Vol. 6 No. 26 | July 1, 2026
Courts
Supreme Court of Oklahoma
- 2026 OK 50: STATE OF OKLAHOMA ex rel. OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION v. LOWERY
- 2026 OK 51: STATE FARM FIRE & CASUALTY CO. v. PALUMBO et al.
- 2026 OK 52: RICHARDS v. FOREMOST INSURANCE CO. et al. v. BROWN & SON MOBILE HOME SVC, LLC et al.
- 2026 OK 53: COMMUNITY RESOURCING, INC. et al. v. BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY SPECIALTY INSURANCE et al.
- 2026 OK 54: BURGESS v. INTEGRIS HEALTH EDMOND, INC. et al.
- 2026 OK 55: STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF CERTIFIED COURTROOM INTERPRETERS v. PEREZ
- 2026 OK 56: GENERAL STAR INDEMNITY CO. v. HUDSON INSURANCE CO.
Court of Criminal Appeals
- 2026 OK CR 18: HARRISON v. STATE OF OKLAHOMA
Court of Civil Appeals
- 2026 OK CIV APP 19: IN THE MATTER OF J.S., N.A. AND M.A., ALLEGED DEPRIVED CHILDREN
- 2026 OK CIV APP 20: IN THE MATTER OF L.D., AN ALLEGED DEPRIVED CHILD
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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The OBA Celebrates Independence Day
Please join the Oklahoma Bar Association in celebrating the United States Semiquincentennial this July 4! The OBA will close for the holiday beginning at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, July 6.
Fourth of July Greetings From OBA President Amber Peckio
"This July 4, the United States will observe the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. For those of us in the legal profession, the 2026 U.S. Semiquincentennial invites more than celebration. It also calls for reflection, particularly on how our country’s legal framework gives life to its promises. For us, it is a reminder of our enduring responsibility: to preserve and strengthen the rule of law in a system founded two and a half centuries ago on the revolutionary idea that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights.
The Declaration of Independence itself is not law. It does not establish courts or prescribe procedures. However, its principles form the philosophical bedrock of the American legal system. It articulates a vision of government accountable to the governed, where legitimacy flows from the consent of the people and where laws, not individuals, hold ultimate authority.
This is the vision to which our nation continues to aspire. For it to work, the rule of law depends not only on the stability of our institutions but also on the daily actions of those who live within it. From a bar association perspective, our country’s 250th birthday underscores the profession’s unique role as both guardian and participant in that system. Lawyers are not merely advocates for clients; we are officers of the court and stewards of justice. Our obligations extend beyond advocating for our clients; we must also work to ensure the integrity of the process itself. This milestone presents the perfect opportunity for us to recommit ourselves to the principles that have sustained the nation since its founding."
Lawyers Who Signed the Declaration of Independence
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence; however, the document was not actually signed until nearly a month later, on Aug. 2. Of the 56 delegates who signed the declaration, 25 were lawyers. The National Archives maintains a list of the signers, including ages, locations and occupations. The OBA celebrates the members of the legal profession who, 250 years later, continue to safeguard the rule of law to preserve the rights of our nation's citizens.
Volunteer Your Legal Expertise To Support America's Heroes
As we prepare to observe America's 250th birthday this July 4, OBA members can celebrate by volunteering to provide pro bono legal services to those who serve our nation and our communities every day. Two upcoming events provide the opportunity to lend your support to these heroes!
Wills for Heroes | July 18 | McAlester
The Wills for Heroes program provides free, basic wills and powers of attorney to Oklahoma law enforcement, emergency personnel, first responders, veterans and servicemembers. The OBA Young Lawyers Division oversees the program. An event is being planned for July 18 in McAlester from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Contact Chloe Moyer for more information or to sign up to volunteer.
Heroes Day | Nov. 11 | Oklahoma City
The inaugural Heroes Day event, planned for Veterans Day, Nov. 11, at the Oklahoma Bar Center in Oklahoma City, will offer free, in-person legal assistance for military servicemembers and veterans available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A wide range of legal services will be offered to address the varying needs of those who have honorably served our nation. Lunch will be offered and CLE will be available. Contact Tiffani Armendariz with the Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation for more information.
View the Applicant List for the July 2026 Bar Exam
The Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct impose on each member of the bar the duty to aid in guarding against the admission of candidates unfit or unqualified because of deficiency in either moral character or education. To aid in that duty, the following is a list of applicants for the bar examination to be given July 28-29.
The Board of Bar Examiners requests that members examine this list and bring to the board’s attention in a signed letter any information that might influence the board in considering the moral character and fitness to practice of any applicant for admission. Send correspondence to Cary Pirrong, Administrative Director, Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners, P.O. Box 53036, Oklahoma City, OK 73152.
Featured CLE
Summer Reading Series: A Simple Monthly Habit for a More Stable Practice
By OBA Management Assistance Program Director Julie Bays
Lawyers are trained to work in the practice.
They answer client calls, prepare for hearings, draft documents, negotiate, solve problems and meet deadlines. Those tasks are urgent, visible and necessary. Most lawyers are incredibly good at them.
But a stable law practice also requires time working on the practice.
Regular attention to billing, workload, intake, collections and office operations can help lawyers identify problems before they interfere with timely communication, careful representation, appropriate staffing or the ability to meet client obligations. Sound business practices are not separate from professional responsibility; they help support the competent and diligent delivery of legal services.
These tasks are often less urgent than a looming deadline or a client emergency, which means they are easy to postpone.
Unfortunately, postponing them does not make them less important.
Avoiding the numbers can turn an ordinary slow period into a crisis and hide problems that are easier to fix early, such as unbilled work, unpaid invoices, a weak pipeline or overreliance on one referral source.
The answer is not to become a business-school graduate. It is to develop one simple monthly habit.
SCHEDULE A MONTHLY OWNER MEETING
Set aside 30 to 45 minutes once a month for a meeting with yourself – or, for firms with more than one lawyer, a brief meeting with the people responsible for the firm’s finances and operations.
Put it on the calendar like any other appointment. Treat it as part of managing a competent, diligent and sustainable law practice.
The agenda does not need to be complicated. Start with a few straightforward questions.
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.