District Representation

The Oklahoma Supreme Court is a constitutional tribunal of nine Justices, one from each of the nine judicial districts. Each Justice must be at least thirty years old, shall have been a qualified elector in the district for at least one year immediately before the appointment, and a licensed practicing attorney or judge of a court of record for five years preceding the appointment. 

The Governor appoints a Justice from select candidates presented by the Judicial Nominating Commission. Applicants for appointment are subjected to an extensive Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation background investigation and an intensive interview by the Judicial Nominating Commission (a constitutional commission consisting of attorneys and non-attorneys). The Justices stand for retention on a six-year rotating schedule. The retention ballot appears on general election ballots and is non-partisan. If a Justice resigns or dies during a term, vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointment from that Justice’s judicial district. Newly appointed Justices must stand for retention at the next regular general election. 

Back Row: Justice Dustin P. Rowe, Justice Douglas L. Combs, Justice Noma Gurich, and Justice Dana Kuehn
Front Row: Justice James R. Winchester, Justice M. John Kane IV, Justice Richard Darby, Justice Yvonne Kauger, and Justice James E. Edmondson

Represented Districts

  1. Justice M. John Kane IV

  2. Justice Dustin P. Rowe

  3. Justice Noma Gurich

  4. Justice Yvonne Kauger

  5. Justice James R. Winchester

  6. Justice Dana Kuehn

  7. Justice James E. Edmondson

  8. Justice Douglas L. Combs

  9. Justice Richard Darby

Updated District

Supreme Court Judicial District No. 6 shall embrace and include Congressional District No. 1 as constituted on January 8, 2019; statute effective 1-1-2020; 20 O.S. Supp. 2020, Sections 1 & 20 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 2;