Gov. Stitt to announce new Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice following retention shakeup

Governor Kevin Stitt is set to announce his newest appointment to the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Monday, April 14 at 3 p.m. during a press conference in the Governor’s Blue Room at the State Capitol. The event, which will feature remarks from both the governor and his appointee, comes amid heightened attention to the makeup and direction of the state’s highest court.

The announcement follows a contentious judicial retention election in November 2024, where three Oklahoma Supreme Court justices faced unusually close races. The contests drew more than $3 million in campaign spending, much of it from anonymous “dark money” sources.

The political intensity surrounding the vote was unprecedented, with attack ads and calls to reject the justices mirroring sentiments aligned with Stitt’s ongoing efforts to reshape the judiciary.

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Two of the three justices ultimately retained their seats, but one, appointed by a previous Democratic governor, was not. This marked a potential first in Oklahoma’s history, according to political analyst Scott Mitchell.

“The precedent is that this had never been done before, and it looks like one of them may be successfully rejected,” said Mitchell. “So you’ve got to think that if the money is there and people are disagreeing on outcomes of these races, that they’ll do it again.”

READ MORE: Oklahoma Voters Cast Decisive Votes On Supreme Court Justices Amid Historic Retention Races

Stitt’s upcoming appointment will fill that vacancy, giving the governor another opportunity to leave a lasting imprint on the state’s highest court. The Oklahoma Supreme Court currently has a conservative lean, and if the new justice aligns with Stitt's previous picks, the court could shift to a solid 8-1 Republican majority.

Mitchell also noted that the court's previous decisions, especially those overturning legislative actions, have been criticized by advocacy groups as “anti-business,” further fueling the push for new appointments.

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While the governor does not have direct power to choose a justice unilaterally, the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC), established after a 1960s judicial bribery scandal, narrows the list of candidates to three finalists. The governor then selects from that list.

For now, Oklahomans await to see who will fill this pivotal role on a court increasingly caught in the crosshairs of political and ideological debate.