Vol. 1 | No. 44 | November 3, 2021
Oklahoma Supreme Court
No published opinions this week.
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma Court Calendar
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is in session year round, unless otherwise noted. The Court regularly schedules conferences on Mondays and other days as needed.
Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals
No published opinions this week.
Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
No published opinions this week.
Dispositions Other than by Published Opinions
CLICK HERE to read Dispositions Other than by Published Opinions.
Annual Meeting Highlights
The OBA's Lawyers Helping Lawyers Assistance Program is sponsoring the Wellness Matters program on Thursday, Nov. 11, during the Annual Meeting. With a special focus on wellness, mental health and substance abuse, attendees will discover best practices for self-care while earning three hours of Ethics MCLE credit. The cost of this program is included in the $25 registration fee.
Special thanks to LHL for sponsoring the program and to the speakers.
- Judge Kenneth M. Stoner, Oklahoma County District Court
- Rhiannon Baker, Holden Litigation, Tulsa
- Scott B. Goode, Military Law Group, Tulsa
He calls it his "lucky mental illness." Read OBA member Tom Hird's essay in the November Oklahoma Bar Journal.
"I came out of the mental illness closet earlier this year in a talk I gave to the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board. A co-worker told me I was brave, but considering I was diagnosed with manic depression (bipolar disorder) in 1984 and am just now talking about it in public, I feel the opposite."
Read the back page article and the rest of the online November OBJ.
The most important association business of the year takes place Friday morning – OBA award presentations, updates from judicial and OBA leaders and elections. See the Bar Business page of the Annual Meeting website, and click the links below for more information.
Nearly 500 new Oklahoma laws were enacted this year, with the bulk of them becoming effective as of Nov. 1. OBA Executive Director John Williams highlights several, particularly changes to the Oklahoma Guardianship and Conservatorship Act, in his column in the November Oklahoma Bar Journal.
"Since lawyers are in the business of the law, each new law is important, and staying informed in changes in the law is incumbent to remain professionally competent. The OBA takes very few positions, if any, on pending legislation. However, bills throughout the session are monitored so members can be aware of potential or actual changes in the law," said Williams.
Helpful links:
Search for new laws from the Oklahoma Secretary of State website.
Find recently updated guardianship handbooks and other materials.
Oklahoma Bar Foundation | Trustee Nominations Announced
Pursuant to Article IV, Section 2 of the Bylaws of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation (OBF), the following OBF members have been nominated by the 2021 Nominating Committee to serve as Trustees: Brett Morton, Ardmore, for a first three-year term and Eddie Valdez, Lawton, for a first three-year term.
Any group of twenty-five or more Partners for Justice (formerly Fellows) may submit the name of a member of the Foundation as an additional nominee, by submitting a petition duly signed by said Partners and submitted to the OBF Executive Committee on or before November 10, 2021. Nominating petitions can be mailed to Renee DeMoss, Executive Director, Oklahoma Bar Foundation, P.O. Box 53036, Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3036, or delivered to 1901 North Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4901.
NOTICE OF HEARING ON THE PETITION FOR REINSTATEMENT
OF SIDNEY WADE JONES, SCBD # 7126
TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION
Notice is hereby given pursuant to Rule 11.3(b), Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings, 5 O.S., ch. 1, app. 1-A, that a hearing will be held to determine if Sidney Wade Jones should be reinstated to active membership in the Oklahoma Bar Association.
Any person desiring to be heard in opposition to or in support of the petition may appear before the
Professional Responsibility Tribunal at the Oklahoma Bar Center at 1901 North Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at 9:30 a.m. on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2021. Any person wishing to appear should contact Gina Hendryx, General Counsel, Oklahoma Bar Association, P.O. Box 53036, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73152, telephone (405) 416-7007.
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY TRIBUNAL
By Jim Calloway, Director
Management Assistance Program
Dru Armstrong has been CEO of LawPay for just a few months and it was a pleasure to meet her when we interviewed her for our Digital Edge podcast: A Conversation with LawPay’s CEO – and Introducing ClientCredit. She was fun, engaging and it clearly wasn’t her first rodeo as far as being interviewed. Armstrong covered a lot of topics, but she was most excited about introducing ClientCredit, a “buy now, pay later” financing option to be rolled out next year. Clients who are unable to pay a retainer or a larger bill, will have a quick option to finance the payment, allowing the client to stretch out their payments over time while the lawyers receive their fees now. Certainly, after the last year and a half, most lawyers are convinced of the benefits allowing clients to make electronic payments. Listen to Dru discussing this new “buy now, pay later” option and many other aspects of managing digital financial transactions.
As most lawyers reading this are probably aware, LawPay has been providing payment processing services to the legal profession for a long time and is an OBA member benefit. They have many offerings related to lawyers getting paid. Even non-subscribers can get some great forms from LawPay’s Resources Center.
