Oklahoma Case Commentaries

Agency Heads May Serve as Cabinet Secretaries: 74 O.S. § 10.3 as a Freestanding Exception to Dual-Office Prohibition

Date: Nov 13, 2025

Agency Heads May Serve as Cabinet Secretaries: 74 O.S. § 10.3 as a Freestanding Exception to Dual-Office Prohibition Introduction STITT v. DRUMMOND, 2025 OK 82 (Okla. Nov. 12, 2025), presents a...

State ex rel. OBA v. Durbin: Clarifying First Amendment Limits on Lawyers’ Speech and Rejecting Anti‑SLAPP Defenses in Bar Discipline

Date: Oct 22, 2025

State ex rel. OBA v. Durbin: Clarifying First Amendment Limits on Lawyers’ Speech and Rejecting Anti‑SLAPP Defenses in Bar Discipline I. Introduction The Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision in State of...

Temporary Medical Relocation, Lost Wills, and Executor Renunciation in Oklahoma Probate: Commentary on Estate of Cunningham v. McClendon

Date: Oct 15, 2025

Temporary Medical Relocation, Lost Wills, and Executor Renunciation in Oklahoma Probate: A Commentary on Estate of Cunningham, Moore & Oklahoma City Community Foundation v. McClendon I. Introduction...

Uniform Exclusion of Tort Bad‑Faith Claims for Service Warranties: America’s Car Mart v. Cantrell and Oklahoma’s Service Warranty Act

Date: Oct 15, 2025

Uniform Exclusion of Tort Bad‑Faith Claims for Service Warranties: America’s Car Mart v. The Honorable Damon Cantrell (Okla. 2025) I. Introduction The Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision in America’s...

Business Court “Divisions” Are District Court Divisions: Judges Must Be Elected; Legislature Cannot Create New Trial Courts by Statute

Date: Oct 8, 2025

Business Court “Divisions” Are District Court Divisions: Judges Must Be Elected; Legislature Cannot Create New Trial Courts by Statute I. Introduction In WHITE AND WADDELL v. STITT (2025 OK 68), the...

Barfell v. Freeman Health System: Oklahoma Courts Must Apply Ford’s “Relate To” Prong When Assessing Specific Personal Jurisdiction

Date: Oct 1, 2025

Barfell v. Freeman Health System: Oklahoma Courts Must Apply Ford’s “Relate To” Prong When Assessing Specific Personal Jurisdiction Court: Supreme Court of Oklahoma | Citation: 2025 OK 61 | Date:...

Survivors’ Act Resentencing Is “Postconviction Relief,” and District Courts Cannot Appoint OIDS in Noncapital Survivors’ Act Proceedings

Date: Oct 1, 2025

Survivors’ Act Resentencing Is “Postconviction Relief,” and District Courts Cannot Appoint OIDS in Noncapital Survivors’ Act Proceedings Introduction In PYBAS v. THE HONORABLE JEFF CRITES, 2025 OK...

BJORKMAN v. NOBLE (2025 OK 62): Attorney Abandonment and No-Hearing Damages/Fee Awards as “Unavoidable Casualty or Misfortune” Requiring Vacation of Judgment

Date: Oct 1, 2025

Attorney Abandonment Plus No-Hearing, Unsupported Damages/Fee Awards Constitute “Unavoidable Casualty or Misfortune” Warranting Vacation of Judgment Case: BJORKMAN v. NOBLE, 2025 OK 62 (Supreme Court...

Deferred Felony Child Endangerment Plus Alcohol-Related Recidivism Warrants Actual Suspension Under RGDP Rule 7

Date: Sep 24, 2025

Deferred Felony Child Endangerment Plus Alcohol-Related Recidivism Warrants Actual Suspension Under RGDP Rule 7 Case: STATE ex rel. OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION v. GIES, 2025 OK 59 (Okla. Sept. 23, 2025)...

Prospective-Only Enforcement of RESCTA’s “Large Load” Rule: No Third-Party Transmission “Extensions,” But Existing Service Remains Undisturbed

Date: Sep 24, 2025

Prospective-Only Enforcement of RESCTA’s “Large Load” Rule: No Third-Party Transmission “Extensions,” But Existing Service Remains Undisturbed 1. Introduction In OKLAHOMA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE v....

Top-Two “Open Primary” Initiatives in Oklahoma: No Facial First Amendment Infirmity; Gist Adequate; Ballot-Title Review Deferred Until Post-Circulation

Date: Sep 17, 2025

Top-Two “Open Primary” Initiatives in Oklahoma: No Facial First Amendment Infirmity; Gist Adequate; Ballot-Title Review Deferred Until Post-Circulation Case: IN RE INITIATIVE PETITION NO. 448, STATE...

OADA Exclusivity Preempts IIED Claims Arising from the Same Operative Facts as Employment Discrimination

Date: Sep 17, 2025

OADA Exclusivity Preempts IIED Claims Arising from the Same Operative Facts as Employment Discrimination Case: BAUGHMAN v. WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION (2025 OK 57) | Court: Supreme Court of Oklahoma...

Individual Legislator Standing in Oklahoma: No Injury-in-Fact from Executive Orders Not Affecting the Legislator’s Vote or Duties

Date: Sep 10, 2025

Individual Legislator Standing in Oklahoma: No Injury-in-Fact from Executive Orders Not Affecting the Legislator’s Vote or Duties I. Introduction FUGATE v. STITT (2025 OK 54) arose from Governor...

Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation: § 69(A)(4)(b) Imposes a Continuing Six-Month Diligence Requirement After a Timely Hearing Request

Date: Sep 10, 2025

Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation: § 69(A)(4)(b) Imposes a Continuing Six-Month Diligence Requirement After a Timely Hearing Request Case: OBI HOLDING COMPANY v. SCHULTZ-BUTZBACH AND THE WORKERS’...

Public Reprimand for Judicial Demeanor and Ex Parte Communications Despite Council’s Private-Reprimand Recommendation (2025 OK 51)

Date: Aug 21, 2025

Public Reprimand for Judicial Demeanor and Ex Parte Communications Despite Council’s Private-Reprimand Recommendation (2025 OK 51) Court: Supreme Court of Oklahoma Date: August 20, 2025 Matter: In...

Credible Evidence, Reciprocal Discipline, and the Path to Disbarment in Oklahoma: Commentary on State ex rel. OBA v. Conrady

Date: Jul 31, 2025

Credible Evidence, Reciprocal Discipline, and the Path to Disbarment in Oklahoma: Commentary on State ex rel. OBA v. Conrady I. Introduction The Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision in State ex rel....

Limiting McGirt’s Reach: Oklahoma Supreme Court Holds Tribal Members on Fee Land Within Reservation Are Not “Living Within Indian Country” for State Income Tax Exemption

Date: Jul 2, 2025

Limiting McGirt’s Reach: Oklahoma Supreme Court Holds Tribal Members on Fee Land Within Reservation Are Not “Living Within Indian Country” for State Income Tax Exemption I. Introduction Stroble v....

Hodara v. Oklahoma Department of Corrections: Retroactive Clarification of Execution-Related Confidentiality Under Oklahoma’s Open Records Act

Date: Jun 25, 2025

Hodara v. Oklahoma Department of Corrections: Retroactive Clarification of Execution-Related Confidentiality Under Oklahoma’s Open Records Act 1. Introduction In Hodara v. Oklahoma Department of...

Partnership-Interest Transfers Do Not Constitute “Transfers of Title” for Purposes of Oklahoma’s 5% Ad Valorem Valuation Cap

Date: Jun 18, 2025

Partnership-Interest Transfers Do Not Constitute “Transfers of Title” Under Okla. Const. art. 10, § 8B Commentary on The Icon at Norman Apartments, LP v. Warr, 2025 OK 42 I. Introduction This...

Orientation, Not Curriculum: The Oklahoma Supreme Court Narrows HB 1775’s Reach and Limits the Use of Certified Questions

Date: Jun 18, 2025

Orientation, Not Curriculum: The Oklahoma Supreme Court Narrows HB 1775’s Reach and Limits the Use of Certified Questions I. Introduction In Black Emergency Response Team v. Drummond, Walters, 2025...