United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma

Last updated
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
(W.D. Okla.)
Oklahoma-western.gif
Location William J. Holloway Jr. U.S. Courthouse
(Oklahoma City)
More locations
Appeals to Tenth Circuit
EstablishedJune 16, 1906
Judges7
Chief Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti
Officers of the court
U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester
U.S. Marshal Johnny Lee Kuhlman
www.okwd.uscourts.gov

The United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (in case citations, W.D. Okla. or W.D. Ok.) is a federal court in the Tenth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

Contents

The District was established on June 16, 1906, and became operational on November 16, 1907, with Oklahoma achieving statehood. [1]

Organization

The United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma is one of three federal judicial districts in Oklahoma. [2] Court for the District is held at Lawton and Oklahoma City.

Enid and Ponca City Division comprises the following counties: Alfalfa, Garfield, Grant, Kay, Noble, and Payne.

Lawton and Mangum Division comprises the following counties: Beckham, Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Jefferson, Kiowa, Stephens, Tillman, and Washita.

Oklahoma City, Guthrie, Chickasha, Pauls Valley, and Shawnee Division comprises the following counties: Blaine, Canadian, Cleveland, Garvin, Grady, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, McClain, Oklahoma, and Pottawatomie.

Woodward Division comprises the following counties: Beaver, Cimarron, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Harper, Major, Roger Mills, Texas, Woods, and Woodward.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. As of December 28,2021 the United States attorney is Robert J. Troester. [3]

Current judges

As of May 27,2020:

#TitleJudgeDuty stationBornTerm of serviceAppointed by
Active Chief Senior
24Chief Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti Oklahoma City 19622007–present2019–present— G.W. Bush
25District Judge Scott L. Palk Oklahoma City 19672017–present—— Trump
26District Judge Charles Barnes Goodwin Oklahoma City 19702018–present—— Trump
27District Judge Patrick Wyrick Oklahoma City 19812019–present—— Trump
28District Judge Jodi W. Dishman Oklahoma City 19792019–present—— Trump
29District Judge Bernard M. Jones Oklahoma City 19792019–present—— Trump
30District Judge John F. Heil III [Note 1] none [Note 2] 19682020–present—— Trump
14Senior Judge David Lynn Russell Oklahoma City 19421981–2013 [Note 3] 1994–20012013–present Reagan
15Senior Judge Wayne Alley inactive19321985–1999—1999–present Reagan
17Senior Judge Robin J. Cauthron inactive19501991–20152001–20082015–present G.H.W. Bush
18Senior Judge Timothy D. Leonard inactive19401992–2006—2006–present G.H.W. Bush
20Senior Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange inactive19531994–20182008–20152018–present Clinton
21Senior Judge James H. Payne [Note 1] none [Note 4] 19412001–2017—2017–present G.W. Bush
22Senior Judge Stephen P. Friot Oklahoma City 19472001–2014—2014–present G.W. Bush
23Senior Judge Joe L. Heaton Oklahoma City 19512001–20192015–20192019–present G.W. Bush
  1. 1 2 Jointly appointed to the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma.
  2. ↑ Judge Heil maintains chambers only in the Eastern and Northern Districts.
  3. ↑ From 1981 to 1990, Judge Russell was jointly appointed to the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma.
  4. ↑ Judge Payne maintains chambers only in the Eastern and Northern Districts.

Former judges

#JudgeStateBorn–diedActive service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed byReason for
termination
1 John Hazelton Cotteral OK 1864–19331907–1928 [Note 1] —— T. Roosevelt elevation to 8th Cir.
2 Edgar Sullins Vaught OK 1873–19591928–1956 [Note 2] 1949–19561956–1959 Coolidge death
3 Alfred P. Murrah OK 1904–19751937–1940 [Note 3] —— F. Roosevelt elevation to 10th Cir.
4 Bower Slack Broaddus OK 1888–19491940–1949 [Note 3] —— F. Roosevelt death
5 Stephen Sanders Chandler Jr. OK 1899–19891943–19751956–19691975–1989 F. Roosevelt death
6 William Robert Wallace OK 1886–19601950–1960 [Note 3] —— Truman death
7 Ross Rizley OK 1892–19691956–1969—— Eisenhower death
8 Luther L. Bohanon OK 1902–20031961–1974 [Note 3] 1969–19721974–2003 Kennedy death
9 Frederick Alvin Daugherty OK 1914–20061961–1982 [Note 4] [Note 3] 1972–19821982–2006 Kennedy death
10 Luther Boyd Eubanks OK 1917–19961965–19861982–19861986–1987 L. Johnson retirement
11 H. Dale Cook OK 1924–20081974–1992 [Note 3] —1992–2008 Ford death
12 Ralph Gordon Thompson OK 1934–present1975–19991986–19931999–2007 Ford retirement
13 Lee Roy West OK 1929–20201979–19941993–19941994–2020 Carter death
16 Layn R. Phillips OK 1952–present1987–1991—— Reagan resignation
19 Michael Burrage OK 1950–present1994–2001 [Note 3] —— Clinton resignation
  1. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 3, 1907, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 13, 1908, and received commission the same day.
  2. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1928, confirmed by the Senate on January 8, 1929, and received commission the same day.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jointly appointed to the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma.
  4. ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1962, confirmed by the Senate on February 7, 1962, and received commission on February 17, 1962.

Chief judges

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

See also

References

  1. ↑ U.S. District Courts of Oklahoma, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center
  2. ↑ 28 U.S.C.   § 116
  3. ↑ "Robert J. Troester Appointed United States Attorney for The Western District of Oklahoma" (Press release). Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma. December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.

35°28′18″N97°31′01″W / 35.47158°N 97.51685°W / 35.47158; -97.51685

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