OCSO To Begin Enforcing Eviction Notices

The Oklahoma County Sheriffs office said it will resume serving eviction notices on Tuesday after the COVID-19 crisis. 

The OCSO said once deputies serve an order, tenants will have 48 hours to leave the property they’re leasing or renting. 

“Once a judge makes a ruling in favor of the landlord, once that rule is filed with the Clerk’s Office, then we have 60 days to serve that notice,” said Mark Meyers with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office. “Obviously the big issues here is with COVID-19. A lot of people have lost their work. So it’s very difficult.” 

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission said so far, more than 400,000 Oklahomans have filed for unemployment since mid-March. Without a job, many residents are unable to make rent. 

Deputies started serving eviction orders last week. At one point there were 300 people scheduled on the Oklahoma County Eviction Docket for a single day.

The sheriff's office posted on their Facebook page saying in part that they know times are tough, however, it must enforce orders issued by the courts. Deputies also promised to be compassionate and respectful during scheduled evictions. 

The sheriff's office is urging everyone who gets a notice to make their case in front of the judge, because that's the only person who can determine the case.