OKLAHOMA CITY - On June 30, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) issued its final opinions for the 2021-22 term, a year in which the State of Oklahoma enjoyed overwhelming success protecting Oklahomans and their constitutional rights.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued 66 formal opinions this term, according to SCOTUSblog. The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office participated in 21 of these 66 cases—winning 15.
Oklahoma won three of those cases as a party: (1) Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta, which held that Oklahoma may prosecute non-Indian offenders in eastern Oklahoma; (2) West Virginia et al. v. EPA, which struck down the Environmental Protection Agency’s lawless attempt to radically restructure the nation’s power grids and harm the oil and gas industry; and (3) Ohio et al. v. DOL, which prevented the unlawful implementation of a vaccine mandate against 84 million American workers by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Oklahoma contributed to victories in an additional 12 cases as an amicus (“friend of the court”), providing arguments and legal authorities. This included the historic overturning of Roe v. Wade, the confirmation of the right to carry a firearm for self-defense, and the protection of religious liberty and free speech for a public high school football coach and for private religious schools.
Oklahoma also achieved success on the U.S. Supreme Court’s emergency docket, prevailing as a party and as an amicus. Among other victories, in October 2021, the Attorney General’s Office persuaded the Court to vacate a last-minute stay of execution the Tenth Circuit had wrongly issued, which allowed justice to be achieved for Oklahomans, including several victims of Oklahoma’s most wanton crimes.
“It was a fantastic year for Oklahomans at the U.S. Supreme Court,” Attorney General John O’Connor said. “We repeatedly urged the Court to protect our rights under the U.S. Constitution, respect the separation of powers, and recognize Oklahoma’s sovereignty. We are pleased that the Court heard us, even in the face of threats and intimidation efforts. These victories are enormously important to the people of our State.”
