Supreme Court of Oklahoma
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is the court of last resort for civil cases in Oklahoma. Its justices are chosen by gubernatorial appointment from a nominating commission, followed by retention elections. This page lists every justice to serve on the court, current and former, with when they joined the bench and whom they succeeded.
| Justice | Since |
|---|---|
| Yvonne Kauger | 1984 |
| Joseph M. Watt | 1992 |
| James Winchester | 2000 |
| James E. Edmondson | 2003 |
| Tom Colbert | 2004 |
| Steven W. Taylor | 2004 |
| John F. Reif | 2007 |
| Douglas L. Combs | 2010 |
| Noma Gurich | 2011 |
| Justice | Years |
|---|---|
| Daniel J. Boudreau | 1999–2004 |
| Hardy Summers | 1985–2003 |
| Alma Wilson | 1982–1999 |
| Rudolph Hargrave | 1978–2010 |
| Marian P. Opala | 1978–2010 |
| Don Barnes | 1972–1985 |
| John B. Doolin | 1972–1993 |
| Rooney McInerney | 1967–1972 |
| Ralph B. Hodges | 1965–2004 |
| Robert Eugene Lavender | 1965–2007 |
| William A. Berry | 1958–1978 |
| W. A. Carlile | 1956–1959 |
| Pat Irwin | 1956–1983 |
| A. C. Hunt | 1955–1956 |
| Floyd L. Jackson | 1955–1973 |
| William N. Blackbird | 1953–1971 |
| Ben T. Williams | 1953–1981 |
| George Allen Bingaman | 1951–1953 |
| Harry Lee Stuart Halley | 1949–1967 |
| Cecil Talmadge O'Neal | 1949–1955 |
| Napoleon Bonaparte Johnson | 1947–1965 |
| John E. Luttrell | 1947–1951 |
| Ben C. Arnold | 1941–1955 |
| Denver N. Davison | 1937–1978 |
| Thurman S. Hurst | 1936–1948 |
| Thomas S. Corn | 1935–1959 |
| Nelson L. Gibson | 1935–1953 |
| Earl Welch | 1933–1965 |
How a justice reaches this court. Justices of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma are appointed by the governor to 6-year terms and then face yes-or-no retention elections. Oklahoma’s court of last resort for civil matters: the Judicial Nominating Commission nominates, the governor appoints, then unopposed yes-or-no retention elections. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any justice to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.
Source: CourtListener / Free Law Project; selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data last verified 2026-06-30. Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).