Bill seeks to bar sexual relationships between judges and attorneys

Lowe's bill is named after the former judge pictured below, who resigned last year following what appears to have been extensive sexual misconduct with several prosecutors and attorneys. So far, at least one conviction in a case tried by the judge has been thrown out.

Disgraced former Oklahoma County District Judge Tim Henderson

Legislation Seeks to Raise Standards for Oklahoma Judges

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Jason Lowe, D-OKC, filed legislation for the upcoming legislative session that seeks to protect and restore faith in the Oklahoma justice system. 

House Bill 3746, the Judge Timothy Henderson Act, would forbid judges from having a sexual relationship with a lawyer who is representing a client in the courtroom assigned to the judge. 

Any judge who violates the proposed law could be imprisoned for up to two years and fined up to $100,000.

“The people of Oklahoma have an expectation for how their public servants should act,” Lowe said. “This legislation helps ensure that the decisions being made by a judge are driven by the facts of the case and not a relationship with an attorney.” 

Establishing a clear line for expectations helps both the people of Oklahoma and judges.

“As most of us know, the appearance of impropriety is often as damaging as the impropriety itself,” Lowe said. “This is a proactive approach to protect public trust by holding public servants accountable.”