§ 4 Construction of words.

This rule explains how to read and understand words used throughout Oklahoma's criminal procedure laws. It sets up some basic ground rules for interpreting the language so there's no confusion about what the law means.

When a law is written in present tense, it also covers future situations, not just what's happening right now. If a law uses male terms like "he" or "his," it also means women and non-living entities too. Words written as singular also count for plural, and words written as plural also count for singular. So if a law says "the witness," it can also mean "witnesses," depending on the situation.

The rule also says that when a law mentions a "person," this includes companies and corporations, not just individual human beings. This matters because it means corporations can be held responsible under criminal procedure laws in the same way a person can, unless a specific law says otherwise.