Dispositions Other Than By Published Opinion | Aug. 27, 2025
Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
Division I
122,316 – In the Matter of the Adoption of: W.A.J.R., minor child, Dustin L. Hicks, Appellant, v. Bridget Christian Roonery, and Rance Wade Rooney, Appellees. Appeal from the District Court of Delaware County, Oklahoma. Honorable Dave Crutchfield, Trial Judge. Dustin Hicks appeals an order determining his child is eligible for adoption without his consent. Hicks proposes the biological mother concealed the child’s existence and he had no opportunity to support or form a relationship with her. We hold the trial court correctly applied 10 O.S. 7505-4.2(D) and did not abuse its discretion when it found Hicks failed to make sufficient attempts to discover if he had fathered the child. The order is AFFIRMED. Opinion by GOREE, P.J.; SWINTON, J., and PRINCE, J., CONCUR. Aug. 21, 2025
122,620 – Ryan Snider, Plaintiff/Appellee, v. Bryant’s Car Care, Defendant/Appellant. Appeal from the District Court of Stephens County, Oklahoma. This appeal stems from a Small Claims proceeding wherein the owner of a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup sought damages against a wrecker operator for allegedly failing to properly follow the required lien foreclosure procedures for a public auction to cover towing and storage fees. Based on our review of the applicable statutory schemes set out in 42 O.S. § 91A and 47 O.S. § 908, we conclude that the trial court properly applied § 908 to the facts of this case rather than § 91A, because the vehicle was towed and stored by the wrecker operator pursuant to an “investigative hold” issued by law enforcement personnel. The specificity of the language in the § 908 statutory scheme, as outlined in 47 O.S. §§ 908, 955 & 962, controls in this case over the general language found in 42 O.S. § 91A(D)(9). We, therefore, AFFIRM the trial court’s Orders dated August 16, 2024, and October 10, 2024. Opinion by PRINCE, J.; GOREE, P.J., and SWINTON, J., CONCUR. Aug. 21, 2025
Division II
121,974 (Companion with Case No. 121,000) – Anthem Resources, LLC, Plaintiff/Appellee, vs. Lu-Ray Petroleum, LLC, Ray Cloer, Trustee of the Ray Cloer Revocable Trust Dated December 22, 1977, and BCE-Mach III, LLC, Successor in Interest to BCE-Stack Development, LLC, and Oklahoma Energy Acquisitions, LP, Defendants/Appellants. Appeal from the District Court of Kingfisher County, Honorable Paul Woodward, Trial Judge. Appellants appeal several trial court orders, including an order terminating a certain oil and gas lease referred to as “the Hoffman lease” for lack of production in paying quantities. After review, we reverse the trial court’s order terminating the Hoffman lease and subsequent orders resulting from this termination order and remand with directions for the trial court to enter judgment in favor of Defendants. REVERSED AND REMANDED WITH DIRECTIONS. Opinion from Court of Civil Appeals, Division II, by WISEMAN, P.J.; FISCHER, J., and BLACKWELL, J., concur. Aug. 20, 2025
122,464 – Thomas Shawn Dollar, Petitioner/Appellant, vs. Dusty Rae Smith, Respondent/Appellee. Appeal from the District Court of Coal County, Honorable D. Clay Mowdy, Trial Judge. Thomas Shawn Dollar appeals a trial court order awarding attorney fees and costs to Dusty Rae Smith. The trial court’s order on attorney fees and costs is reversed for lack of sufficient findings as to the basis and the calculation of the amounts awarded, and we remand for further proceedings to make and place those findings of record. REVERSED AND REMANDED FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS. Opinion from Court of Civil Appeals, Division II, by WISEMAN, P.J.; FISCHER, J., concurs, and BLACKWELL, J., dissents. Aug. 20, 2025
121,361 (Consolidated with Case No. 121,400) – Justin W. Graham, DVM, P.L.L.C., d/b/a Meadow Wood Animal Hospital, Plaintiff/Appellee, vs. Jennifer Webb, d/b/a Jennifer Webb, DVM, d/b/a Lawton Veterinary Hospital, Defendant/ Appellant. Appeal from the District Court of Comanche County, Honorable Emmit Tayloe, Trial Judge. Appellant Webb appeals a judgment entered after a jury verdict awarding damages in favor of Appellee Graham. Graham in the companion case appeals the trial court’s order denying him attorney fees. After review, we conclude the judgment against Webb must be reversed and remanded with instructions to enter judgment in favor of Webb. Because Webb is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, we affirm the trial court’s denial of Webb’s motion for new trial. Based on this conclusion, we affirm the trial court’s order denying Graham’s application for attorney fees. AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, AND REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS. Opinion from Court of Civil Appeals, Division II, by WISEMAN, P.J.; BARNES, C.J., concurs, and FISCHER, J., dissents. Aug. 21, 2025
121,960 – In the Matter of the Adoption of H.M.L., minor child: Sarah Lawrence, Appellant, vs. Derek Lawrence and Samantha Lawrence, Appellees. Appeal from an Order of the District Court of Mayes County, Hon. Shawn S. Taylor, Trial Judge. In this stepparent adoption proceeding governed by the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), Sarah Lawrence (Mother) appeals from the district court’s entry of a final decree of adoption of the minor child HLM. Mother claims that the district court erred as a matter of law in determining that Derek Lawrence (Father) and Samantha Lawrence (Stepmother) made active efforts to prevent break-up of the Indian family. Mother also claims that the district court abused its discretion when it determined the adoption to be in the best interest of HML. The district court’s determinations are supported in the record by the requisite clear and convincing evidence and, therefore, we affirm. AFFIRMED. Opinion from Court of Civil Appeals, Division II by FISCHER, J.; WISEMAN, P.J., and BLACKWELL, J., concur. Aug. 22, 2025
Division III
Division IV
122,571 – The Board of County Commissioners of Muskogee County, Oklahoma, Plaintiff/Appellee, v. Buckhorn Fire Department, Defendant/Appellant. Appeal from the District Court of Muskogee County, Hon. Timothy L. King, Trial Judge. Buckhorn Fire Department (Buckhorn) seeks review of the district court’s Judgment granting the motion for summary judgment of the Board of County Commissioners of Muskogee County (the Board) and declaring, among other things, that revenue stemming from a certain local tax resolution may be appropriated by the Board from county funds for local emergency 911 services. The present controversy has been rendered moot because, as the parties agree on appeal, a separate board has taken over payment of any amount that the Board previously claimed as Buckhorn’s share of the cost of the emergency 911 services. Because the present controversy has been rendered moot, we dismiss the appeal. APPEAL DISMISSED. Opinion from Court of Civil Appeals, Division IV, by BARNES, P.J.; HIXON, V.C.J., and HUBER, J., concur. Aug. 22, 2025