Oklahoma Supreme Court publicly reprimands Tulsa County Judge Sharon Holmes over conduct violations

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has found Tulsa County District Judge Sharon Holmes violated multiple judicial conduct rules but determined her actions did not amount to “oppression in office,” which would warrant removal from the bench.

Official response and confirmed impact

“Her conduct presents both commissions of legal error and abuses of discretion, compounded by their repetitive occurrences for which we must impose discipline.”

Incident under investigation

The court adopted findings from the Council on Judicial Complaints and found Holmes violated seven rules of the Code of Judicial Conduct.

The case involved allegations concerning private communications, recusals, sentencing decisions, courtroom behavior and her responses during the Council’s investigation.

“We find Judge Holmes’s conduct indefensible–her conduct reflects a serious lack of impulse control, lapses in judgment, and a failure to appreciate and respect the boundaries imposed upon her by the Code of Judicial Conduct, warranting discipline from this Court,” the court said in its decision.

The court said some of Holmes’ most serious violations involved ex parte communications, including a private conversation with a criminal defendant and a private discussion with jurors.

The court found the communications and failure to disclose their substance violated judicial rules and created an appearance of impropriety.