{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-685.7","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-685.7","heading":"Special emergency judges","body":"Whenever an emergency or disaster occurs in the United States,\n\nand in the event that any judge of any court is unavailable to\n\nexercise the powers and discharge the duties of the office, and no\n\nother judge authorized to act or no special judge appointed in\n\naccordance with the provisions of the Constitution or statutes is\n\navailable to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of such\n\noffice, the duties of the office shall be discharged and the powers\n\nexercised by the special emergency judges, each of whom shall\n\notherwise be qualified to serve as a judge, as hereinafter provided\n\nfor:\n\n1. The Governor shall designate for each member of the Supreme\n\nCourt special emergency judges in the number of not less than three\n\nnor more than seven for each member of said court, and shall specify\n\nthe order of their succession.\n\n2. The Governor shall designate for each member of the Court of\n\nCriminal Appeals special emergency judges in the number of not less\n\nthan three nor more than seven for each member of said court, and\n\nshall specify the order of their succession.\n\n3. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in consultation with\n\nthe other members of said court, shall designate for each court of\n\nrecord, except the Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals,\n\nspecial emergency judges in the number of not less than three nor\n\nmore than seven for each judge of said courts and shall specify\n\ntheir order of succession.\n\n4. The judge of the district court, or the senior judge of any\n\nsuch district, in consultation with the other district judges of\n\nthat district, where there is more than one judge shall designate\n\nnot less than three nor more than seven emergency judges for courts\n\nnot of record within that district and shall specify their order of\n\nsuccession.\n\nSuch special emergency judges shall, in the order specified,\n\nexercise the powers and discharge the duties of such office in case\n\nof the unavailability of the regular judge or judges or persons\n\nimmediately preceding them in the designation. The designating\n\nauthority shall review and revise, as necessary, designations made\n\npursuant to this act to ensure their current status.\n\nSaid special emergency judges shall discharge the duties and\n\nexercise the powers of such office until such time as a vacancy\n\nwhich may exist shall be filled in accordance with the Constitution\n\nand statutes or until the regular judge or one preceding the\n\ndesignee in the order of succession becomes available to exercise\n\nthe powers and discharge the duties of the office.","path":["OK Code","Title 63"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os63.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"835ea428bbb701600280efc17bc237b6c38654f1eeb85d12081d67b03624477e","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-685.6","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-685.8"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}