The selection of qualified persons for appointment to the judiciary is of the utmost importance to the administration of justice in this state.  Since the adoption of Article 7B to the Oklahoma Constitution in 1967 there has been significant improvement in the quality of the appointments to the bench.  Originally, the Judicial Nominating Commission was involved in the nomination of Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of the Court of Criminal Appeals.  Since the adoption of the amendment, the Legislature added the requirement that vacancies in all judgeships, appellate and trial, be filled by appointment of the Governor from nominees submitted by the Judicial Nominating Commission.

The Commission is composed of 13 members.  There are six non-lawyers appointed by the Governor, six lawyers elected by members of the bar and one at large member elected by the other 12 members.  All serve six year terms, except the member at large who serves a two-year term.  Members may not succeed themselves on the Commission.

The lawyers of this state play a very important role in the selection of judges since six of the members of the Commission are lawyers elected by lawyers.  The lawyer members are elected from each of the six congressional districts as they existed in 1967.  (As you know, the congressional districts were redrawn in 2002.)  Elections are held each odd numbered year for members from two districts. 

2009 Elections

Procedures for nominations and elections can be found online, as well as petitions and resolutions for each district.

This year there will be elections for members in Districts 5 and 6.  District 5 is composed of counties in the central part of the state.  District 6 is composed of counties in the western and northwestern part of the state. 

Lawyers desiring to be candidates for the Judicial Nominating Commission positions have until May 15, 2009, to file their Nominating Petitions.  Ballots will be mailed on June 5, 2009, and must be returned by June 19, 2009.

It is important to the administration of justice that the OBA members in the Fifth and Sixth Congressional Districts become informed on the candidates for the Judicial Nominating Commission and cast their vote.  The framers of the constitutional amendment entrusted to the lawyers the responsibility of electing qualified people to serve on the Commission.  Hopefully, the lawyers in the Fifth and Sixth Congressional Districts will fulfill their responsibility by voting in the election for members of the Judicial Nominating Commission.

Counties in each district are as follows:
Note: Corrected county lists updated 4/1/09

District No. 5
Nominating Petition
Nominating Resolution

District No. 6
Nominating Petition
Nominating Resolution

NOTE:
When submitting a nominating petition, a candidate should include a 100-word or less biography and a photo. For additional details and sample bio format, e-mail Debbie Brink at the OBA.

Other Documents:

OBA procedures concerning election to the JNC
Title 14 - Congressional and Legislative Districts
Oklahoma Constitution Art.7B§3