Vol. 6 No. 3 | Jan. 21, 2026
Courts
Supreme Court of Oklahoma
No published opinions this week.
Court of Criminal Appeals
- 2026 OK CR 1: ZOU v. STATE
Court of Civil Appeals
- 2026 OK CIV APP 1: STEIDLEY, et al. v. SINGER, et al.
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
More
2026 OBA Leaders Sworn In
2026 OBA officers and new board members took their oaths of office on Friday, Jan. 16. Sworn in were:
- President Amber Peckio, Tulsa
- President-Elect Jana L. Knott, El Reno
- Vice President S. Shea Bracken, Edmond
Also taking oaths as members of the OBA Board of Governors were:
- Immediate Past President D. Kenyon Williams Jr., Sperry (one-year term)
- Chris D. Jones, Durant, District 2 (three-year term)
- Blayne P. Norman, Wewoka, District 8 (three-year term)
- Kristy E. Loyall, El Reno, District 9 (three-year term)
- Molly A. Aspan, Tulsa, Member at Large (three-year term)
- Alexandra J. "Allie" Gage, Tulsa, Young Lawyers Division Chair (one-year term)
OBA leadership roles are voluntary positions in which lawyers serve while continuing to practice law.
Register Now for Jan. 30 Legislative Kickoff
The Oklahoma Legislature reconvenes in February, and hundreds of bills will be prefiled – many of them potentially affecting your practice or the administration of justice. Join the OBA Legislative Monitoring Committee at 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30, at the Oklahoma Bar Center as they identify top bills of interest to the OBA and your practice area. There is no cost to attend, and attendees can receive 3 hours general MCLE credits. Register now to attend either online or in person.
Supreme Court News | A New Way To Earn MCLE Credit
Recently, the Oklahoma Supreme Court amended the rules for mandatory continuing legal education to include writing scholarly articles that are published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal. The MCLE Commission will award 6 credits per published article for each contributing author. Contact OBA Communications Director and Oklahoma Bar Journal Managing Editor Lori Rasmussen to learn more about this opportunity.
January Bar Journal | Business Valuation in Divorce Litigation
"In divorce litigation, valuing the marital estate presents legal and financial complexities. This is particularly true in states like Oklahoma that follow the doctrine of equitable distribution, and the asset in dispute is a privately owned business. In such cases, a client who formed a business before marriage may assume that the business and its growth are their separate property and not subject to division. Alternatively, the nonowning client may believe that the business is marital property, based on the duration of the marriage, and should be divided equally. However, the outcome is often far from predictable."
January Bar Journal | Establishing and Disestablishing Paternity Under Oklahoma’s Uniform Parentage Act
"The UPA was enacted in Oklahoma in 2006. It provides a framework for establishing the parentage of a minor child. According to the UPA, there are four types of fathers: alleged, presumed, acknowledged and adjudicated. A father-child relationship is created by an unrebutted presumption, an acknowledgment of paternity, adjudication, adoption or as otherwise provided by law."
January Bar Journal | What Does ‘Primary’ Mean?
"The phrase 'primary custodian' can carry significant weight in Oklahoma child custody matters, even though it does not appear in the statutes and is only occasionally referenced in appellate decisions. For practitioners outside the family law arena, this can be a source of confusion: How can a term with little statutory grounding exert such influence in custody disputes? The reality is that, while Oklahoma law formally recognizes legal custody categories such as joint legal custody, joint physical custody and sole custody, litigants and their counsel frequently focus their battles on the label of 'primary.'"
Law Practice Tips | A Friendly Reminder To Analyze Your Firm’s Bottom Line
"Let’s be real. Most of us did not choose law because we love spreadsheets and expense reports. If last year felt hectic or unpredictable, a financial review might sound like just another chore. Still, a quick January check-in can make a world of difference for your practice, your clients and your peace of mind. It does not need to be complicated or time-consuming; consider it a straightforward, preventative step that you’ll appreciate having taken."
Jan. 23 Law Day Contest Deadline Approaching
The deadline is approaching for the 2026 OBA Law Day Art and Writing Contest! This contest is designed to stimulate discussion and understanding of the law among young Oklahomans. Categories include art and writing for grades pre-K through 12th, with prizes up to $500 and plaques for winners, plus participation certificates to honor every student's hard work. The 2026 theme is “The Rule of Law and the American Dream.” The deadline for students to submit their entries is Friday, Jan. 23.
Featured CLE
Implementing Practical AI Policies in Law Firms
By OBA Management Assistance Program Director Julie Bays
I’ve been thinking a lot about AI policies lately, prompted by a question I saw on a listserv I follow. Someone asked what AI tools law firms are actually using right now. The responses surprised me. Not because lawyers were not using AI, but because so many of them were. Even more interesting, several replies mentioned that staff members were already using AI in daily tasks such as drafting, summarizing emails, organizing documents and assisting with intake.
That exchange was a good reminder of something I see more often in practice management conversations. Whether or not firm leadership has formally approved AI tools, AI is already finding its way into everyday workflows. Lawyers and staff are experimenting, often with the best intentions and a focus on efficiency, but sometimes without clear guidance on confidentiality, accuracy or appropriate use. That makes AI not just a technology issue but a procedural one. It is also an issue firms need to address directly.
This is why I appreciated a recent article from Catherine Reach with the North Carolina Bar Association, “Beyond the Ban: Why Your Law Firm Needs a Realistic AI Policy in 2026.” Instead of arguing for an outright ban, which is becoming increasingly unrealistic, the article makes a practical case for developing policies that reflect how AI is actually being used in law offices today. The focus is not on stopping innovation but on managing it responsibly by protecting client information, setting expectations for staff and helping lawyers use these tools competently and ethically.
You do not need a lengthy policy or a firmwide shutdown of new tools to get started. It is, however, worth pausing to ask a few practical questions. Are lawyers and staff already using AI? Do they understand what types of information should never be entered into these tools? Is there shared guidance on review, supervision and appropriate use? Even a short internal discussion or a simple written guideline can help ensure that AI use aligns with your firm’s ethical obligations and daily procedures. Ignoring the issue will not make it disappear, but addressing it thoughtfully can help your firm use these tools with confidence rather than concern.
The Oklahoma Bar Journal is a publication of the Oklahoma Bar Association. All rights reserved. Copyright© 2026 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.