{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-11-11-27-104","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 11, § 11-27-104","heading":"Judges","body":"A. The number of judges for each municipal court shall be\n\ndetermined by the governing body of the municipality where the court\n\nis established. The judge of each municipal court shall be\n\nappointed by the mayor of the municipality where the court is\n\nestablished, with the consent of the municipal governing body. The\n\njudge of any municipal court shall be licensed to practice law in\n\nthis state, except as provided for in subsections B and C of this\n\nsection. The judge shall serve for a term of two (2) years, said\n\nterm expiring on a date fixed by ordinance, and until his or her\n\nsuccessor is appointed and qualified, unless removed by the vote of\n\na majority of all members of the governing body for such cause as is\n\nprovided for by law for the removal of public officers. Any\n\nappointment to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired term.\n\nNothing in the provisions of this section shall be construed to\n\nprevent the judge from engaging in the practice of law in any other\n\ncourt during the tenure of office. The judge shall be paid a salary\n\nto be fixed by the municipal governing body and in the same manner\n\nas other municipal officials or employees as determined by the\n\nmunicipality. A municipal judge in a court not of record is not an\n\n\"officer\" of the municipality pursuant to paragraph 6 of Section 1-\n\n102 of this title and shall not be considered a state officer for\n\nthe purposes of Section 6 of Title 51 of the Oklahoma Statutes. All\n\nmunicipal judges, including nonlawyer judges, are subject to the\n\ncode of judicial conduct and legal ethics.\n\nB. In any municipality with a population of less than seven\n\nthousand five hundred (7,500), the mayor, with the consent of the\n\ngoverning body of the municipality, may appoint as judge:\n\n1. An attorney licensed to practice law in this state;\n\n2. A suitable person who resides in the county in which the\n\nmunicipality is located or in an adjacent county; or\n\n3. Beginning July 1, 2026, no person may be newly appointed\n\npursuant to paragraph 2 of this subsection as a municipal judge. A\n\nmunicipal judge appointed pursuant to paragraph 2 of this subsection\n\nprior to July 1, 2026, who has completed the requirements in\n\nsubsections D and F of this section, may continue to be reappointed.\n\nC. If the judge of the municipal court is not a licensed\n\nattorney and has not complied with the education requirements\n\npursuant to subsection E of this section and the education\n\nrequirements pursuant to Section 18-101 of Title 47 of the Oklahoma\n\nStatutes, the trial shall be to the court, and the court shall not\n\nimpose a fine of more than Fifty Dollars ($50.00), and shall not\n\norder the defendant imprisoned except for the nonpayment of fines or\n\ncosts or both.\n\nD. If the judge of the municipal court is not a licensed\n\nattorney but has complied with the education requirements of\n\nsubsection F of this section and the education requirements pursuant\n\nto Section 18-101 of Title 47 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the maximum\n\nfine that may be imposed shall be Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).\n\nE. In order to impose the fine authorized by subsection D of\n\nthis section, a nonlawyer judge must, within a period not to exceed\n\nthe preceding reporting period in this state for mandatory\n\ncontinuing legal education, complete courses held for municipal\n\njudges which have been approved by the Oklahoma Bar Association\n\nMandatory Continuing Legal Education Commission for at least six (6)\n\nhours of continuing education credit. Verification may be made by a\n\nstatement of attendance signed by the course registration personnel.\n\nF. 1. Beginning July 1, 2026, any person currently appointed\n\nor serving as a municipal judge shall have completed a certification\n\nprogram as approved by the Oklahoma Municipal Judges Association.\n\nThe certification program shall have a minimum of twelve (12) hours\n\nof continuing legal education approved by the Oklahoma Bar\na\n\nstatement of attendance signed by the course registration personnel.\n\nF. 1. Beginning July 1, 2026, any person currently appointed\n\nor serving as a municipal judge shall have completed a certification\n\nprogram as approved by the Oklahoma Municipal Judges Association.\n\nThe certification program shall have a minimum of twelve (12) hours\n\nof continuing legal education approved by the Oklahoma Bar\n\nAssociation Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Commission to\n\ninclude laws specific to municipal courts, trial evidentiary\n\nmatters, criminal cases eligible for municipal courts, and indigency\n\nhearings.\n\n2. Any person appointed as a municipal judge after July 1,\n\n2026, shall have one (1) year from the date of appointment to\n\ncomplete the certification program described in paragraph 1 of this\n\nsubsection.\n\nG. If a municipal judge has not completed the training required\n\npursuant to subsection F of this section, the maximum fine that may\n\nbe imposed by the municipal court in all traffic and criminal cases\n\nshall not exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00).\n\nH. A copy of the Oklahoma Municipal Judge certification shall\n\nbe filed with the county clerk in the county in which the\n\nmunicipality is located and with the municipal court clerk.","path":["OK Code","Title 11"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os11.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"6dc0f0cb8bcea82c6b1d4bab8975a7e701b6ac82971011721c40563329190b49","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-11-11-27-103","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-11-11-27-105"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}