Oklahoma Watch: OKC Courthouse Faces Backlog Of Delayed Cases

A new report shows a slow response from the federal courthouse in Oklahoma City, with the Western District of Oklahoma having the 12th highest number of motions pending over six months among the 94 district courts in the federal system.

Oklahoma Watch reporter Jake Ramsey spoke about the backlog, citing a lack of urgency among judges as the primary cause.

Ramsey said judges in the Western District are assigned cases at random, but some have faced an "excessive caseload" of complex cases.

Accountability for judges who delay cases is "very lackluster," Ramsey said, with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and the chief judge having limited ability to remove judges from the bench.

One attorney described the repercussions as a "slap on the wrist" or a "wet noodle."

Ramsey said the backlog has had significant impacts, including costly litigation and "extreme harm" to litigants and attorneys who can spend years waiting for their cases to be resolved.

One high-profile case highlighted was the legal battle over House Bill 1775, which restricts teachings on race and gender in Oklahoma schools.

Ramsey said it took two and a half years for a judge to order a preliminary injunction on the law, causing confusion and harm to teachers and students during that time.

Related article: https://oklahomawatch.org/2024/07/30/oklahoma-western-district-court-among-the-slowest-in-the-country-data-shows/