FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 5, 2018
Governor Mary Fallin Names District Judge Richard Darby to Serve as Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today named District Judge Richard Darby to serve as a
justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Darby, a judge for more than 30 years, succeeds
former Justice Joseph Watt, who retired from the bench last year.
Darby, of Altus, has served since 1994 as
district judge for the 3rd Judicial District, which includes
Jackson, Kiowa, Tillman, Greer and Harmon counties. Before that, he served as a
special judge and an associate district judge for Jackson County.
His duties as district judge include
presiding over civil and criminal cases, assigning cases to six other judges in
the district, and managing a staff of one secretary bailiff and five court
reporters.
“Judge
Richard Darby has demonstrated during his long career on the bench to be extremely
knowledgeable of the law,” said Fallin. “He is thorough, shown by his
willingness to take the time to independently research challenging legal issues
before issuing an order. He is a fair, impartial, even-handed, and practical judge who
will serve our state’s highest court well.”
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 Darby 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.
Darby is a lifelong resident of southwest
Oklahoma, and will represent the 9th district on the Supreme Court. The
9th Judicial District covers Harmon, Greer, Jackson, Kiowa, Tillman,
Cotton, Comanche, Caddo and Canadian counties.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be appointed
to serve on the Oklahoma Supreme Court,” Darby said. “I am ready to meet the
new challenges that will come with this appointment. I pledge to be objective
and open-minded, and I will apply the law fairly. I appreciate Governor Fallin’s
confidence in me.”
Darby earned his bachelor’s degree in political
science from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and his juris doctorate
from the University of Oklahoma’s college of law.
Darby has been married for 36 years to Dana Darby, Ph.D, who is superintendent of Altus Christian Academy. They have two
sons, Ben, a communications officer for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Jon, a
student at Universal Technical Institute in Irving, Texas.
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Judge Richard Darby
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