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The Office of the Appellate Court Clerk maintains the official docket data. They can be reached at: 405-521-2163   Room B-2, State Capitol 2300 N. Lincoln Oklahoma City, OK 73105   -or-   P.O. Box 53126 Oklahoma City, OK 73152

Trial judges are elected by a vote of the people every four years.   Appellate judges terms are for six years. Appellate judges are first appointed by the Governor from a list of three names of qualified individuals prepared by the Judicial Nominating Commission. They are then retained in office by vote of the people.   Judges cannot be listed on the ballot by their political party (Democrat, Republican, etc). In fact, judges are prohibited from publicly stating their political party affiliation. For the exact wording of that law, go to 20 O.S. § 1404.1

Since it is very important for judges to be independent and not favor one person over another, the campaigns for judicial office are very different than any other office in the state. Judges are not allowed to say how they would rule in a case if it came before them or what their predisposition is toward a particular situation.   The best information available on judges is from the lawyers who appear before the judge or other people who know the candidates and know if the candidate is fair, unbiased, independent, can follow the law, has integrity and a good work ethic.

Sitting judges and lawyer candidates are prohibited from stating how they would rule in a particular instance or on a particular issue. Judges need to consider evidence in each specific case and then apply the law to that particular case. Further, in cases that go to trial, juries decide the verdict. The judge imposes the jury?s verdict unless it was an exceptional verdict not supported by the evidence.