Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice announces plan to retire at the end of 2017

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Oklahoma will soon have a vacancy on its Supreme Court with the impending retirement of a justice.

Governor Mary Fallin reports she accepted a letter Oct. 2 from Justice Joseph Watt stating his intention to retire from the Oklahoma Supreme Court at the end of 2017. Watt was appointed to the court in May 1992. He is the justice for the 9th Supreme Court Judicial District, which includes Canadian, Caddo and Comanche counties as well as a large portion of southwest Oklahoma. He has twice served as Chief Justice for the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Watt was first appointed a judge in 1985 as special district judge for Jackson County.

“Having spent almost half of my entire life serving in the judicial branch of government, the past 25 and a half years on the Supreme Court have been the most rewarding of my entire life,” Watt said. “As the new year dawns, I look forward to beginning the next chapter in my life spending more quality time with my grandchildren, traveling with my wife, Cathy, and taking active retired status beginning Jan. 1, 2018.”

A replacement for Watt will be chosen through the Judicial Nominating Commission. The commission will select three candidates and send them to the governor.