Stitt nominates former OSC justice Steven Taylor to OK State Regents for Higher Ed

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF STEVEN W. TAYLOR TO OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

Oklahoma City, Okla. (April 3, 2019) – Governor Kevin Stitt announced today the appointment of Steven W. Taylor to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Pending Senate confirmation, Taylor will serve a nine year term, effective May 17, 2019.

“Chief Justice Taylor has been a dedicated public servant for the people of Oklahoma his entire career,” said Gov. Stitt. “He has a passion for education and a love for our great state. He will be an impactful addition to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education as we work to move our state forward.”

Steven W. Taylor (born June 7, 1949) served on the Oklahoma Supreme Court from 2004 to 2016. During his time on the court, Taylor served as Chief Justice from 2011-2013.

Taylor holds a B.A. in Political Science from Oklahoma State University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

Taylor joined the United States Marine Corps in 1970 and served on active duty from 1974-1978. He was trained as an infantry platoon commander and later served as a prosecutor and Chief Defense Counsel. In 1977, he became the youngest judge in the U.S. Armed Forces where he was promoted to the rank of Major. Following his active duty service in the Marines, Taylor practiced law in McAlester from 1978-1984. In 1980, he was elected to the McAlester City Council, and in 1982, was elected Mayor of McAlester.

In March 1984, Governor George Nigh appointed Taylor Associate District Judge for Pittsburg County. In 1991, he was the first Associate District Judge ever to be elected President of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference. In 1994, Taylor was elected District Judge of the 18th Judicial District. In 1997 and 2003, he was elected Presiding Judge of the ten county East-Central Judicial Administrative District. In 2003, Taylor was the recipient of the Oklahoma Bar Association's "Award of Judicial Excellence" designating him as the outstanding Oklahoma judge of the year. In his over 20 years as a trial judge, he presided over more than 500 jury trials including the state trial of the Oklahoma City bombing case.

Taylor serves on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and the Oklahoma City National Memorial.

In 2002, Taylor was recognized by Oklahoma State University as a "Leadership Legacy" and 2003 "Distinguished Alumnus." In 2007, Justice Taylor was inducted into the Oklahoma State University Hall of Fame and in 2009, the University of Oklahoma presented him with the Regents Alumni Award. He is the only person to have received the highest alumni recognition from both OSU and OU. During the 2007 Oklahoma Centennial year Oklahoma magazine named Justice Taylor as one of the "100 Who Shaped Us" - a list of living and past Oklahomans who influenced the first 100 years of our state. In 2009, Justice Taylor was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, the highest honor an Oklahoman can receive from the state.

The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education is comprised of 25 colleges and universities – including two research universities, 10 regional universities, one public liberal arts university and 12 community colleges – and 11 constituent agencies and two university centers. The State System is coordinated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, and each institution is governed by a board of regents. The State Regents prescribe academic standards of higher education, determine functions and courses of study at state colleges and universities, grant degrees, and approve each public college's and university's allocations, as well as tuition and fees within the limits set by the Oklahoma Legislature.

Stitt expands transition team, announces Policy Committee chairs

Governor-elect Kevin Stitt Announces Expansion of Transition Team, Policy Committee Chairs

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (Nov. 20, 2018) – Governor-elect Kevin Stitt today announced the expansion of nine additional members to Oklahoma’s Turnaround, the transition team for the Stitt administration, and the chairs for each policy advisory committee.

"We are excited for the talented Oklahomans who continue to join Oklahoma’s Turnaround,” said Governor-elect Kevin Stitt. “We are ending politics as usual because of the Oklahomans who are willing to step forward and give their valuable time to assist with recruitment and with developing bold policy directives for the 2019 Legislative session.”

The nine new executive team members are as follows:

Gen. Rita Aragon served as the Oklahoma Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2010 to 2014. She then served as the Special Assistant to the Governor on Military and Veterans Affairs from 2014 to 2016. Gen. Aragon is a retired United States Air National Guard two-star general. Her final active military post was as the Air National Guard assistant to the Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff Manpower and Personnel.

Blayne Arthur is the Executive Director for the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation. She previously served the state as Deputy Commissioner for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry from 2011 to 2016.

Jill Castilla led the fastest bank turnaround in the nation without adding capital and now leads Citizens Bank of Edmond as President and CEO. Castilla serves on the Boards of Directors of American Bankers Association, Peppers Ranch foster care community, Metafund, Edmond and Oklahoma City Chambers of Commerce and the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City. Castilla served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard and is an Army wife and Army mom.

Michelle Choquette currently serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Gateway Mortgage Group, leading recruitment, compensation, benefits, employee relations, learning and development and internal communications. With 27 years of experience, Choquette previously served as Vice President of HR at one of the top car rental companies in the country and led HR for seven years at Community Action Project Tulsa (CAP), a non-profit agency focused on breaking the cycle of poverty.

Dr. Amy Emerson is a Tulsa-based pediatrician and the area medical champion for Reach Out and Read’s Oklahoma chapter. Reach Out and Read is an early literacy intervention program embedded in medical practices. In the Tulsa area, the program has served as an important component of the Talking is Teaching community-wide initiative sponsored by the George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF). Emerson is active in areas of foster and adoption care support, as well as serving as medical consultant for high quality early learning centers such as Educare.

Brian Hill is the founder and CEO of Works24 and The Cedar Gate.

Fred Mendoza is an Oklahoma City based business and civic leader and a pioneer in creating Hispanic Private Sector community initiatives. Formerly based in Nashville and Dallas, he currently owns an artist talent management, production and marketing company where he has worked with numerous country and rock and roll legends.

Gene McKown is co-owner and president of development for Ideal Homes and longtime Norman philanthropist.

Monte Tucker is a fourth-generation farmer and rancher from Sweetwater. Tucker serves as President of the Roger Mills County Farm Bureau, a member of the state board of directors of Oklahoma Farm Bureau, and a volunteer fireman in Sweetwater. Tucker is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in Animal Science. 

The seven chairs for each policy advisory committee are as follows:

Economic Growth Committee Chair: Lieutenant Governor-elect Matt Pinnell, who also serves on Oklahoma’s Turnaround executive team. 

Education Committee Chair: Michael Rogers served in the House of Representatives from 2014-2018 representing Broken Arrow and District 98. Rogers served as the Chair of the Common Education Committee, carried the teacher pay-raise bill last session, and played a leadership role in the passage of HB1010xx to fund the teacher pay increase. He has also served on numerous national boards and commissions including the Southern Regional Education Board as well as the Education Commission of the States.

Government Efficiency Committee Chair: Mike Mazzei, who also serves on Oklahoma’s Turnaround executive team.

Health Committee Chair: Marshall Snipes is a past chair and current member of the Board of Directors of Integris Health System, Inc. He is the Chair of the Board of Directors of Quality Alliance Assurance Company, a medical malpractice insurance company and a Board Member of Sterling Dental North America, a regional prepaid dental plan. He is a former partner of KPMG (formerly Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co.), an international CPA firm and he was recently named a Regional Trustee Liaison to the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board.

Infrastructure Committee Chair: Robert L. Cummins, Jr., has spent the past 27 years in the highway construction industry. Twenty of those years (1994-2014) he served as president of The Cummins Construction Company, in Enid, Oklahoma. During that time, he also served two terms as the Chairman of the Oklahoma Asphalt Paving Association and one term as the president of the Oklahoma Association of General Contractors. Cummins has a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management Technology from Oklahoma State University. Prior to 1991, he worked in the building construction industry.

Native American Committee Chair: Neal McCaleb serves as Ambassador for the Chickasaw Nation and as Chairman of the Board for both Chickasaw Nation Industries and Bank2 (wholly owned Chickasaw Enterprise). He is a former Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs".

Public Safety Committee Chair: Steven Taylor of McAlester is a retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma, retiring in 2017 after 33 years of judicial service on the District Court and the Supreme Court. He served four years active duty as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a former Mayor of McAlester. In 2004, Taylor presided over the state trial of the Oklahoma City Bombing case.
   
Oklahoma’s Turnaround Team will develop policy proposals for the upcoming legislative session, prepare the governor-elect’s budget proposal, and ensure an orderly transition to the new administration. Each advisory committee chair will lead a team of Oklahomans in developing proposals for the first Legislative session in a Stitt administration.

For those interested in applying for Oklahoma’s Turnaround or to serve in a Stitt administration, Oklahomans are encouraged to visit www.OklahomaTurnaround.com.

Fallin appoints Patrick Wyrick to Oklahoma Supreme Court

Governor Mary Fallin Names Patrick Wyrick to Fill Vacancy on Oklahoma Supreme Court

OKLAHOMA CITY - Governor Mary Fallin today named Patrick Wyrick to serve as a justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Wyrick, 35, succeeds Steven Taylor, who retired from the bench last year.

Wyrick has served as solicitor general in the Oklahoma attorney general’s office since 2011. As solicitor general, Wyrick represented the state of Oklahoma before the U.S. and Oklahoma supreme courts, and other federal and state courts. He also authored attorney general opinions and served as a key legal adviser to a variety of state officials.

“Patrick Wyrick is well positioned to tackle the difficult constitutional questions the Oklahoma Supreme Court must confront,” said Fallin. “He has litigated several significant constitutional law cases involving almost every frequently litigated provision in our state constitution. I have confidence he will perform his new duties with integrity and professionalism.”

The Supreme Court appointment is Fallin’s first on the nine-member court.

Supreme Court justices serve on the court as long as they are able and must appear on the ballot and be retained by voters every six years, according to state statute.

Fallin selected Wyrick from three applicants submitted to her by the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission. The governor must choose from those three.

Applicants had to be 30 or older and a practicing attorney or judge for at least five years.

Wyrick, a fourth-generation Atoka native, has deep ties in the 2nd Judicial District, and has remained involved in the family business, Wyrick Lumber Co., which has locations in Atoka and Hugo.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to represent my hometown district as a member of the Oklahoma Supreme Court,” Wyrick said.  “I will continue to work hard and do my best to serve the people of this great state. I have committed myself to public service, and my years as Oklahoma solicitor general have offered me the opportunity to routinely litigate cases before the Supreme Court. I am uniquely familiar with the high court’s jurisprudence.”

Wyrick earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology/criminology from the University of Oklahoma and his juris doctorate from OU’s college of law.

Before joining the attorney general’s office, Wyrick worked as an associate attorney at the law firm of GableGotwals and as a law clerk to Judge James Payne in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Oklahoma in Muskogee.

Wyrick and his wife, Jamie, have three children, twins Cole and Carter, and Claire.

OK Supreme Court Justice Taylor to retire at end of 2016

Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Steven Taylor to Retire

He conducted more than 500 trials, gaining prominence for presiding over the trial of 

convicted Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today received and accepted a letter from Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Steven Taylor stating his intention to retire at year’s end.

“It has been my honor to serve this great state,” Taylor wrote, “and my hope is that I leave a legacy of a firm dedication to the rule of law.”

Taylor, who has served on the bench for nearly 33 years, said his retirement will take effect Dec. 31.

Taylor, of McAlester, said he wants to spend more time with Mary, his wife of 38 years. He said he will remain active in his civic and volunteer activities.

“Justice Taylor has served the state well in multiple levels of the judiciary for more than three decades,” said Fallin. “He is known for being tough but fair. I appreciate his dedication, logic and candor while on the high court, as well as his attention to detail.

“I continue to have the utmost respect for Justice Taylor, who swore me in for both of my terms as governor.”

Taylor was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2004 by then-Gov. Brad Henry. He served as chief justice from 2011 until 2013.

Before his appointment to the Supreme Court, Taylor spent more than 20 years as a trial judge in various state courts.

He conducted more than 500 jury trials, gaining prominence when he presided over the trial of convicted Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols. Many in the legal community at the time said no other judge in Oklahoma could have handled the case as well as Taylor.

Once the case went to trial in 2004, Taylor kept the high-profile trial on track, without any errors that could have caused the verdict to be reversed upon appeal.

Taylor’s judicial career started in 1984 when then-Gov. George Nigh named him associate district judge for Pittsburg County. In 1994, he was elected district judge of the 18th Judicial District. In 1997, he was elected presiding judge of the 10-county East-Central Judicial Administrative District.

Taylor was the recipient of the Oklahoma Bar Association “Award of Judicial Excellence” in 2003 as the outstanding Oklahoma judge of the year.

 Taylor earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Oklahoma State University in 1971, and earned his law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1974.

Taylor joined the United States Marine Corps in 1970 and served on active duty from 1974 until 1978. He was promoted to the rank of major.

After his service in the Marines, Taylor practiced law in McAlester from 1978 until 1984. He was elected in 1980 to the McAlester City Council and in 1982 was elected mayor of McAlester.

Supreme Court justices serve on the court as long as they are able and must appear on the ballot and be retained by voters every six years, according to state statute.

The Judicial Nominating Commission will accept applications for nominees to the court. The commission reviews the applications and submits three nominees to the governor.

At the time of appointment, applicants must be 30 or older, have been a qualified elector in the 2nd Supreme Court Judicial District for at least one year immediately prior to the date of appointment, and have been a licensed practicing attorney or judge of a court of record, or both, in Oklahoma for five years preceding the appointment.

The 2nd Judicial District consists of McIntosh, Sequoyah, Pittsburg, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, Johnston, Atoka, Pushmataha, Marshall, Bryan, Choctaw and McCurtain counties.

2010 Election: Oklahoma Judicial Retention

Oklahoma voters get to decide whether or not to "retain" judges on the various different state courts every two years. Ever since the retention system was implemented, no judge has ever been kicked out of office.

This year, three judges are on the statewide ballot - two State Supreme Court Justices, and one Court of Civil Appeals Justice. Given that practically nobody knows anything about these judges come election time, I'll post a little bit of information about the judges here, and how I will be voting.

Oklahoma Supreme Court

Justice James R. Winchester

Justice James Winchester was appointed by Gov. Frank Keating (R) on Jan. 4, 2000 as a member of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma. A native of Clinton, Oklahoma, Justice Winchester received his bachelors of art from the University of Oklahoma and his juris doctorate from Oklahoma City University.

After graduating from law school, Justice Winchester practiced law in Weatherford and Hinton before being named Associate District Judge for Caddo County in Jan. 1983. In Dec. 1983, at age 30, Justice Winchester became one of the youngest district judges in the state when he was appointed as District Judge for the Sixth Judicial District of Oklahoma. During his tenure as a district judge, he tried more than 200 jury trials, ranging from fraud to first-degree murder death-penalty cases.

Justice Winchester was named Outstanding State Trial Court Judge by the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association in 1986 and served as an executive board member of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference from 1992 to 1996. He served as President of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference in 1995. From August 1997 to January 2000, Justice Winchester served as a U.S. Administrative Law Judge. Winchester is husband to former State Rep. Susan Winchester (R-Chickasha).

My suggested vote: YES

 Justice Steven W. Taylor

Vice-Chief Justice Steven W. Taylor earned his B.A. in Political Science from Oklahoma State University in 1971.  Justice Taylor received the Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1974.

Taylor joined the United States Marine Corps in 1970 and served on active duty from 1974-1978.  He was trained as an infantry platoon commander and later served as a prosecutor and Chief Defense Counsel.  In 1977 he became the youngest judge in the U.S. Armed Forces.  He was promoted to the rank of Major.

Following his active duty service in the Marines, Taylor practiced law in McAlester from 1978-1984.  In 1980 he was elected to the McAlester City Council and in 1982 was elected Mayor of McAlester, making him the youngest Mayor in that city’s history. 

In March 1984 Governor George Nigh appointed Taylor Associate District Judge for Pittsburg County.  In 1991 he was the first Associate District Judge ever to be elected President of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference.  In 1994, Taylor was elected District Judge of the 18th Judicial District.  In 1997 and 2003 he was elected Presiding Judge of the ten county East-Central Judicial Administrative District. In his over 20 years as a trial judge, he presided over more than 500 jury trials including the Terry Nichols Oklahoma City bombing case.

On September 24, 2004, Gov. Brad Henry (D) appointed Taylor to be a Justice of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma.

My suggested vote: NO

Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals (click links for info)

Deborah B. Barnes [appointed by Gov. Brad Henry (D)]: NO

Doug Gabbard II [appointed by Gov. Brad Henry (D)]: NO

John F. Fischer [appointed by Gov. Brad Henry (D)]: NO
Larry Joplin [appointed by Gov. David Walters (D)]: NO

I will be voting 'no' on the judges appointed by Democrat governors, not necessarily because of their actions, but because Mary Fallin will likely be the next Governor, and would be appointing their replacements. I trust a Republican governor more than I do a Democrat one (and especially more than I do Gov. Brad Henry).

If I run across any differing opinions on the judges, I'll try to post them.