Supreme Court Judicial District 5
James R. Winchester was appointed as a member of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma by Governor Frank Keating in 2000. He served as Chief Justice of the Court from January 2007 to December 2008.
A native of Clinton, Oklahoma, he received his bachelors of arts from the University of Oklahoma and his juris doctorate from Oklahoma City University.
After graduating from law school, Winchester practiced law in Western Oklahoma before being named Associate District Judge for Caddo County in January 1983. In December 1983, at age 30, he became one of the youngest district judges in the state when he was appointed by Governor George Nigh as District Judge for the Sixth Judicial District of Oklahoma.
He was named Outstanding State Trial Court Judge and is a past President of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference.
For two years, Justice Winchester served as a U.S. Administrative Law Judge in Oklahoma City and New Orleans.
Justice Winchester is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma and the recent recipient of the Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award. He resides in Chickasha, Oklahoma with his wife, Susan Winchester, and their son, Davis.
