§ 1143.Answer In Action to Recover Real Property

Chapter 20: Actions Regarding Real Property · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026

In one sentenceSection 1143 allows a defendant in a real property recovery action to answer with a general denial of title or possession, but a denial of the plaintiff's title is treated as an admission that the defendant possesses the property, and a partial defense must describe the specific part claimed.

Full Text of § 1143

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It shall be sufficient in such action, if the defendant in his answer, deny, generally, the title alleged in the petition, or that he withholds the possession, as the case may be, but if he deny the title of the plaintiff, possession by the defendant shall be taken as admitted. Where he does not defend for the whole premises, the answer shall describe the particular part of which defense is made.

End

Amendment History

R.L. 1910, § 4929.

Plain-English Summary

The defendant gets a simplified answer option: a general denial of the title the plaintiff alleges, or a general denial of withholding possession, is enough. But that simplicity comes with a trade-off -- if the defendant denies the plaintiff's title, the answer is treated as admitting the defendant possesses the property. And a defendant who isn't defending the whole property must describe, in the answer, exactly which part is in dispute.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a defendant just generally deny the plaintiff's claim to the property?

Yes. A general denial of the alleged title, or of withholding possession, satisfies the answer requirement.

What happens if the defendant denies the plaintiff's title?

That denial is taken as an admission that the defendant possesses the property.

What if the defendant only disputes part of the property?

The answer must describe the particular part of the premises the defendant is defending.

Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, enacted by the Oklahoma Legislature. Last verified August 3, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: answer to ejectment action oklahomageneral denial real property oklahoma12 O.S. § 1143defendant possession admission oklahoma