Oklahoma

States are starting to offer reduced prison time to survivors of domestic violence

According to one study of women in Oklahoma’s prisons, 66% were abused by a partner the year before they were incarcerated. The state has a new law that allows domestic violence survivors to seek shorter sentences. Oklahoma is one of only a handful of states to pass laws that provide sentencing relief specifically for domestic violence survivors.

Feb 1, 2025 1:00 AM CST

Supreme Court will decide whether Oklahoma can fund Catholic charter school

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide whether the First Amendment allows Oklahoma to fund a Catholic online school as part of its charter school program.

Jan 27, 2025 10:16 AM CST

Death row inmate can pursue due process appeal over sex-life evidence admitted at trial, Supreme Court says

A death row inmate can pursue a claim that her Oklahoma trial was prejudiced by the introduction of evidence about her sex life, provocative clothing and thong underwear, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

Jan 22, 2025 10:40 AM CST

Opioid suits can’t be based on nuisance law in Ohio, top state court rules in $650M win for pharmacies

A decision by the Ohio Supreme Court on the state’s product-liability law is good news for three national pharmaceutical chains ordered to pay more than $650 million for contributing to the opioid epidemic.

Dec 12, 2024 3:23 PM CST

SCOTUS seems closely divided on new trial for Oklahoma death row inmate

The Supreme Court appeared closely divided Wednesday over whether to order a new trial for Oklahoma death-row inmate Richard Glossip, whose case has attracted support from across the political spectrum after independent investigations revealed prosecutorial misconduct.

Oct 9, 2024 3:50 PM CDT

Supreme Court allows HHS to divert funds over abortion referrals

The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for the Biden administration to strip millions of health care dollars from Oklahoma over its refusal to direct patients to information about abortions—a federal requirement that the state says would be at odds with its strict ban on terminating pregnancies.

Sep 5, 2024 10:30 AM CDT

Judge accused in drive-by shootings has progressive brain disease, court filing says

An Oklahoma judge accused in two drive-by shootings has frontotemporal dementia, a disease that can cause “bizarre out-of-character behavior" changes, his lawyers said in an Aug. 28 court filing.

Sep 3, 2024 10:14 AM CDT

SCOTUS could be next stop after top Oklahoma court rules on state-funded religious school

A contract providing for state funding of an online Catholic charter school violates the First Amendment’s establishment clause, the Oklahoma Constitution and a state law governing charter schools, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

Jun 25, 2024 3:29 PM CDT

Survivors of Tulsa Race Massacre can’t get reparations under nuisance law, top Oklahoma court says

Updated: The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit seeking reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre on behalf of two survivors who are 109 and 110 years old.

Jun 13, 2024 8:57 AM CDT

Proposal to impose nation’s most restrictive cap on contingency fees may appear on ballot, judge rules

A judge in Nevada has refused to block a ballot measure that would impose a 20% cap on contingency fees in civil cases in the state.

May 15, 2024 9:29 AM CDT

Incarceration series includes female inmates but doesn’t tell full story

“Moreover, the series has thus far failed to explain some of the most counterintuitive aspects and sex-based discrepancies of American sentencing and incarceration,” writes Oklahoma lawyer and ABA Journal columnist Adam Banner.

Apr 8, 2024 12:32 PM CDT

Burdened prison staffers seeking more time between executions should ‘suck it up,’ top criminal court judge says

Judge Gary Lumpkin, a judge on Oklahoma’s top criminal appeals court, has said state prison officials seeking more time between executions have to “suck it up” and get the job done. Lumpkin said he’s not buying into the “sympathy stuff.”

Apr 3, 2024 8:48 AM CDT

Judge resigns after allegedly texting through toddler-death trial

As the murder trial for a man accused of beating a toddler to death began in June, the thoughts of the Oklahoma judge overseeing the case allegedly drifted to the appearance of the prosecutor: “Why does he have baby hands? … They are so weird looking,” she texted the bailiff, according to a court petition filed against her.

Feb 12, 2024 9:25 AM CST

Alabama ready to help other states with ‘humane’ nitrogen executions after gas caused inmate to ‘shake and writhe’

Alabama is ready to help other states carry out “humane” nitrogen gas executions after using it for the first time Thursday to kill inmate Kenneth Smith, the state’s attorney general has said.

Jan 30, 2024 8:58 AM CST

SCOTUS will hear death row inmate’s wrongful-conviction claim supported by state attorney general

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip is entitled to reversal of his conviction because the state suppressed evidence that a co-defendant who implicated Glossip had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Jan 22, 2024 1:04 PM CST