Vol. 6 No. 9 | March 4, 2026
Courts
Supreme Court of Oklahoma
Court of Criminal Appeals
No published opinions this week.
Court of Civil Appeals
- 2026 OK CIV APP 5: PARKER, et al., v. VALLIANCE BANK
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
March Bar Journal Online Now
The March issue of the Oklahoma Bar Journal is available online now! This issue focuses on health law, featuring articles on legal considerations for medical and end-of-life care, HIPAA compliance, processing health records with AI and more. You'll also learn more about why the OBA Standards of Professionalism matter to lawyers, the importance of pro bono work and the founding of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation.
FEATURES
In Health Care, What You Don’t Know May Hurt You
By Cori Loomis and Luke Moyer
Modern Legal Considerations for Medical and End-of-Life Care in Oklahoma
By Corinne Taylor-Davis
HIPAA Compliance for Oklahoma Attorneys: Practical Tips and Compliance Considerations
By Lauren K. Lindsey
Processing Health Records With AI Under HIPAA
By Jason T. Seay, Philip D. Hixon and Richard M. Cella
Independent Practice, Supervision and Scope: A Legal Guide for PAs and APRNs in Oklahoma
By Fareshteh H. Hamidi
Pillars Under Pressure: The Epidemic of Violence Against Nurses
By Layla J. Dougherty
PLUS
Leave No Veteran Behind
By Judge Rebecca Brett Nightingale
From the President | Why the OBA Standards of Professionalism Matter to Lawyers
"Have you ever found yourself unsure how to proceed when a possible conflict arises or some other potentially thorny situation presents itself? The OBA Standards of Professionalism[1] are a resource all Oklahoma lawyers should know about. Twenty years ago, the Board of Governors adopted the standards to set expectations for attorney behavior that go far beyond the minimum legal requirements, emphasizing honesty, civility and service as central pillars of legal practice. The standards outline how lawyers should conduct themselves with the public, clients, courts and other lawyers. They offer a framework for elevating professionalism in a system that relies on trust, respect and ethical conduct, representing the level of behavior we expect from each other and the public expects from us."
Register for OBA Day at the Capitol March 10
Register now for the annual OBA Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, March 10, at the Oklahoma Bar Center, 1901 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City. During the event, OBA members will learn about legislation that impacts various practice areas. Attendees will also hear from judges and bar leaders. Lunch will be served at the bar center before attendees head to the Capitol to meet with legislators.
Professional Responsibility Tribunal and Professional Responsibility Commission Annual Reports
Professional Responsibility Tribunal Annual Report
"The Professional Responsibility Tribunal was established by order of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma in 1981, under the Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings ('RGDP'), 5 O.S. 2021, ch. 1, app. 1-A. The primary function of the PRT is to conduct hearings on complaints filed against lawyers in formal disciplinary and personal incapacity proceedings, and on petitions for reinstatement to the practice of law. A formal disciplinary proceeding is initiated by written complaint filed with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Petitions for reinstatement are filed with the Clerk of the Supreme Court."
Professional Responsibility Commission Annual Report
"Pursuant to the provisions of Rule 14.1, Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings (RGDP), 5 O.S. 2021, ch. 1, app. 1-A, the following is the Annual Report of grievances and complaints received and processed for 2025 by the Professional Responsibility Commission and the Office of the General Counsel of the Oklahoma Bar Association."
Apply for an Oklahoma Bar Foundation Court Grant by March 9
The application period for Oklahoma Bar Foundation court grants is now open. Through these grants, the Oklahoma Bar Foundation helps improve the administration of justice in district and appellate courtrooms across Oklahoma. Grants may be used to fund courtroom technology equipment, such as interactive display boards, audio systems or video equipment. Courts can apply now through March 9.
Featured CLE
Fiber, Firewalls and the Real Risk to Your Law Practice
By OBA Management Assistance Program Director Julie Bays
A lawyer recently asked me whether switching to a fiber optic internet provider would create a security problem. He was upgrading from an older, more expensive service and wanted to make sure he wasn’t trading savings for risk.
It’s a fair question. Lawyers should be thinking about security. But here’s the part that may surprise you.
Most law firm breaches do not happen because someone “hacked the Wi-Fi.”
They happen because someone clicked on a phishing email. Or reused a password. Or failed to turn on multifactor authentication. Or ignored software updates for months.
The internet connection itself is rarely the weak link. The configuration and behavior behind it usually are.
Switching to fiber is typically a smart move. It’s faster, often more reliable and, in many cases, less expensive. The security issue isn’t the fiber line running to your office. It’s the router sitting on your shelf and how it’s configured.
If you use the device provided by your internet company, that’s fine. But at a minimum, change the default administrator password, rename the network, use strong Wi-Fi encryption and disable any features you do not understand. Better yet, consider using your own quality router with automatic security updates and stronger firewall controls.
But even that is not where most lawyers get into trouble.
The bigger risk lives in your email inbox.
If you do nothing else, focus on these fundamentals:
- Turn on multifactor authentication for Microsoft 365 and any cloud-based systems you use.
- Use a password manager so you are not reusing passwords across platforms.
- Keep your computers and software updated.
- Install reputable endpoint protection on every device in your office.
Those steps do more to protect client information than obsessing over whether your internet service is cable or fiber.
As lawyers, we are entrusted with confidential information. Our ethical duty of competence includes understanding the technology we use and taking reasonable steps to protect it. But “reasonable” does not mean complicated. It means layered, thoughtful and proactive.
Security is not a single device. It is a system.
So yes, upgrade your internet service if it makes financial and practical sense. Just remember that the real protection of your law practice begins with your habits, your configurations and your daily choices.
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.