Judicial selection in Oklahoma
| Judicial selection in Oklahoma | |
 | |
| Oklahoma Supreme Court | |
| Method: | Assisted appointment |
| Term: | 6 years |
| Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals | |
| Method: | Assisted appointment |
| Term: | 6 years |
| Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals | |
| Method: | Assisted appointment |
| Term: | 6 years |
| Oklahoma District Courts | |
| Method: | Nonpartisan election |
| Term: | 4 years |
Judicial selection refers to the process used to select judges for courts. At the state level, methods of judicial selection vary substantially in the United States, and in some cases between different court types within a state. There are six primary types of judicial selection: partisan and nonpartisan elections, the Michigan method, assisted appointment, gubernatorial appointment, and legislative elections. To read more about how these selection methods are used across the country, click here.
This article covers how state court judges are selected in Oklahoma, including:
- Oklahoma Supreme Court,
- Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals,
- Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals,
- Oklahoma District Courts, and
- Limited jurisdiction courts
As of April 2023, judges for all appellate courts in the state were selected through assisted appointment, where the governor selects a nominee from a list provided by a nominating commission. Judges of the Oklahoma District Courts were selected in nonpartisan elections.[1]
Click here to notify us of changes to judicial selection methods in this state.
Oklahoma Supreme Court
- See also: Oklahoma Supreme Court
The nine justices of the Oklahoma Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. Each justice is appointed by the governor from a list of three names compiled by the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission.[1][2]
The appointed justice serves an initial term of at least one year, after which they must stand for retention during the next general election. Subsequent terms last six years.[1][3]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a justice must be:
- at least 30 years old;
- a qualified voter in his or her respective district for at least one year; and
- licensed to practice for at least five years in the state (or have five years of service as a judge of a court of record).[1]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the court is selected by peer vote, serving in that capacity for two years.[1]
Vacancies
If a justice retires before the end of his or her term, the vacancy is filled just as it normally would be, with the governor appointing a successor from a list of names provided by the nominating commission. If the appointment is not made within 60 days of the vacancy, the chief justice is responsible for selecting a replacement.[4] The appointed justice then must stand for retention in the next general election after he or she has served one year on the bench to serve out the remainder of his or her predecessor's term.[1][3]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Oklahoma," accessed September 22, 2021 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "OKgeneral" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission," accessed September 22, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Justia, "Section VII-B-5," accessed September 22, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Oklahoma Public Research System, "Section VII-B-4: Vacancy in Judicial Office - Filling," accessed September 22, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Oklahoma; Limited Jurisdiction Courts," accessed September 22, 2021
- ↑ Justia, "2014 Oklahoma Statutes - Title 11. Cities and Towns - §11-28-101. Municipal criminal courts of record - Cities with population over 65,000 - Resolution." accessed September 22, 2021
- ↑ Justia, "2014 Oklahoma Statutes - Title 11. Cities and Towns - §11-27-104. Judges." accessed September 22, 2021
- ↑ Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims, "About the Court," accessed September 22, 2021
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "History of Reform Efforts: Oklahoma," accessed September 22, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Courts, "FAQ: Federal Judges," accessed March 26, 2015
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Judicial Selection: The Process of Choosing Judges," accessed August 10, 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
