Vol. 6 No. 19 | May 13, 2026
Courts
Supreme Court of Oklahoma
Court of Criminal Appeals
No published opinions this week.
Court of Civil Appeals
- 2026 OK CIV APP 12: DUGGAN v. DUGGAN
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
From the May Bar Journal | Business Tax Basics
"In the poetic words of Shawn Carter, also known as Jay-Z, 'I’m not a businessman. I’m a business, man.' For many Oklahomans, their business is more than just their job – it represents their livelihood, identity and sometimes even legacy. When starting a business, one may concentrate on products, services, staffing, strategy or logo design. While important, those details become futile if the business runs afoul of basic state tax laws and procedures. Although often mundane, tax compliance is vital to the success and longevity of any business.
The intricate and technical nature of tax and business guidelines can deter even the most motivated business professionals. Reducing tax and business material to smaller, bite-sized pieces may make it more palatable. Accordingly, this article primarily covers the early stages of business ownership – specifically, the registration process."
From the Executive Director | Admission, Discipline, and the Role of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
"For those navigating the legal profession in Oklahoma, whether as applicants, new lawyers, or even seasoned practitioners, there is a persistent and understandable point of confusion: the respective roles of the Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners, the Oklahoma Bar Association, and the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
While these entities are closely related and all operate under the authority of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, their responsibilities are distinct, sequential, and fundamentally different. Understanding where one role ends and another begins is essential to understanding how lawyers are admitted, regulated, and, when necessary, disciplined in this state."
Recognize an Attorney Who Has Made a Significant Impact
"2026 is a notable year – not only as we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States but also as we recognize the 75th year since the inception of Law Day by the late Wewoka lawyer Hicks Epton and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the annual Ask A Lawyer event held in conjunction with Law Day in Oklahoma.
As you reflect on these events and their significance, I would also like to ask you to reflect on attorneys and law-related organizations making significant impacts – either for you personally or in their communities and across the state. Lawyers are special people – driven to enter the legal field by the desire to make a difference. And every day, Oklahoma attorneys are going out in their communities and making positive and noteworthy contributions, never asking for thanks or recognition in return."
OBA Midyear Conference: Register by the May 15 Early-Bird Deadline!
We are excited to connect with you at the first OBA Midyear Conference this June 17-19! This conference will offer something for every lawyer – including sessions on practice management, using AI in your practice, accessibility, ethics, substantive law updates and everything in between.
REGISTER NOW AND SAVE
Conference registration includes 12 hours of MCLE credit (including up to 2 hours of ethics), breakfast and lunch on Thursday and Friday and evening receptions on Wednesday and Thursday. Register by May 15 and save $50!
The conference will take place at the beautiful OKANA Resort in downtown Oklahoma City. All guests who book their room at the OKANA Resort under the OBA room block will receive four waterpark passes included with their stay. Book online or by phone at 800-547-3928. If booking over the phone, mention the OBA room block and the code "679 – Oklahoma Bar Association 2026." The hotel room block is available through Tuesday, May 26.
Thank You, Law Day Volunteers!
The OBA Law Day Committee, chaired by Ed Wunch of Norman and Mary Clement of Tulsa, thanks the volunteers who staffed the phone and email banks in numerous Oklahoma communities. Every year, the May 1 celebration of Law Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the role of law in the foundation of the country and to recognize its importance for society. For more than 70 years, the OBA has celebrated with activities and events across the state. This year was the 50th Ask A Lawyer event, and dozens of volunteer lawyers, once again, helped thousands of Oklahomans get answers to their legal questions at no cost through this annual public service activity.
Planning for Law Day 2027 is already underway! Visit okbar.org/lawday today to start getting ideas for how your local county bar can celebrate!
Featured CLE
Clio and LawPay: Check Your Payment Workflow Before It Breaks
By OBA Management Assistance Program Director Julie Bays
Many Oklahoma lawyers, especially solo and small firm lawyers, have used LawPay for years. LawPay has long been one of the best-known payment processing tools for lawyers because it was designed with law firm trust accounting concerns in mind.
So, this latest news is worth noting.
Bob Ambrogi reported this week that Clio will discontinue its longtime integration with LawPay on Aug. 31. After that date, Clio Manage users will no longer be able to use LawPay inside Clio to process payments. Clio has stated that firms may continue using Clio Payments within Clio Manage, and LawPay has stated that firms may continue using LawPay directly outside the Clio integration.
For firms that do not use Clio, this may be only an interesting legal technology development. But for firms that use both Clio and LawPay, it is time to look at your payment workflow.
This does not mean a firm must make an immediate change today. But Aug. 31 is less than four months away, and payment processing is not something to sort out at the last minute.
Start with a few practical questions. Are you currently accepting LawPay payments inside Clio? Are your payment links connected to LawPay, Clio Payments, or something else? Do you have recurring payment plans in place? Are payments automatically recorded in Clio, QuickBooks, or another accounting program? Are trust account and operating account deposits being handled correctly?
Those questions matter because online payments are no longer just a convenience. For many firms, online payment processing is part of billing, collections, client communication, and trust accounting procedures. A broken payment workflow can create confusion for clients and extra work for the office.
For Clio and LawPay users, the next step is simple: review your current setup. Then contact your vendors, ask what will change and document the answers. If you decide to stay with LawPay outside of Clio, make sure you understand what will no longer sync automatically. If you decide to move to Clio Payments, make sure you understand the setup process, fees, trust accounting features, recurring payment plans and client communication changes.
Legal technology integrations change. Companies merge, compete, rebrand and shift strategies. But when an integration touches client payments, lawyers should treat it as more than a software update.
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.