Joseph M. Watt

Joseph Michael Watt (born March 8, 1947) is a former Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, who assumed the post in 1992. He was reelected in 1994, 1996, and 2002. From 2003 to 2007, he served two terms as Chief Justice. In 2005, he was reelected to an unprecedented second term as Chief Justice, despite a federal age discrimination lawsuit filed by the Court's then-Vice Chief Justice Marian P. Opala, then 83 years old, who claimed Supreme Court rules were changed to prevent Opala from becoming chief justice. Justice Watt sent a letter to Governor Mary Fallin on October 2, 2017, stating that he would retire from the Oklahoma Supreme Court effective December 31, 2017.

Joseph M. Watt
Justice of the
Oklahoma Supreme Court
In office
May 18, 1992  December 31, 2017
Appointed byDavid Walters
Succeeded byRichard Darby
Chief Justice of the
Oklahoma Supreme Court
In office
January 8, 2003  January 11, 2007
Preceded byRudolph Hargrave
Succeeded byJames R. Winchester
Personal details
Born (1947-03-08) March 8, 1947
Austin, Texas
Alma materTexas Tech University, University of Texas School of Law
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