State Supreme Court Asserts Power Over Judges

By John Greiner, The Daily Oklahoman

Mar. 31–The state Supreme Court took action this week to ensure that it will be responsible for disciplining judges whose infractions don’t constitute removal or suspension from office.

The court filed an administrative directive about the issue Thursday.

The chief justice historically has handled these kinds of disciplinary matters, but it never was put in writing as a court rule, Chief Justice Joseph Watt said.

Sometimes, the Supreme Court didn’t know about these kinds of complaints, he said.

Watt said the Supreme Court will not be taking over the job of the state Court on the Judiciary, which was created by a vote of the people following a state Supreme Court scandal in the early 1960s.

The Council on Judicial Complaints investigates complaints about Oklahoma judges that could result in suspension or removal by office, Watt said.

It has done a good job investigating complaints against judges, he added.

The Supreme Court will write rules to ensure judicial complaints falling short of removal or suspension will be sent to the state’s high court, Watt said.

In the past, the Supreme Court received very few of these complaints, Watt said.

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