Dustin Rowe will be the newest justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court after his appointment Wednesday by Gov. Kevin Stitt.
Rowe, who became mayor of Tishomingo in 1994 at age 18, is Stitt’s second appointment to the court. He succeeds Justice Patrick Wyrick in representation of Oklahoma Supreme Court District 2. Wyrick left the court earlier this year to become a federal judge.
“Mr. Rowe is an accomplished lawyer and a dedicated Oklahoman who has an impressive legal background,” Stitt said in a statement. “His proven record in both his private practice and as a tribal court judge speaks to his qualifications to join the highest court in Oklahoma. Rowe’s reputation of fairness, passion for the legal system and heart for his community is evident.”
Rowe, 44, opened a law firm in Tishomingo in 2001, and he has also been serving as a judge in the Chickasaw Nation court system. From 2005 to 2011 he served as a special judge before becoming a district judge.
“I am honored and humbled by the trust Gov. Stitt has placed in me,” Rowe said in Stitt’s press release. “I will work diligently on the Oklahoma Supreme Court to uphold the constitution of our great state.”
He attended the University of Oklahoma College of Law as well as East Central University in Ada.
Rowe ran unsuccessfully in 2012 for Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District, finishing fourth in a crowded primary field with 10 percent of the vote.
Stitt appointed John Kane IV to the nine member court in September.
