Oklahoma judiciary

Abstract

The features of Oklahoma's judicial system are a direct result of scandals that plagued it in the late 1960s. Before the reforms, the Oklahoma judicial system had been criticized for its circus-like character. After news of extensive scandal erupted in the media, the judicial system was completely restructured. Those recommendations that had been called for previously by law professors and the American and Oklahoma Bar Associations were finally put into practice. While the reforms of the late 1960s caused the Oklahoma system to become similar to the national norm, Oklahoma's system retains unique characteristics. This study will first explore the structure of the judicial system in Oklahoma and then trace its evolution towards the merit selection system.