OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – Gov. Kevin Stitt has set the stage for the creation of Oklahoma business courts in 2026, a goal he set out to accomplish last year.
Stitt signed Senate Bill 632 into law on Wednesday.
The bill provides framework for the creation of two business court divisions headquartered at the Court of Civil Appeals in Oklahoma County and Tulsa County.
Stitt announced his intention to sign into law a bill that would establish business courts in Oklahoma in his first weekly news conference of the year in late January, ahead of his State of the State address and the start of the new legislative session.
“You see Delaware attacking Elon Musk’s company. It got into compensation that was negotiated by the board, so he pulled out of Delaware. You saw the court system attack President Trump’s business. I don’t want businesses to think that that could happen to them in Oklahoma. So, we’re going to set up business courts. It’s going to be live in 2026. I’m really excited about that,” Stitt said in January.
Stitt said the passage of Senate Bill 473 last year, which pursues the creation of business courts, showed major companies looking to expand into a new state that Oklahoma is a place where companies receive fair and expedient treatment in the courts.
SB 473 allowed for the establishment of a task force dedicated to pursuing the creation of business courts in Oklahoma.
Business courts will specialize in resolving intricate commercial disputes in a fast, efficient manner that is cheaper for businesses.
SB 632 does the following in pursuit of establishing business courts in Oklahoma:
- Directs the Oklahoma Supreme Court and business court judges to promulgate rules for the implementation and administration of business courts;
- Authorizes business court judges to appoint a secretary-bailiff, law clerk and other personnel who will work in the business courts;
- Sets the salary for a business court judge at the same pay as an associate judge of the
Supreme Court; - Sets the term for business court judges at eight years;
- Outlines the qualifications to serve as a business court judge, which includes being at least 35 years of age, being a United States citizen and having at least 10 or more years of legal experience;
- Outlines the business court judge appointment process, which begins with the speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives providing the governor with a list of three candidates, the governor choosing an appointee from the list and the Senate confirming the appointment;
- Allows the governor to reject the list of appointees from the speaker and request a subsequent list. The list must be provided to the governor within 40 days of the request or the governor can appoint any person that meets the statutory qualifications to serve;
- States that an appointed business court judge will serve on a interim basis if the appointment is made when the Legislature is not in session;
- Requires the aforementioned appointment process to be used to fill vacancies;
- Outlines the authority and jurisdiction of business courts and lists the types of cases that can be added to a business court docket beginning Jan. 1, 2026, as long as the claim amount is at least $500,000;
- Allow a jury trial if claimed by a party within the time period established by court rules;
- Requires non-jury trials to be resolved within 12 months unless an extension is requested by the disputing parties; and
- Establishes a $1500 filing fee for cases filed in business court.
