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Courts in Oklahoma
| More information on Oklahoma's state courts: |
|---|
| Selection methods Elections Salaries Federal courts |
In Oklahoma, there are three federal district courts, a state supreme court, court of criminal appeals, court of civil appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.
Click a link for information about that court type.
The image below depicts the flow of cases through Oklahoma's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.
Judicial selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in Oklahoma
Selection of state court judges in Oklahoma occurs through commission-selection and political appointment in all courts except the district courts, where judges are chosen in nonpartisan elections. Most details of the selection process are similar at each court level, including policies on interim vacancies, chief judge selection, and judicial qualifications.[1]
Federal courts
There are three federal district courts in Oklahoma. These courts may hear appeals from state courts and are also the point of origination for federal cases and lawsuits. The federal district courts in Oklahoma is:
Appeals from these districts go to the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.
Active judges
Eastern District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2, 2003 - |
University of Oklahoma, 1983 |
University of Oklahoma College of Law, 1986 |
||
| May 27, 2020 - |
Oklahoma State University, 1990 |
University of Tulsa College of Law, 1994 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democratic appointed: 0
- Republican appointed: 2
Northern District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2020 - |
Oklahoma State University, 1990 |
University of Tulsa College of Law, 1994 |
||
| January 2, 2024 - |
Northeastern State University, 2000 |
University of Tulsa, 2003 |
||
| January 4, 2024 - |
Oklahoma State University, 1985 |
University of Oklahoma College of Law, 1988 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democratic appointed: 2
- Republican appointed: 1
Western District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 9, 2007 - |
University of Oklahoma, 1985 |
University of Oklahoma College of Law, 1988 |
||
| October 31, 2017 - |
Oklahoma State University, 1989 |
University of Oklahoma College of Law, 1992 |
||
| August 30, 2018 - |
University of Oklahoma, 1994 |
University of Oklahoma College of Law, 1997 |
||
| April 10, 2019 - |
University of Oklahoma, 2004 |
University of Oklahoma College of Law, 2007 |
||
| December 20, 2019 - |
Southern Methodist University, 2002 |
University of Oklahoma College of Law, 2005 |
||
| December 31, 2019 - |
Southern Methodist University, 2001 |
University of Notre Dame, 2004 |
||
| May 27, 2020 - |
Oklahoma State University, 1990 |
University of Tulsa College of Law, 1994 |
Below is a display of the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democratic appointed: 0
- Republican appointed: 7
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
Bankruptcy courts
There are three federal bankruptcy courts in Oklahoma. These courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy courts in Oklahoma are:
- Eastern District of Oklahoma Bankruptcy Court
- Northern District of Oklahoma Bankruptcy Court
- Western District of Oklahoma Bankruptcy Court
Oklahoma Supreme Court
- See also: Oklahoma Supreme Court
Founded in 1907, the Oklahoma Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort for civil matters, while the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals is the court of last resort for criminal matters. The supreme court has nine judgeships. The current chief of the court is Dustin Rowe.
The Oklahoma court system has two courts of last resort. The Oklahoma Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over "cases at law and in equity," while the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has appellate jurisdiction over criminal cases.[2]
The table below lists the current judges of the Oklahoma Supreme Court and the appointing governor.
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office | Appointed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma Supreme Court District 1 | M. John Kane IV | Nonpartisan | 2019 | Kevin Stitt (R) |
| Oklahoma Supreme Court District 2 | Dustin P. Rowe | Nonpartisan | February 24, 2020 | Kevin Stitt (R) |
| Oklahoma Supreme Court District 3 | Noma D. Gurich | Nonpartisan | February 15, 2011 | Brad Henry (D) |
| Oklahoma Supreme Court District 4 | Travis Jett | Nonpartisan | April 14, 2025 | Kevin Stitt (R) |
| Oklahoma Supreme Court District 5 | James R. Winchester | Nonpartisan | 2000 | Frank Keating (R) |
| Oklahoma Supreme Court District 6 | Dana Kuehn | Nonpartisan | August 2, 2021 | Kevin Stitt (R) |
| Oklahoma Supreme Court District 7 | James Edmondson | Nonpartisan | 2003 | Brad Henry (D) |
| Oklahoma Supreme Court District 8 | Douglas L. Combs | Nonpartisan | 2010 | Brad Henry (D) |
| Oklahoma Supreme Court District 9 | Richard Darby | Nonpartisan | 2018 | Mary Fallin (R) |
Court of criminal appeals
- See also: Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals
Founded in 1907, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals is the state's court of last resort for criminal matters, while the Oklahoma Supreme Court is the court of last resort for civil matters. The court has five judgeships. The current presiding judge of the court is Dana Kuehn.[3]
As of May 2022, one judge on the court was appointed by a Democratic governor, and four judges were appointed by Republican governors.
The following judges sit on the court:
| Judge | Appointed By |
|---|---|
|
Elected |
|
State court of appeals
- See also: Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals is an intermediate appellate court in the state of Oklahoma, with the Oklahoma Supreme Court as the final court of recourse for civil matters. The Court of Civil Appeals consists of 12 judges in four divisions. The Supreme Court may choose to release the civil appellate court's opinions for publication, which grants these cases precedential value.[4]
The following judges sit on the court:
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
March 10, 2020 - Present |
Kevin Stitt |
|
|
2005 - Present |
Brad Henry |
|
|
July 9, 2008 - Present |
Brad Henry |
|
|
2023 - Present |
Kevin Stitt |
|
|
August 9, 2021 - Present |
Kevin Stitt |
|
|
2006 - Present |
Brad Henry |
|
|
September 14, 2016 - Present |
Mary Fallin |
|
|
June 14, 2022 - Present |
Kevin Stitt |
|
|
January 12, 2021 - Present |
Kevin Stitt |
|
|
2005 - Present |
Brad Henry |
|
|
2002 - Present |
Frank Keating |
|
|
2012 - Present |
Mary Fallin |
Trial courts
District courts
- See also: Oklahoma District Courts
The Oklahoma District Courts are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in Oklahoma. There is a district court in each of the state's 77 counties. These counties are organized into 26 judicial districts.[5][6]
Workers' compensation court of existing claims
The Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims is a court in Oklahoma that has jurisdiction over claims involving on-the-job injuries to employees that occur within the scope of employment. Ten judges serve on the court.[7]
Court of tax review
Established in 1965, the court of tax review hears taxpayer protests and Oklahoma Tax Commission appeals. Cases are heard by panels of three district judges.[4][8]
Municipal criminal court of record
Municipal criminal courts of record are courts created by cities with populations over 200,000 to hear cases regarding local ordinance violations. As of September 2019, the only such courts were in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Courts of record provide a written record of the trial that can be used in the appeals process. Appeals from municipal criminal courts of record can be made to the court of criminal appeals.[9][10]
Municipal criminal court not of record
Municipal criminal courts in cities with populations under 200,000 are not of record, which means that proceedings are not recorded. A case appealed to the district court within 10 days will be tried as a new case.[9][10]
In other states
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Oklahoma," archived November 12, 2020
- ↑ Oklahoma Historical Society,"The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture: Judiciary," accessed June 24, 2024
- ↑ Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, "Who We Serve," accessed March 9, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Supreme Court Brochure," archived July 08, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "The Oklahoma Court System," accessed March 12, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "District Court Judicial Districts," accessed March 12, 2021
- ↑ Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims, "About the Court," accessed April 10, 2025
- ↑ League of Women Voters of Oklahoma Citizen Education Fund (1994), "A Resource Guide to Oklahoma Courts" (page 31)
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 League of Women Voters of Oklahoma Citizen Education Fund (1994), "A Resource Guide to Oklahoma Courts" (pages 29 and 30)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Sansone Howell, "Oklahoma Municipal Courts," accessed March 12, 2021
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Oklahoma, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Oklahoma, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma
State courts:
Oklahoma Supreme Court • Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals • Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals • Oklahoma District Courts • Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims
State resources:
Courts in Oklahoma • Oklahoma judicial elections • Judicial selection in Oklahoma
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