James R. Winchester

2000 — Current

57
%
score
Key
SUPPORTING CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES
OPPOSING CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES
NOT VOTING
Case Weight Summary Vote OCPA Position
Case
Douglas v. Cox Retirement Properties, Inc.
2013
Score

30

Summary

Court struck down the Comprehensive Lawsuit Reform Act of 2009 in its entirety under the auspices of the single-subject rule.

Vote
Dissent
Position
dissent
Case
Strickland v. Stephens Production Co.
2018
Score

10

Summary

Court struck down a provision in the Oklahoma Administrative Workers’ Compensation Act as a special law.

Vote
Majority
Position
dissent
Case
Gibby v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
2017
Score

10

Summary

Court struck down a provision of the Oklahoma Administrative Workers’ Compensation Act (forfeiture for missing appointments) as violating the “adequate remedy” clause of the Oklahoma Constitution.

Vote
Dissent
Position
dissent
Case
Mullendore v. Mercy Hospital Ardmore
2019
Score

10

Summary

Court overturned the decision of the Administrative Law Judge in a workers’ comp case, totally reversing the standard of review in the process.

Vote
Dissent
Position
dissent
Case
Maxwell v. Sprint PCS
2016
Score

10

Summary

Court invalidated two sections of the Oklahoma Administrative Workers’ Compensation Act under the theories of due process and the rule against special laws.

Vote
Dissent
Position
dissent
Case
Torres v. Seaboard Foods, LLC
2016
Score

10

Summary

Court struck down the 180 day provision of the Oklahoma Administrative Workers’ Compensation Act as a violation of due process.

Vote
Concurrence
Position
dissent
Case
John v. Saint Francis Hospital, Inc.
2017
Score

10

Summary

Court struck down the “affidavit of merit” law.

Vote
Majority
Position
dissent
Case
League of Women Voters of Oklahoma v. Ziriax
2020
Score

5

Summary

Court used a rule of civil procedure to invalidate Oklahoma’s requirement that mail-in ballots be notarized.

Vote
Dissent
Position
dissent
Case
Prescott v. Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission
2015
Score

5

Summary

Court forced the removal of the Ten Commandments statue from the Oklahoma Capitol, claiming it violated Oklahoma’s unconstitutional Blaine Amendment.

Vote
Majority
Position
dissent
Case
Oklahoma Call for Reproductive Justice v. Drummond (Oklahoma Call I)
2023
Score

5

Summary

Court read a limited right to abortion in the Oklahoma Constitution and struck down one of two laws protecting life.

Vote
Majority
Position
dissent
Case
Oklahoma Call for Reproductive Justice v. State (Oklahoma Call II)
2023
Score

5

Summary

Relying on Oklahoma Call I, the Court invalidated two more pro-life laws.

Vote
Majority
Position
dissent
Case
Oklahoma Call for Reproductive Justice v. Drummond (Oklahoma Call III)
2023
Score

5

Summary

Again relying on Oklahoma Call I, the Court directed trial court to enjoin (prohibit from going into effect) three laws that regulate abortion.

Vote
Majority
Position
dissent
Case
Hunsucker v. Fallin
2017
Score

5

Summary

Struck down legislation designed to reduce drunk driving as violative of the single-subject rule.

Vote
Dissent
Position
dissent
Case
State Chamber of Oklahoma v. Cobbs
2024
Score

10

Summary

Court allowed a ballot measure to move forward that would raise the state’s minimum wage in direct contradiction to its precedent.

Vote
Majority
Position
dissent
Case
Oklahoma Schools Risk Management Trust v. McAlester Public Schools
2019
Score

10

Summary

Court’s majority rewrote an insurance contract in order to help the plaintiff recover from what was an uninsured loss.

Vote
Dissent
Position
dissent
Case
Stricklen v. Multiple Injury Trust Fund
2024
Score

30

Summary

In this case, the Court’s majority redefined the word “subsequent” in the statute to ensure the Plaintiff had a right to claim damages.

Vote
Not Voting
Position
dissent
Case
Hayes v. Penkoski
2024
Score

15

Summary

In this case, the majority vacated a protective order granted against a street preacher for exercising his First Amendment rights.

Vote
Majority
Position
majority
Case
Beason v. I.E. Miller Services, Inc.
2019
Score

30

Summary

Court struck down a tort reform law capping noneconomic damages calling it a ‘special law.’

Vote
Dissent
Position
dissent
Case
Ritter v. State
2022
Score

10

Summary

Court struck down a law that prohibited schools from instituting mask mandates on kids absent special circumstances.

Vote
Majority
Position
dissent
Case
Drummond v. Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board
2024
Score

5

Summary

Court prohibited a Catholic charter school from opening relying, in part, on Oklahoma’s unconstitutional Blaine Amendment.

Vote
Majority
Position
dissent