Exhibit 5(b)
RICHARDS, LAYTON & FINGER
February 5, 1997
PSO Capital One
c/o Public Service Company of Oklahoma
Central and South West Corporation
1616 Woodall Rodgers Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75202
Re: PSO CAPITAL I
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Delaware counsel for Public Service Company
of Oklahoma, an Oklahoma corporation (the "Company"), and PSO Capital I, a
Delaware business trust (the "Trust" ), in connection with the matters set forth
herein. At your request, this opinion is being furnished to you.
For purposes of giving the opinions hereinafter set forth, our
examination of documents has been limited to the examination of originals or
copies of the following:
(a) The Certificate of Trust of the Trust, dated January 29, 1997 as
filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the
"Secretary of State") on January 29, 1997;
(b) The Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of January 29, 1997
between the Company and the trustees of the Trust named therein;
(c) The Registration Statement (the "Registration Statement") on
Form S-3, including a prospectus and prospectus supplement with respect to the
Trust (collectively, the "Prospectus"), relating to the Trust Originated
Preferred Securities of the Trust representing preferred undivided beneficial
interests in the assets of the Trust (each, a "Security" and collectively, the
"Securities"), filed by the Company and the Trust with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on or about February 5, 1997;
(d) A form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement for the Trust, to
be entered into between the Company, the trustees of the Trust named therein,
and the holders, from time to time, of the undivided beneficial interests in the
assets of the Trust (including Exhibits C and E thereto) (the "Trust
Agreement"), attached as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; and
(e) A Certificate of Good Standing for the Trust, dated February 4,
1997, obtained from the Secretary of State.
Initially capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined
are used as defined in the Trust Agreement.
For purposes of this opinion, we have not reviewed any documents
other than the documents listed in paragraphs (a) through (e) above. In
particular, we have not reviewed any document (other than the documents listed
in paragraphs (a) through (e) above) that is referred to in or incorporated by
reference into the documents reviewed by us. We have assumed that there exists
no provision in any document that we have not reviewed that is inconsistent with
the opinions stated herein. We have conducted no independent factual
investigation of our own but rather have relied solely upon the foregoing
documents, the statements and information set forth therein and the additional
matters recited or assumed herein, all of which we have assumed to be true,
complete and accurate in all material respects.
With respect to all documents examined by us, we have assumed (i)
the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as authentic originals, (ii)
the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies or
forms, and (iii) the genuineness of all signatures.
For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed (i) that the Trust
Agreement and the Certificate of Trust are in full force and effect and have not
been amended, (ii) except to the extent provided in paragraph 1 below, the due
organization or due formation, as the case may be, and valid existence in good
standing of each party to the documents examined by us under the laws of the
jurisdiction governing its creation, organization or formation, (iii) the legal
capacity of natural persons who are parties to the documents examined by us,
(iv) that each of the parties to the documents examined by us has the power and
authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, such
documents, (v) the due authorization, execution and delivery by all parties
thereto of all documents examined by us, (vi) the receipt by each Person to whom
a Security is to be issued by the Trust (collectively, the "Security Holders")
of a certificate for such Security in the form prescribed by the Trust Agreement
and the payment for such Security, in accordance with the Trust Agreement and
the Registration Statement, and (vii) that the Securities are issued and sold to
the Security Holders in accordance with the Trust Agreement and the Registration
Statement. We have not participated in the preparation of the Registration
Statement and assume no responsibility for its contents.
This opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Delaware
(excluding the securities laws of the State of Delaware), and we have not
considered and express no opinion on the laws of any other jurisdiction,
including federal laws and rules and regulations relating thereto. Our opinions
are rendered only with respect to Delaware laws and rules, regulations and
orders thereunder which are currently in effect.
Based upon the foregoing, and upon our examination of such questions
of law and statutes of the State of Delaware as we have considered necessary or
appropriate, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, limitations and
exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Trust has been duly created and is validly existing in good
standing as a business trust under the Delaware Business Trust Act.
2. The Securities of the Trust will represent valid and, subject to
the qualifications set forth in paragraph 3 below, fully paid and nonassessable
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
3. The Security Holders, as beneficial owners of the Trust, will be
entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders
of private corporations for profit organized under the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware. We note that the Security Holders may be obligated to
make payments as set forth in the Trust Agreement.
We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We hereby
consent to the use of our name under the heading "Legal Matters" in the
Prospectus and "Legal Opinions" in the Prospectus. In giving the foregoing
consents, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons
whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
thereunder. Except as stated above, without our prior written consent, this
opinion may not be furnished or quoted to, or relied upon by, any other person
for any purpose.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Richards, Layton & Finger