Articles
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Judicial Reform
Liberal Democrat takes role with Oklahoma Bar Association
One of the most liberal Democrats to serve in the Oklahoma Legislature in recent years has been given a prominent role with the Oklahoma Bar Association that will impact the “future direction for the organization.”Ray Carter | May 8, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Ten Commandments case highlights Oklahoma’s judicial incoherence
Some say the unelected and unaccountable Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC)—which chooses, in secret, all major Oklahoma judicial nominees—works just fine. Unfortunately, there is much evidence to the contrary.Jonathan Small | April 29, 2024
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Judicial Reform
OCPA Announces Oklahoma Judicial Scorecard
The Oklahoma Judicial Scorecard will look at rulings by justices on the Oklahoma Supreme Court.Staff | April 22, 2024
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Judicial Reform
JNC process lacks transparency
A flier recently distributed at the Oklahoma Capitol tries, desperately, to convince lawmakers that Oklahoma’s secretive Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) should be preserved and that Oklahomans will somehow be worse off if we instead adopt the judicial-selection process developed by our nation’s Founding Fathers. But the flier doesn’t pass the laugh test.Staff | April 17, 2024
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Judicial Reform
60 percent of JNC members are not Republicans
In a state where a majority of voters are Republicans, only 40% of JNC members are Republicans.Jonathan Small | April 15, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Judicial Nominating Commission structure hides partisan tilt
Defenders claim the JNC is “nonpartisan.” But the membership requirements of the group have granted Democratic partisans outsized influence in selecting Oklahoma judges.Ray Carter | April 15, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Democratic donors dominate OBA leadership
Campaign-donation records show the Oklahoma Bar Association's leadership is stacked with Democratic partisans.Ray Carter | April 12, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Group that selects Oklahoma judges loves Cuba?
The Oklahoma Bar Association offered its attorneys continuing legal education (CLE) credit for vacationing in a totalitarian communist country that flouts the rule of law.Ray Carter | April 11, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Judicial-nomination transparency bill clears committee
Legislation that would end the closed-door, secretive process currently used to select Oklahoma judges has received strong support from a House committee.Ray Carter | April 9, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Another dubious Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling points up the need for reform
The court’s threadbare ruling on the minimum-wage issue highlights, once again, the importance of overhauling the judicial-selection process in Oklahoma. We need a system that produces judges whose rulings and opinions are grounded in law, not random political whims.Jonathan Small | April 1, 2024