United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma

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).

United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
(W.D. Okla.)
LocationWilliam J. Holloway Jr. U.S. Courthouse
(Oklahoma City)
More locations
Appeals toTenth Circuit
EstablishedJune 16, 1906
Judges7
Chief JudgeTimothy D. DeGiusti
Officers of the court
U.S. AttorneyTimothy J. Downing
U.S. MarshalJohnny Lee Kuhlman
www.okwd.uscourts.gov

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

Organization of the court

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. The current United States Attorney is Timothy J. Downing.

Current judges

As of May 27, 2020:

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
24 Chief Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti Oklahoma City 1962 2007–present 2019–present — G.W. Bush
25 District Judge Scott L. Palk Oklahoma City 1967 2017–present — — Trump
26 District Judge Charles Barnes Goodwin Oklahoma City 1970 2018–present — — Trump
27 District Judge Patrick Wyrick Oklahoma City 1981 2019–present — — Trump
28 District Judge Jodi W. Dishman Oklahoma City 1979 2019–present — — Trump
29 District Judge Bernard M. Jones Oklahoma City 1979 2019–present — — Trump
30 District Judge John F. Heil III[Note 1] none[Note 2] 1968 2020–present — — Trump
14 Senior Judge David Lynn Russell Oklahoma City 1942 1981–2013 1994–2001 2013–present Reagan
15 Senior Judge Wayne Edward Alley inactive 1932 1985–1999 — 1999–present Reagan
17 Senior Judge Robin J. Cauthron Oklahoma City 1950 1991–2015 2001–2008 2015–present G.H.W. Bush
18 Senior Judge Timothy D. Leonard inactive 1940 1992–2006 — 2006–present G.H.W. Bush
20 Senior Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange inactive 1953 1994–2018 2008–2015 2018–present Clinton
21 Senior Judge James H. Payne[Note 3] none[Note 4] 1941 2001–2017 — 2017–present G.W. Bush
22 Senior Judge Stephen P. Friot Oklahoma City 1947 2001–2014 — 2014–present G.W. Bush
23 Senior Judge Joe L. Heaton Oklahoma City 1951 2001–2019 2015–2019 2019–present G.W. Bush
  1. Judge Heil is jointly appointed to the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma.
  2. Judge Heil maintains chambers only in the Eastern and Northern Districts.
  3. Judge Payne is 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
# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 John Hazelton Cotteral OK 1864–1933 1907–1928[Note 1] — — T. Roosevelt elevation to 8th Cir.
2 Edgar Sullins Vaught OK 1873–1959 1928–1956[Note 2] 1949–1956 1956–1959 Coolidge death
3 Alfred P. Murrah OK 1904–1975 1937–1940 — — F. Roosevelt elevation to 10th Cir.
4 Bower Slack Broaddus OK 1888–1949 1940–1949 — — F. Roosevelt death
5 Stephen Sanders Chandler Jr. OK 1899–1989 1943–1975 1956–1969 1975–1989 F. Roosevelt death
6 William Robert Wallace OK 1886–1960 1950–1960 — — Truman death
7 Ross Rizley OK 1892–1969 1956–1969 — — Eisenhower death
8 Luther L. Bohanon OK 1902–2003 1961–1974 1969–1972 1974–2003 Kennedy death
9 Frederick Alvin Daugherty OK 1914–2006 1961–1982[Note 3] 1972–1982 1982–2006 Kennedy death
10 Luther Boyd Eubanks OK 1917–1996 1965–1986 1982–1986 1986–1987 L. Johnson retirement
11 H. Dale Cook OK 1924–2008 1974–1992 — 1992–2008 Ford death
12 Ralph Gordon Thompson OK 1934–present 1975–1999 1986–1993 1999–2007 Ford retirement
13 Lee Roy West OK 1929–2020 1979–1994 1993–1994 1994–2020 Carter death
16 Layn R. Phillips OK 1952–present 1987–1991 — — Reagan resignation
19 Michael Burrage OK 1950–present 1994–2001 — — 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. 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

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