Administration of Justice: It’s our Job
By Jon Parsley

I am honored and privileged to serve as your president for 2009.

Our association has a great year planned. There are plans in the works for several new and exciting programs and enhancements to some existing programs. In addition to the work of the OBA on behalf of its members, we also have the responsibility to ensure that the rule of law prevails and that all citizens of our state have reasonable and responsible access to the justice system. The work on behalf of our members and on behalf of the public requires us to be vigilant in ensuring that able advocates are free to pursue liberty and justice for all.

This legislative session several bills have been filed that directly affect our association. Senate Bill 997 proposes to deintegrate the Oklahoma Bar Association – leaving behind a voluntary bar association with no structure for admission or discipline. Absent our current structure, the state of Oklahoma would be left without any standards for admission or system to discipline or disbar lawyers who violate our ethical standards.

Also, “tort reform” that has morphed into the now common name of “lawsuit reform” has found its way back onto the legislative agenda. There are several bills and resolutions that if passed would result in caps on noneconomic damages, limits on attorney fees, and even subject Supreme Court rules to approval of the Legislature. This year the collection of proposed legislative enactments outnumbers years past. I fear that the passage of many of these bills would infringe upon the rights of the citizens of this state and would have a negative impact upon the administration of justice and our profession.

In light of what appears to be a serious attack upon our profession and the rights of all persons to seek redress in an open and unbiased forum, the Board of Governors has authorized me to create the Administration of Justice Task Force. The task force is charged with identifying legislation that may negatively affect our profession and/or threatens to deny equal justice under the law to all. The task force is further charged to make recommendations to the Board of Governors on what positions and responses it deems appropriate. It is anticipated that the task force will be working closely with our Legislative Monitoring Committee so that timely review of all the pending bills can be accomplished.

In order that we have balanced and learned positions and responses, I have called upon lawyers throughout the state. It is my goal to bring together plaintiffs’ lawyers, defense lawyers, corporate counsel and attorneys from academia. As an important voice for our profession, I want to ensure that we have every segment of our association represented and have given full and equal opportunity to express opinions on a wide range of issues. Beyond diversity of practice areas and geography, I expect we will have a diversity of opinions and ideas. In the end I hope that we will be able to articulate an honest message to deliver to the Oklahoma Legislature regarding the proposals that we will be studying.

At the present I will use my best efforts to work with the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Many bills introduced every session do not make it to the finish line of the governor’s desk or a ballot for a vote of the people. Sometimes a bill dies because the members of the Legislature decide sua sponte that the bill is not a good idea. Other times it takes an educated and engaged public to provide information to legislators to prevent undesirable legislation from passing. I need you to be part of an educated and engaged public who will work to educate members of the Legislature on the effect of bills that will hamper our profession and in the end negatively impact the administration of justice in our state. In short, it may well be time that we advocate for ourselves.          

APPRECIATION EXPRESSED

Too often the people who matter most do not hear the words “thank you” often enough. So, before we set about the task of building, enhancing and protecting the profession and the system of justice we so dearly cherish; hear these words, “Thank you!” Nothing this year will be possible without an active and engaged membership. So – from Guymon to Idabel, from Miami to Hollis and all points between – I thank you now and ask for your help to meet the challenges of the coming year.

Sincerely,

To contact President Parsley, e-mail him at jparsley@ptsi.net