignated as the position of secretary-bailiff in accordance
with the job descriptions, salary schedules, and procedures approved

by the Chief Justice.  Additional secretary-bailiff positions shall
be created as funding and employee positions are available.
Counties shall be allowed to provide additional support personnel to
the judges sitting in such counties to the extent that funding is
available.
H.  Any secretary-bailiff who is certified by the Council on Law
Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) as a basic peace officer
shall have and exercise all the powers and authority of a peace
officer.  The Office of the Administrative Director of the Courts
shall promulgate rules which prescribe the duties for all CLEET-
certified secretary-bailiffs.  The provisions of this subsection
will not entitle a CLEET-certified secretary-bailiff to participate
in the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System.
Added by Laws 1945, p. 91, § 1, emerg. eff. March 7, 1945.  Amended
by Laws 1949, p. 191, § 1, emerg. eff. March 2, 1949; Laws 1953, p.
83, § 1, emerg. eff. April 8, 1953; Laws 1957, p. 125, § 1, emerg.
eff. April 23, 1957; Laws 1959, p. 103, § 1, emerg. eff. July 15,
1959; Laws 1965, c. 239, § 1, emerg. eff. June 17, 1965; Laws 1969,
c. 219, § 1, emerg. eff. April 21, 1969; Laws 1971, c. 309, § 1,
emerg. eff. June 24, 1971.  Renumbered from § 552 of Title 19 by
Laws 1971, c. 309, § 3, emerg. eff. June 24, 1971.  Amended by Laws
1974, c. 150, § 1, emerg. eff. May 3, 1974; Laws 1975, c. 8, § 1;
Laws 1976, c. 260, § 1, operative July 1, 1976; Laws 1979, c. 230, §
6, eff. July 1, 1979; Laws 1980, c. 280, § 7, eff. July 1, 1980;
Laws 1981, c. 240, § 3, eff. July 1, 1981; Laws 1982, c. 362, § 1,
emerg. eff. July 14, 1982; Laws 1985, c. 237, § 2, operative Aug. 1,
1985; Laws 1989, c. 275, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1989; Laws 2003, c. 153,
§ 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2003; Laws 2005, c. 289, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2005;

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