Oklahoma Supreme Court Decisions 2023

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case heard before the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma, the plaintiffs, Mohammad Amoorpour and Maryam Amnifar, trustees of the Amoorpour Family Trust, sought to quiet title to a piece of property against…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, a mother and her husband (the appellants) sought to adopt the mother's biological child, A.J.B., born out of wedlock, without the consent of the child's biological father. The biological father (the…

Justia Opinion Summary: In a collision involving a sedan owned by Murray State College and a semi truck and trailer owned by Frank Bartel Transportation (FBT), the college employee driving the sedan was killed and the FBT vehicle was destroyed.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Kevin Cantwell worked for Flex-N-Gate for 28 years during which he sustained numerous work-related injuries. He was awarded permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits for these injuries under the law as it existed…

Justia Opinion Summary: This case, delivered by The Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma, concerns the right of succession to the role of estate administrator, specifically in situations where a third-party administrator has been appointed.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner Derrick Scott filed a petition to establish paternity. Respondent-Mother Candice Foster moved to dismiss, asserting that title 10, section 7700-609(B) required a party to commence an adjudication of paternity…

Justia Opinion Summary: The appellants in this case filed an action to permanently enjoin enforcement of five Acts of the Oklahoma Legislature. Each Act concerned the termination of a pregnancy. The appellants' challenges were based upon…

Justia Opinion Summary: An Oklahoma district court ordered the admission to probate of a will executed in 2018 by Velda Mae Rivenburg, after denying challenges to the will brought by the testator's son. Velda Mae was survived by one son,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiffs-appellants Michael Cathey and Vonderosa Properties, LLC (collectively "Vonderosa") filed suit seeking declaratory relief against Defendant-Appellee Board of County Commissioners for McCurtain County (Board)…

Justia Opinion Summary: Medical providers sued insurance company to enforce their perfected medical liens for professional services rendered to a person injured in a car accident. Insurance company disputed the: (1) reasonableness of the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The parents of Elliott Williams created their individual wills and joint trust after Elliott died. A wrongful death lawsuit was filed on Elliott's behalf, and the Williamses were statutory beneficiaries to proceeds from…

Justia Opinion Summary: The First United Methodist Church of Oklahoma City (First Church) was affiliated with the Oklahoma Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC). First Church wished to undergo the process of disaffiliation from…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Church of the Servant was affiliated with the Oklahoma Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC). The Church wished to undergo the process of disaffiliation from UMC while retaining its real property, as…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiffs were allegedly injured from a collision with an Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) Trooper. Less than three weeks after the accident, plaintiffs' lawyer sent the OHP a letter asking it to preserve any evidence…

Justia Opinion Summary: Oklahoma counties were required to house state prison inmates in certain instances. In turn, Oklahoma law required the state to reimburse counties twenty-seven Dollars ($27.00) per day per state inmate for the cost of…

Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioners Debbie Leo d/b/a Miller Lake Retreat, LLC, Larinda McClellan, Louise Redman Trust, Walter Myrl Redman, and Kenneth Roberts appealed a district court's order affirming the Oklahoma Water Resources Board's (the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff Steven Bird, an independent contractor hired to install a new checkout lane at Defendant Pruett's Food store, was injured after falling off a ladder Defendant had supplied to aid Plaintiff in completing the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff Oil Valley Petroleum, LLC and defendant Clay Moore (Moore) sought equitable relief to adjudicate title based upon two oil and gas leases. Plaintiff requested the trial court to quiet title, cancel an oil and…

Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant-appellee Malcolm Penney left a wedding which was held at The Springs Event Venue and proceeded to drive the wrong way down a highway. He crashed head-on into a vehicle driven by Marissa Murrow, killing her.…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2002, the Defendant-appellee Carmela Hill (Hill) pursued counterclaims against U.S. Bank and its mortgage servicer Nationstar following bank's dismissal of its foreclosure action against Hill. A jury returned a…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) brought an original proceeding to the Oklahoma Supreme Court asking the Court approve revenue bonds to finance the construction of three turnpike projects, update and repair turnpike…

Justia Opinion Summary: Nicole Fitzpatrick obtained a dissolution of her marriage to Jeremy Fitzpatrick. The couple had minor children and significant marital assets, including real property, bank accounts, investments, and personal…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff-appellees Rory and Emmy Childers owned property in Creek County, Oklahoma. Defendants-appellants James and Jennifer Arrowood owned property west of the Childers property. Prior to 2008 the Childers Property was…

Justia Opinion Summary: After Appellant Crystal Guilbeau suffered a miscarriage, Hospital employees photographed the child's remains and presented the images to her as part of Hospital's bereavement program. Appellant sued Hospital and unnamed…

Justia Opinion Summary: TOCH, LLC, the owner and operator of Aloft Hotel, alleged that the Tulsa Tourism Improvement District No. 1 was allegedly improperly created because fifty percent or more of the affected hotel owners protested in writing…

Justia Opinion Summary: Howard Berkson, Esq. ("Lawyer") filed an action to challenge a ten-dollar fee collected for the Lengthy Trial Fund ("LTF") when a new case is filed. State defendants the administrative director of Oklahoma Courts and…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2004, the Defendants-appellees Joe and Cindy Witherspoon obtained an installment loan in the amount of $66,400.00 from a mortgage company. The promissory note was secured by a standard Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac uniform…

Justia Opinion Summary: In August 2015, Plaintiff-appellant, TIB-The Independent Bankers Bank ("TIB"), filed a foreclosure action against Kyle Goerke, based on a mortgage executed and recorded in 2007. TIB also included claims against Kyle…

Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioners filed this original proceeding objecting to two pieces of legislation passed by the Oklahoma legislature during the 2022 legislative session: S.B. 1503 and H.B. 4327. Both acts prohibited abortion after…

Justia Opinion Summary: A group of Oklahoma landowners petitioned for a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief, claiming that the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority violated the Open Meeting Act, 25 O.S.2021, §§ 301 to 314, regarding its notice to…

Justia Opinion Summary: Appellants Pike Off OTA, Inc., Amy Cerato, Mike Leary, Vince Dougherty, Terrie Club, Mike Club, Twyla Smith, Cali Coward, Karen Powell, Mike Powell, Cedric Leblanc, Darla Leblanc, Claudette Wispe, Mark Dooling, Nate…

Justia Opinion Summary: Ronald W. Parker (Decedent) died on April 3, 2020, as a resident of Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. He left behind two adult daughters, Mandy Allford and Shila Pirpich, and a brother, Herman Parker (Herman). A little more…

Justia Opinion Summary: Respondent Oklahoma State Board of Equalization, assessed an ad valorem tax concerning on the property of Complainant Terral Telephone Company. The Company protested the assessment, and the Board moved to dismiss the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Appellees Jean Norris a/k/a Jeannie Norris, Carol Mikles, and Kenneth Hopcus (collectively Cousins) brought this action seeking an order declaring them as the primary beneficiaries of an Individual Retirement Account…

Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioners Grant and Kalan Lloyd sought to adopt minor child L.B.L. without Mother Sara Pollard's consent. The District Court found that Child was eligible for adoption without Mother's consent. Mother appealed, and the…

Justia Opinion Summary: After the Carter County, Oklahoma District Court adjudicated S.J.W. (child) as deprived, Parents-appellants appealed. S.J.W., through child's attorney, filed a motion to dismiss the appeal for lack of subject matter…

Justia Opinion Summary: Erasmo Paredes sustained an on-the-job injury in late 2019. He continued working for his employer, Schlumberger Technology Corp., until January 30, 2020. His employer's insurance carrier, Travelers Indemnity Company of…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2018, ONEOK Arbuckle II Pipeline, LLC began construction of a natural gas liquid pipeline to transport Oklahoma production to the interstate market. The pipeline required electricity to operate a series of pump…

Justia Opinion Summary: During the summer of 2021, Appellants Edmond Public School Board Members and Edmond Public School District Superintendent, Angela Grunewald, (collectively "District") anticipated a complete return to in-person…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff Sue Chimento brought claims for defamation, negligence, intentional interference with business relations, false representation, constructive fraud, and conspiracy against Defendants Gallagher Benefit Services,…

Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioners were healthcare providers and an advocacy group, the Oklahoma Call for Reproductive Justice. Respondents were various state officials: the Attorney General of the State of Oklahoma, the district attorneys of…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff-respondent Tres C, LLC was an Oklahoma limited liability company whose members were Viola "Tincy" Cowan, her son David Cowan, her daughter Karlea Cowan Ewald, her grandson Scot Meier, and her granddaughter…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2018, Mwande Serge Kpiele-Poda ("Employee") was injured at a wellsite while repairing a conveyor that activated and crushed his legs. While Employee's Workers' Compensation claim was still pending, he filed a petition…

Justia Opinion Summary: In January 2021, Plaintiff-appellant Nancy MeGee, as Personal Representative of and on behalf of the Estate of David MeGee, filed a wrongful death action against Defendants-appellees El Patio, LLC and Dylan Welch, an…

Justia Opinion Summary: Respondent-appellant Wife appealed the property division incorporated into a divorce decree. The parties initially agreed to a settlement after mediation, but Wife later changed her mind. Petitioner-appellee Husband…

Justia Opinion Summary: Appellants Amy Gray, Jerry Dickman, Jeffrey Dickman, and Deborah Henderson (collectively Children) brought an action seeking an order declaring Children as the primary beneficiaries of a Profit-Sharing Plan (PSP) and an…