Court Opinion

ID: 9879507
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-27 18:21:57.373195+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:47:55.693575
License: Public Domain

EDMONDSON, J.,
Concur in Part and Dissent in Part.
¶ 1 I concur in part and dissent in part to the Court’s' opinion for the following reasons.
¶ 2 Generally, no exercise of State executive power, State legislative power, or State judicial power is beyond this Court’s Article 4 constitutional role of review1 or the Court’s Article 7 adjudicatory jurisdiction or power to review that exercise of State power, unless the Constitution vests an exclusive judicial power in a different constitutional entity.2 *294The exercise of State power by the Judicial Nominating Commission is subject to review by an Oklahoma Constitution Article 7 court when presented with a legally justiciable controversy, unless the Constitution expressly vests jurisdiction of such controversy in a different entity.3
¶3 In 1978 this Court explained that a person holding an Oklahoma Constitution Article 7 judicial office is removed or suspended by the means provided by law.4 We cited the language in the Constitution5 and explained a judicial officer is removed from office by a proceeding in the Court on the Judiciary and by other means expressly provided by the Constitution and laws of the State.6 No express statutory or constitutional removal remedies are invoked by the parties in this proceeding, but they seek a remedy resulting in the proposed removal of a state official.7
¶4 Petitioners make a conclusory allegation that legal remedies are not available for the relief they seek. They make no legal analysis or cite applicable legal authority supporting their allegation that legal remedies expressly mentioned by this Court in previous opinions are insufficient for the relief they seek. Petitioners failed to satisfy their burden that they possess an inadequate or legally insufficient right of action.8 Any cause of action, no matter what judicial label or form is attached thereto, which seeks removal of an Article 7 Judge or Justice, must comply with remedies provided by the Constitution and State statutes,9 and a petitioner seeking the same ultimate relief by a method other than those remedies must explain with a legal analysis why those remedies are not appropriate.
¶ 6 The People are vested with supreme and sovereign authority as the source of all governmental power and authority.10 This Court has no Article 7 adjudicatory power to restrict the constitutional remedies for removal of a judicial official,11 and this Court has no Article 7 power to enlarge upon those remedies without a petitioner showing that the remedies so provided are completely ineffectual to guarantee the rights of the citizens of the State or to carry into effect the Will of the People.12
*295¶ 6 Courts possess both express and inherent powers to adjudicate a .cause of action alleging a violation of law.13 But if we were to accept jurisdiction and adjudicate the merits of petitioners’ claims, then such adjudication would be an exercise of Article 7 judicial power as to whether an Article 7 judicial officer should be removed from office. Article 7 Judges and Justices are granted constitutional authority to manage and administer the affairs of the judicial office,14 but this Court is not an ultimate authority on whether a sitting Justice should be removed from office.15

. Romang v. Cordell, 1952 OK 139, 206 Okla. 369, 243 P.2d 677, 679 (the Oklahoma Supreme Court has the State constitutional power and duty pursuant to Art. 4 § 1 to prevent any State government entity from violating the State Constitution when that issue is presented to the Court by a judicially cognizable cause of action unless the State Constitution forbids the Court from acting in a certain circumstance). See also York v. Turpen, 1984 OK 26, 681 P.2d 763, 767 (the Court possesses the Okla. Const. Art. 4 § 1 role of determining constitutional validity of a statute).
Okla. Const. Art. 4 § 1:
The powers of the government of the State of Oklahoma shall be divided into three separate departments: The Legislative, Executive, and Judicial; and except as provided in this Constitution, the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial departments of government shall be separate and distinct, and neither shall exercise the powers properly belonging to either of the others.

. Okla. Const. Art. 7 § 1:
The judicial power of this State shall be vested in the Senate, sitting as a Court of Impeachment, a Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, the Court on the Judiciary, the State Industrial Court, the Court of Bank Review, the Court of Tax Review, and such intermediate appellate courts as may be provided by statute, District Courts, and such Boards, Agencies and Commissions created by the Constitution or established by statute as exercise adjudicative authority or render decisions in individual proceedings. Provided that the Court of Criminal Appeals, the State Industrial Court, the Court of Bank Review and the Court of Tax Review and such Boards, Agencies and Commissions as have been established by statute shall continue in effect, subject to the power of the Legislature to change or abolish said Courts, Boards, Agencies, or Commissions. Municipal Courts in cities or incorporated towns shall continue in effect and shall be subject to creation, abolition or alteration by the Legislature by general laws, but shall be limited in jurisdiction to criminal and traffic proceedings arising out of infractions of the provisions of *294ordinances of cities and towns or of duly adopted regulations authorized by such ordinances.
Okla. Const. Art. 7 § 4 begins with the statement:
“The appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court shall be coextensive with the State and shall extend to all cases at law and in equity; ... The original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court shall extend to a general superintending control over all inferior courts and all Agencies, Commissions and Boards created by law....” (Emphasis added).

. For example, in McKye v. State Election Bd. of State of Oklahoma, 1995 OK 15, 890 P.2d 954, the Court explained that Okla. Const. Art. 5 § 30 expressly states “Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members ..." and this express constitutional vesting of this controversy in the Legislature removed it from an Article 7 court’s judicial review.

. Graham v. Cannon, 1978 OK 9, 574 P.2d 305.

. Okla. Const. Art. 7-A, § 1(a): In addition to other methods and causes prescribed by the Con-stitution and laws, the judges of any court, exercising judicial power under the provisions of Article VII, or under any other provision, of the Constitution of Oklahoma, shall be subject to removal from office, or to compulsory retirement from office, for causes herein specified, by proceedings in the Coiirt on the Judiciary.

. Graham v. Cannon, 574 P.2d at 307, 308, citing Okla. Const. Art. 7-A, § 1(a).

. For example, in addition to discussing the Court on the Judiciary, Cannon discusses a removal action by 22 O.S. 1181 (which specifies causes for removal for any officer not subject to impeachment), and an ouster action 51 O.S. § 91 (removal for state officers not subject to impeachment). Cannon, 574 P.2d at 308.

. In re M.K.T, 2016 OK 4, ¶ 61, 368 P.3d 771 ("Generally, a burden to present facts, claims and legal arguments falls on the party who asserts an entitlement to the judicial relief sought.”).

. Ethics Commission v. Cullison, 1993 OK 37, 850 P.2d 1069, 1073 (“Since 1893 this jurisdiction has recognized that forms of action are abolished.”).

. Romang v. Cordell, 1952 OK 139, 206 Okla. 369, 243 P.2d 677, 679.

. Smith v. Bovaird Supply Co., 1980 OK 129, 616 P.2d 1157, 1159 (the Court has no power to restrict a constitutional remedy or right).

. Tulsa Industrial Authority v. City of Tulsa, 2011 OK 57, n. 43, 270 P.3d 113, 125 (equity *295may not be used to supplant adequate legal remedies); Macy v. Oklahoma School Dist. No. 89, 1998 OK 58, ¶ 25, 961 P.2d 804, 810 (Equity is not used to create a remedy in place of a statutory remedy when no showing has been made that the statutory remedy is inadequate).

. Vandelay Entertainment, L.L.C. v. Fallin, 2014 OK 109, ¶ 13, 343 P.3d 1273, 1276 (Three branches of government, including the Judicial, possess inherent powers essential to the functions of each branch.).

. Petuskey v. Cannon, 1987 OK 74, 742 P.2d 1117, 1120.

. Sharpe v. State ex rel. Oklahoma Bar Association, 1968 OK JUD 1, 448 P.2d 301, 306.