Tulsa World: Judge reshuffle in OKC puts one out of spotlight

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Judge reshuffle in OKC puts one out of spotlight

SHIFTED
District Judge Bill Graves: He had com- plained about a "homosexual agenda."

By AP Wire Services
Published: 7/29/2008 2:10 AM
Last Modified: 7/29/2008 3:08 AM

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma County's presiding judge has issued an order that resulted in the reassignment of more than 2,400 criminal cases in the county.

District Judge Vicki Robertson shuffled some judicial assignments in a June 27 order.

The order — which goes into effect Friday — removed a criminal docket from District Judge Bill Graves, who is being assigned to probate cases, a chore that had been handled by an appointed special judge.

Graves, who would not comment on the move, had more than 2,400 cases on his docket in July, court records show.

Under Robertson's order, those cases will be reassigned to the other six district judges who are handling criminal cases, adding about 400 cases to each judge.

Robertson said specialty dockets such as drug and mental-health courts have siphoned enough cases that the county does not need as many criminal judges.

"I just had to redistribute the caseload," she told The Oklahoman recently.

Robertson said she chose to reassign Graves, who made news recently for decrying the "homosexual agenda" in proposed rules governing judicial conduct, because he had the least seniority among the judges assigned to criminal cases.

Robertson's order has drawn opposition from all seven judges — including Graves — and the Oklahoma County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

District Judge Kenneth Watson had said the judges were going to voice their concerns to Robertson.

The judges' meeting did not result in any changes.

"We need seven judges on the criminal docket," Watson said before Friday's meeting.

The president of the defense lawyers group wrote Robertson a letter Thursday expressing its concerns about losing a criminal judge.

The move potentially has "severe logistical, financial and constitution consequences" on the county's criminal justice system, association President Cynthia Viol wrote in her letter.

Reporters could not reach Robertson for comment Friday.

Graves had said in June that the anti-discrimination language proposed for the state's Code of Judicial Conduct is not proper and serves to promote a "homosexual agenda."

"These policies are not based on laws enacted by Congress or the state Legislature, but on proposals of the liberal, pro-homosexual American Bar Association," he said.

Graves specifically objected to a proposed rule that would prohibit judges from being members of organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

Graves said the proposal promotes a "homosexual agenda, which is to have homosexuality treated as normal and natural as heterosexuality."

"These are cultural, moral and political issues that should be reserved to the legislative branch."

He also said the new proposal could forbid judges from refusing to award children to homosexuals in custody and adoption cases.

"Studies have shown that is detrimental to children," he wrote.

Graves spent 24 years as a state lawmaker before he was elected to the bench in November 2006.

Any changes to Oklahoma's conduct rules for judges need the approval of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which passed the original code of conduct in 1974. By AP Wire Services

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OKLA, (7/29/2008 8:27:01 AM)

It's not a court of whims of special interests. It is a court of law. Special interests need to stay out. The 60's U.S. Supreme Court more than proved that.

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