Vol. 3 No. 19 | May 10, 2023
Courts
- 2023 OK CR 6: BURNHAM v. STATE
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
More
"There are times in American history when a setback offers an opportunity, and smart lawyers are always on the lookout for such moments when the chances of an outright legal victory are slim. This was certainly the attitude of Thurgood Marshall in the case of Lyons v. Oklahoma, which brought the young NAACP attorney to the small town of Hugo to defend an accused young Black man, Willie D. Lyons.
A PHONE CALL FROM OKLAHOMA TO NEW YORK
Still in the incipient phase of his career, Thurgood Marshall was only 31 years old when longtime Oklahoma civil rights activist Roscoe Dunjee called the Harlem, New York, offices of the NAACP. Dunjee explained that an Oklahoma man had purportedly been tortured into a false confession by authorities in the days following a brutal nighttime slaying of a family in the rural southeast corner of the state, often referred to as Little Dixie. Marshall replied that it was a case 'which we should be in on with all of our resources.'"
"As a child, I loved to learn about historical figures. I would spend hours reading the biographies of people who shaped our history. I was amazed at how many of them started from humble beginnings yet ended up being famous for their deeds. Many did not seek fame, but the circumstances they faced and the manner in which they faced those circumstances made them historic. It must be noted that some people became historic because of the good choices they made and others for the bad ones.
When I went to college, my interest in history continued as I became a political science and history major. Even now, I find myself drawn to articles about the people who shaped our world. People seem to marvel at the people who do those good acts and demonize those who rebel against what is good."
"For several decades, the Oklahoma Bar Association has proudly recognized those lawyers who represent the best of the best in our profession, as well as those law-related organizations that support our members while we go about our work. Looking over the historical list of OBA Award winners, https://bit.ly/3zYOkFc, you will see the names of some of the giants on whose shoulders we now stand. But history doesn’t stand still; the legends of tomorrow are the leaders of today. It’s now your turn to honor those who are making a difference right now. Help our association continue its legacy of recognition by nominating one of your worthy colleagues for a 2023 OBA Award.
Deserving individuals and entities stand out for their hard work in public service, leadership and service to our profession. Look among your peers, search your legal associations and contact local bar members to seek out those who should be recognized for their efforts. The nomination process is very simple. It only takes a few minutes for you to fill out a nomination form for one of these awards."
The deadline for the nominations is Friday, June 30, at 5 p.m.
Solo Sponsor Spotlight: Oklahoma Attorneys Mutual Insurance Company
The OBA Solo & Small Firm Conference welcomes the Oklahoma Attorneys Mutual Insurance Company as Co-Producer, the top-level sponsor of this year's conference. OAMIC is an Oklahoma-based professional liability company serving Oklahoma lawyers. Since 1980, they have been the only lawyers professional liability company based in Oklahoma. Make sure you stop by their booth to learn more about them at the conference, held June 22-24 at the Osage Casino Hotel in Tulsa!
TimeSolv, one of our newest member benefits, is legal billing software known for usability, with simple, intuitive features to increase your firm's time, efficiency, and productivity. Track your time both online and offline, making it easier than ever. TimeSolv's mobile app also allows you to track your time on the go. Create automatic invoices, see how much progress has been made on a task and share information with clients and employees. OBA members receive a $100 credit per user for up to 10 users. See more information by clicking the “Practice Management Software Benefits” link on your MyOKBar page.
The OBA will also welcome TimeSolv as a Bronze Sponsor at this year's Solo & Small Firm Conference, held June 22-24 at the Osage Casino Hotel in Tulsa.
The Oklahoma Bar Journal is taking a short break for the summer months; look for the next issue to go online Aug. 1. The topics for the remainder of the year are listed below. If you would like to write an article on these topics, contact the editor for that month's issue.
AUGUST: Ethics & Professional Responsibility
Editor: Melissa DeLacerda
SEPTEMBER: Corporate Law
Editor: Jason Hartwig
OCTOBER: Access to Justice
Editor: Evan Taylor
NOVEMBER: Agricultural Law
Editor: David Youngblood
DECEMBER: Family Law
Editor: Sheila Southard
Featured CLE
By Jim Calloway, OBA Management Assistance Program Director
You may have noticed a button in the upper right-hand corner of your Outlook screen that says "Try the new Outlook." Being a busy lawyer may have meant you
thought, “No time for that now. Maybe later.” And some who clicked on the button were so surprised by the new look of Outlook that they quickly reverted.
But we have seen how these upgrades work. First released to beta testers, now Microsoft is in the “seeking volunteers” stage. Then it will be made the default, perhaps with an option to return. And finally, it will either be required, or a lot of cool new features won’t work unless you have the upgrade.
Since it is inevitable, your attention is directed to Catherine Reach’s post "What To Expect from The New MS Outlook." Ms. Reach is the director of the North Carolina Bar Association Center for Practice Management, and we have previously featured some of her posts in Courts & More. Her coverage includes several new or expanded features, what is different and why some of your add-ins will no longer work in the new version.
We don’t know when this version of Outlook for Windows will be released. But if you try it and see something you don’t like, let Microsoft know. They are currently receiving a fair amount of feedback, I believe.
The Oklahoma Bar Journal is a publication of the Oklahoma Bar Association. All rights reserved. Copyright© 2023 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.