Vol. 5 No. 14 | April 2, 2025
Courts
- 2025 OK 20: STATE OF OKLAHOMA ex rel. OBA v. SHIELDS
- 2025 OK 21: IN RE: CERTIFICATION OF THE OFFICIAL OKLAHOMA STATUTES
______________________________ - 2024 OK 46: IN THE MATTER OF THE SUSPENSION OF MEMBERS OF THE OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION FOR NONPAYMENT OF 2024 DUES
- 2024 OK 47: IN THE MATTER OF THE SUSPENSION OF MEMBERS OF THE OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION
No published opinions this week.
No published opinions this week.
Dispositions Other than by Published Opinions
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma Court Calendar
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is in session year round, unless otherwise noted. The court regularly schedules conferences on Mondays and other days as needed.
Member Transitions
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It’s that time of the year again! Mark your calendars now for July 16-18, when the OBA Solo & Small Firm Conference comes to the OKANA Resort in Oklahoma City. Earn up to 12 hours of MCLE (including 2 hours of ethics) during this two-day event in a fun, relaxed and informal setting.
This year’s CLE offerings will include something for all solo and small firm practitioners. Plus, celebrate the summer! Visit OKANA's brand-new indoor waterpark, the OKANARAMA arcade or the relaxing day spa. Located within the surrounding Oklahoma City Horizons District, just a short walk from the resort, are the First Americans Museum and the Exhibit C Gallery.
Registration is now open. Visit the conference website for the complete schedule, plus online conference and hotel registration information. You won’t want to miss out on this year’s great programs and events, so register today! The early-bird registration deadline is June 13.
The April issue of the Oklahoma Bar Journal focuses on constitutional law, featuring articles on the topics of religion and public schools, due process and division of executive power in Oklahoma. The April issue also features Mock Trial, Law Day, a remembrance of those OBA members who died in the Murrah Building bombing and more.
FEATURES
Playing the Odds: What’s Next for Religion in Schools?
By Brent Rowland
End-Running the First Amendment in Public Schools? Lessons on the State Actor Doctrine From Oklahoma’s Religious Charter School Case
By Randall J. Yates
Procedural Due Process and the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority
By Nada N. Higuera
First Among Equals: The Division of Executive Power Between the Governor and the Attorney General
By John Tyler Hammons
"The ruler’s executive orders were a problem for the rebellious house of representatives. Other concerns were the ruler’s elevation of foreign-born individuals without regard to the impact on the resident population and the ruler’s insistence upon arbitrary taxes, as well as his confiscatory policies, not to mention the ruler’s conflict with the Jews. Ultimately, the house of representatives passed a bill that the ruler could not veto, and for a time, it seemed that the conflict was resolved.
Does that sound sort of familiar? Yes, no, maybe?"
The Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) consists of 15 unpaid volunteer members. Of the 15 members, only six members are lawyers. Lawyer commissioners are elected by their fellow Oklahoma Bar Association members, each representing one of six congressional districts across the state, as they were in 1967 when the commission was established. They each serve a 6-year term. Elections are held each odd-numbered year for members from two districts.
In 2025, there will be elections for members in Districts 3 and 4. District 3 is composed of 22 counties in the eastern and southeastern parts of the state, and District 4 is composed of 13 counties in the western and southwestern parts of the state, along with a portion of Oklahoma County, as those congressional districts existed in 1967.
Nominating petitions must be received at the bar center by 5 p.m. May 16, 2025.
When submitting a nominating petition, candidates should include a biography of 100 words or fewer and a photo (preferably both digital). Email Mark Schneidewent for additional details and a sample bio format.
The national and statewide celebration of Law Day is Thursday, May 1. The OBA Law Day Committee encourages every county bar to join our efforts and plan its own Law Day events – whether it’s coordinating student visits to the courthouse or giving free legal advice for at least one hour. The goodwill generated for the profession by offering this community service makes the effort worthwhile, regardless of the number of activities or calls received.
Join us in celebrating Law Day. To volunteer for Ask A Lawyer in Oklahoma City, contact Christina Drake by email or phone at 405-236-8421. To volunteer in the Tulsa area, contact Mary Clement by email or phone at 918-805-2352. If you're volunteering in other counties, find your Law Day chair info here or contact your county bar president here if your chair isn't listed.
Please email your county’s Law Day chairperson to communications@okbar.org. If you intend to answer calls as part of Ask A Lawyer, please provide your Ask A Lawyer information, including the phone number, using this form.
Featured CLE
Enhance Your Law Firm’s Security With This 10-Minute Google Security Check
By OBA Management Assistance Program Director Jim Calloway
Lawyers use Google apps in many ways. Some haven’t opened Gmail in years, but they use Google Drive as a collaborative workspace when jointly drafting legal documents with others. Others frequently watch YouTube videos when logged in without even realizing YouTube is a Google product. Chrome is also a Google product and provides more features when you are logged in. Others navigate in their vehicles with Google Maps.
This can present challenges when it comes to protecting your firm's (and your clients') private data. Several weeks ago, I wrote about "Gmail Under Siege" and highlighted a recent FBI warning and some additional reading on this subject. This week, we will outline how to lock down your Google account's security more, and it takes only five to 10 minutes. For many, it will take even less time.
First, log in to a Google app and check what devices are authorized to access your account. You can do this with a computer or a phone. You can check by going to google.com/devices. PC World’s "Is a hacker logged into your Google account? Here’s how to check" includes step-by-step instructions to manually sign out these devices. You may find old phones you have traded in or other people’s devices that needed temporary access but no longer do. If you see unfamiliar devices logged in, then change your password immediately.
Next, review how many apps you have linked to your account. PC World also provides some help on that with its post, "It’s time to wipe those forgotten apps linked to your Google account." At one time, you might have forgotten a password and took advantage of the “log in with Google” option when you logged into another site. Those connections persist, and they are a security weakness, because if your Google account is compromised, the hacker will have access to all the “logged-in” sites as well.
Taking these simple precautions will help prevent unauthorized access to your Google accounts, even for those who don’t regularly use Gmail.
The Oklahoma Bar Journal is a publication of the Oklahoma Bar Association. All rights reserved. Copyright© 2025 Oklahoma Bar Association. Statements or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff. Although advertising copy is reviewed, no endorsement of any product or service offered by any advertisement is intended or implied by publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their ads, and the OBA reserves the right to edit or reject any advertising copy for any reason. Legal articles carried in The Oklahoma Bar Journal are selected by the Board of Editors. Information about submissions can be found at www.okbar.org.