The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals is an intermediate appellate court

Appellate court

An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...

 in the state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...

.Cases are assigned to it by the Oklahoma Supreme Court

Oklahoma Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and leads the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma....

, the state's highest court for civil

Civil law (common law)

Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...

 matters.

The court consists of twelve judges divided into four panels with three judges each. They are responsible for the majority of appellate decisions in Oklahoma. Furthermore, the Oklahoma Supreme Court

Oklahoma Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and leads the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma....

 has the power to release the court's opinions for publication, in which case they have value as precedent

Precedent

In common law legal systems, a precedent or authority is a principle or rule established in a legal case that a court or other judicial body may apply when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts...

.

Two of the court's four panels are housed in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...

. The two Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...

 panels are housed in the Oklahoma State Capitol

Oklahoma State Capitol

The Oklahoma State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the building that houses the Oklahoma Legislature, and the meeting place of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. It is located along Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City. The present structure includes a dome that was...

 building.

History

The court was established by provisions in the 1907 Oklahoma Constitution and statutes enacted by the 1908 state legislature. The legislature played a strong role in the management of the judiciary branch until Oklahoma voters amended the constitution in 1967 with the effect of making the courts more independent of the partisan political process.

Selection process

Appellate judges are appointed by the governor from a list of three candidates nominated by the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission

Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission

The Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission is the judicial nominating commission of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It selects potential justices and judges for gubernatorial appointments for judges for state appellate courts.-History:...

. The commission is composed attorneys selected by the Oklahoma Bar Association and non-attorneys appointed by the governor.

List of current judges

Justice	Birthplace	Year Service Began	Appointing Governor	Law School
E. Bay Mitchell, III E. Bay Mitchell E. Bay Mitchell, III is a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, the intermediate appellate court in the state of Oklahoma. He represents District 6, Office 1. Governor Frank Keating appointed him to this position in 2002. and he was retained by voters in 2004 and again in 2006...	Enid, Oklahoma Enid, Oklahoma Enid is a city in Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States. In 2010, the population was 49,379, making it the ninth largest city in Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Garfield County. Enid was founded during the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in the Land Run of 1893, and is named after Enid, a...	2002	Frank Keating Frank Keating Francis Anthony "Frank" Keating is an American politician from Oklahoma. Keating served as the 25th Governor of Oklahoma. His first term began in 1995 and ended in 1999...	University of Oklahoma University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
Jane Wiseman Jane Wiseman (judge) Jane P. Wiseman is a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, the intermediate appellate court in the state of Oklahoma. She represents District 1, Office 2. Governor Henry appointed her to this position in March 2005 and she was retained by voters on November 7, 2006...	Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...	2005	Brad Henry Brad Henry Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...	University of Tulsa University of Tulsa The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
Deborah Barnes Deborah Barnes Deborah Barnes is a judge at the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, the intermediate appellate court in the state of Oklahoma.-Background and education:...	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...	2008	Brad Henry Brad Henry Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...	Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University, often referred to as OCU, is a coeducational, urban, private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
Robert Bell Robert Bell Robert Bell or Rob Bell may refer to:* Robert Bell , British politician* Robert Bell , Irish journalist & editor* Robert Bell , Canadian legislator* Robert Bell , Canadian legislator...   (Chief Judge)	Norman, Oklahoma Norman, Oklahoma Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...	2005	Brad Henry Brad Henry Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...	University of Tulsa University of Tulsa The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
Kenneth Buettner Kenneth Buettner Kenneth L. Buettner is a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, the intermediate appellate court in the state of Oklahoma.-External links:* * -References:...	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...	1996	Frank Keating Frank Keating Francis Anthony "Frank" Keating is an American politician from Oklahoma. Keating served as the 25th Governor of Oklahoma. His first term began in 1995 and ended in 1999...	Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
John Fischer John Fischer (judge) John Fischer is a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, the intermediate appellate court in the state of Oklahoma.-Background and education:...	Rush Springs, Oklahoma Rush Springs, Oklahoma Rush Springs is a town in Grady County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,278 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rush Springs is located at ....	2007	Brad Henry Brad Henry Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...	University of Oklahoma University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
Doug Gabbard, II Doug Gabbard, II Doug Gabbard, II is a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, the intermediate appellate court in the state of Oklahoma.-Background and education:...	Lindsay, Oklahoma Lindsay, Oklahoma Lindsay is a city in Garvin County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,889 at the 2000 census.-History:Lindsay was founded in January 1902, when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad companies linked their lines halfway between Chickasha and...	1985	George Nigh George Nigh George Patterson Nigh , is a popular civic leader in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Nigh served as the 17th and the 22nd Governor of Oklahoma. He was the first Oklahoma Governor to be re-elected and the first to win all 77 counties in the state...	University of Oklahoma University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
Jerry Goodman Jerry Goodman (judge) Jerry L. Goodman is a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, the appellate court in the state of Oklahoma.-Biography:...	Mangum, Oklahoma Mangum, Oklahoma Mangum is a city in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greer County....	1994	David Walters David Walters David Lee Walters was the 24th Governor of Oklahoma from 1991 to 1995.-Biography:Walters was born near Canute, Oklahoma. He graduated as valedictorian from Canute High School in 1969. He later graduated from University of Oklahoma in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering...	Georgetown University Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
Carol Hansen Carol Hansen Carol M. Hansen is a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, the intermediate appellate court in the state of Oklahoma.-Background and education:...	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...	1984	George Nigh George Nigh George Patterson Nigh , is a popular civic leader in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Nigh served as the 17th and the 22nd Governor of Oklahoma. He was the first Oklahoma Governor to be re-elected and the first to win all 77 counties in the state...	Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University, often referred to as OCU, is a coeducational, urban, private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
William Hetherington	Norman, Oklahoma Norman, Oklahoma Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...	2009	Brad Henry Brad Henry Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...	Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University, often referred to as OCU, is a coeducational, urban, private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
Larry Joplin	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...	1994	David Walters David Walters David Lee Walters was the 24th Governor of Oklahoma from 1991 to 1995.-Biography:Walters was born near Canute, Oklahoma. He graduated as valedictorian from Canute High School in 1969. He later graduated from University of Oklahoma in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering...	University of Oklahoma University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
Keith Rapp Keith Rapp Keith Rapp is a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, the intermediate appellate court in the state of Oklahoma. He represents District 2, Office 2. He was appointed to this position in 1984. He will be up for retention election again in November 2014, at the end of his 6-year...	Wheelersburg, Ohio Wheelersburg, Ohio Wheelersburg is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1820 and was originally known as Concord. It lies along the northern banks of the Ohio River in Southern Ohio. Wheelersburg is approximately 7 miles east of Portsmouth and 14 miles west of Ironton...	1984	George Nigh George Nigh George Patterson Nigh , is a popular civic leader in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Nigh served as the 17th and the 22nd Governor of Oklahoma. He was the first Oklahoma Governor to be re-elected and the first to win all 77 counties in the state...	University of Tulsa University of Tulsa The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...

External links

• Judges of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
• Flowchart of the Oklahoma Court System, showing the jurisdiction of the Court of Civil Appeals