| United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| (N.D. Okla.) | |
 | |
| Location | Tulsa |
| Appeals to | Tenth Circuit |
| Established | February 16, 1925 |
| Judges | 4 |
| Chief Judge | John F. Heil III |
| Officers of the court | |
| U.S. Attorney | Clint Johnson |
| U.S. Marshal | Clayton D. Johnson |
| www | |
TheUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (incase citations,N.D. Okla.) is a federal court in theTenth Circuit (except forpatent claims and claims against the U.S. government under theTucker Act, which are appealed to theFederal Circuit).
The District was established on February 16, 1925, with the transfer of a judgeship in theEastern District to the newly established Northern district.[1]
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma is one of three federal judicial districts in Oklahoma.[2] Court for the District is held atTulsa.
The court's jurisdiction comprises the following counties:Craig,Creek,Delaware,Mayes,Nowata,Osage,Ottawa,Pawnee,Rogers,Tulsa, andWashington.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. As of December 26, 2021[update] theUnited States attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma is Clint Johnson.[3]
As of March 1, 2025[update]:
| # | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Term of service | Appointed by | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active | Chief | Senior | ||||||
| 20 | Chief Judge | John F. Heil III[Note 1] | Tulsa | 1968 | 2020–present | 2021–present | — | Trump |
| 21 | District Judge | Sara E. Hill | Tulsa | 1977 | 2024–present | — | — | Biden |
| 22 | District Judge | John D. Russell | Tulsa | 1963 | 2024–present | — | — | Biden |
| 23 | District Judge | vacant | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 13 | Senior Judge | Terence C. Kern | Tulsa | 1944 | 1994–2010 | 1996–2003 | 2010–present | Clinton |
| 16 | Senior Judge | Claire Eagan | Tulsa | 1950 | 2001–2022 | 2005–2012 | 2022–present | G.W. Bush |
| 17 | Senior Judge | James H. Payne[Note 1] | inactive | 1941 | 2001–2017 | — | 2017–present | G.W. Bush |
| 18 | Senior Judge | Gregory Kent Frizzell | Tulsa | 1956 | 2007–2025 | 2012–2019 | 2025–present | G.W. Bush |
| 19 | Senior Judge | John E. Dowdell | inactive | 1955 | 2012–2021 | 2019–2021 | 2021–present | Obama |
| Seat | Prior judge's duty station | Seat last held by | Vacancy reason | Date of vacancy | Nominee | Date of nomination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tulsa | Gregory Kent Frizzell | Senior status | March 1, 2025 | – | – |
| # | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin Elmore Kennamer | OK | 1879–1960 | 1925–1940[Note 1] | — | 1940–1960 | Coolidge/Operation of law | death |
| 2 | Alfred P. Murrah | OK | 1904–1975 | 1937–1940[Note 2] | — | — | F. Roosevelt | elevation to10th Cir. |
| 3 | Bower Slack Broaddus | OK | 1888–1949 | 1940–1949[Note 2] | — | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 4 | Royce H. Savage | OK | 1904–1993 | 1940–1961 | 1949–1961 | — | F. Roosevelt | resignation |
| 5 | William Robert Wallace | OK | 1886–1960 | 1950–1960[Note 2] | — | — | Truman | death |
| 6 | Luther L. Bohanon | OK | 1902–2003 | 1961–1974[Note 2] | — | 1974–2003 | Kennedy | death |
| 7 | Frederick Alvin Daugherty | OK | 1914–2006 | 1961–1982[Note 3][Note 2] | — | 1982–2006 | Kennedy | death |
| 8 | Allen E. Barrow | OK | 1914–1979 | 1962–1979 | 1962–1979 | — | Kennedy | death |
| 9 | H. Dale Cook | OK | 1924–2008 | 1974–1992[Note 2] | 1979–1992 | 1992–2008 | Ford | death |
| 10 | Thomas Rutherford Brett | OK | 1931–2021 | 1979–1996 | 1994–1996 | 1996–2003 | Carter | retirement |
| 11 | James O. Ellison | OK | 1929–2014 | 1979–1994 | 1992–1994 | 1994–2014 | Carter | death |
| 12 | David Lynn Russell | OK | 1942–present | 1981–1990[Note 2] | — | — | Reagan | seat abolished |
| 14 | Michael Burrage | OK | 1950–present | 1994–2001[Note 2] | — | — | Clinton | resignation |
| 15 | Sven Erik Holmes | OK | 1951–present | 1994–2005 | 2003–2005 | — | Clinton | resignation |
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.
A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known assenior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
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| Note | American Samoa does not have a district court or federal territorial court; federal matters there go to theDistrict of Columbia,Hawaii, orits own Supreme Court. |
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